Internships offer History students the opportunity to acquire practical experience in history-related fields and learn about the kinds of careers for which a major in History offers excellent preparation.
History 464 Internship in History for academic credit
The
History Department and its Museum Studies minor offer the “HIST464
Internship in History” and the “MSST464 Museum Studies Internship” as a
means of allowing students to secure academic
credit for internship placements at museums, historical societies,
historic sites, government agencies, or other suitable venues. In
recent years, students have completed internships at locations such as
UD’s Center for Historic Architecture and Design, W.
L. Gore and Associates Corporate Archives, the Hagley Museum and
Library, the New Castle Historical Society, the Lewes Historical
Society, and the Newlin Grist Mill in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania.
Many
HIST464 internship placements are developed by students, themselves,
while MSST464 internship placements are typically arranged by Meg
Hutchins, Museum Studies Program Coordinator
and Internship Coordinator for the History Department. Students
interested in completing a HIST464 or MSST464 internship must secure
pre-approval of their placement from Ms. Hutchins (mhutch@udel.edu and
302-831-1251).
On
an occasional basis, the Department also offers HIST 464 as a regular
course, rather than as an individual internship, with enrollment by
consent of its instructor. When HIST 464 is
offered as such a course, the instructor places students in internships
but also holds some class sessions on campus.
The E. Lyman Stewart Internships
These are
competitively awarded paid internships given to sophomore, junior or
senior History majors who are placed at local historical societies,
museums, libraries, archives, or historic sites. You do not have to be
seeking a career in museums or public history to apply for these
internships. In recent years, students have completed Stewart
Internships at such locations as the Delaware Historical Society, the Hagley Museum and Library, and the George Read II House & Gardens in Historic New Castle.
This
summer, three paid internships for undergraduate majors in the
Department of History are being offered at three Delaware museums and
historical societies. The exact stipend amount for each of these internships is not set, but is likely to be $3,375 for 225 hours of work, to be scheduled with the host museum. You
will be paid through the university and will be required to keep track of your hours
through the online UDTime system.
Please contact Ms. Meg Hutchins at mhutch@udel.edu for more information on the Stewart Internships. Please fill out our online form to apply. Application submissions are due no later than March TBD, 2020. Interview night will be held March TBD, 2020.
Smithsonian Institution Fellowship and Internship Programs
Programs are numerous and constantly changing. For more information, visit the
Smithsonian Institution Fellowship and Internship Programs website or call the Smithsonian Office of Fellowships and Internships at 202-633-7070.
Additional Resources
Students may also seek internship opportunities through the Career Services Center. If completed in conjunction with UNIV 364, the internship fulfills the DLE requirement.
For further information about internships, please contact your History advisor in the History Department Office.
Looking for more public history opportunities? Subscribe to the Museum Studies Program at the University of Delaware’s newsletter MuseWeekly which features professional opportunities such as conferences, workshops, internships, fellowships, and jobs.
Please read the UDaily Article about Exciting History Internships.