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.
Internships for Academic Credit
The History Department offers two types of internships for credit: HIST464 Internship in History and the MSST464 Museum Studies Internship. Both allow students to earn academic credit for internship placements at a wide range of cultural organizations, including museums, historical societies, historic sites, government agencies, and other venues that serve as bridges between the past and the present.
In recent years students have completed internships at UD's Center for Historic Architecture and Design, W. L. Gore and Associates Corporate Archives, the Hagley Museum and Library, Delaware Historical Society, the Lewes Historical Society, and the African American Museum of Philadelphia. Students affiliated with the Museum Studies program have possibilities for fully funded internships through the Alexander Fund. Internships need not be a financial hurdle or burden.
The Department's internships allow for a range of experiences.
HIST 464 Internship in History
For the Internship in History (HIST464), the student works with a
faculty mentor. In conjunction with that mentor,
the student identifies potential sites and defines the project that
will emerge out of their experience in the field—including projects such as a
site-based public history, experiential reflections, or a research paper.
Students may seek assistance from the department’s internship coordinator in
approaching appropriate sites and identifying potential faculty sponsors. Students interested in completing a HIST 464 internship, should contact Dr. Flahrty (flaherty@udel.edu), the History Department's Undergraduate Studies Chair.
MSST 464 Museum Studies Internship
The Museums Studies internship (MSST464) develops essential skills for professionals in cultural organizations, ranging from research and public interpretation, programming, or exhibition development (both in-person and digital) to community outreach, administration, fundraising, finance, and marketing. Students devise their internship in communication with the MSST Program Coordinator and their host institution in advance, and then independently complete a project for their host institution that develops and demonstrates the skills they have targeted. Students
interested in completing a MSST464 internship must secure
pre-approval of their placement from Ms. Meg Hutchins (mhutch@udel.edu and
302-831-1251).
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, the
New Castle Historical Society and the
Laurel Historical Society.
This summer, several paid internships for undergraduate majors in the
Department of History are being offered at Delaware institutions. The
stipend amounts for each of these internships are $3,500 for 225 hours
of work. Interns will be paid through the
university and will be required to keep track of their hours through
the online UDTime system.
Please contact Ms. Meg Hutchins (mhutch@udel.edu) for more information on the Stewart Internships. Please fill out our
online form to apply. Application submissions are due March 24th.
Interview night will be held TBD.
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.