HIST 640. Graduate Internship in History. 3 credits.

Provides graduate student with an opportunity to employ his/her professional historical skills in an external setting, leading to a completed major project suitable for inclusion in a career portfolio. Prerequisite: Permission of faculty internship coordinator.

Requirements for HIST 640, Graduate History Internship:

The Graduate History Internship differs from its undergraduate counterpart in that it is not intended to be a general, varied experience in multiple aspects of historical practice or public history. It is intended to provide the graduate student with an opportunity to employ his/her professional historical skills in an external setting, leading to a completed Major Project suitable for inclusion in a career portfolio. Graduate Internship Major Projects should be, as nearly as possible, complete projects involving primary research, secondary reading, interpretation, and presentation employing any of the numerous sources, methods, and skills of professional historical practice. Graduate students wishing to explore external venues for their historical skills under a less rigorous framework, may do so without enrolling in HIST 640. Graduate History Internships are particularly suitable for, but certainly not limited to, graduate students pursuing careers in public history, material culture, historical editing, historic resource management, and similar fields.

Each student enrolled in HIST 640 will be required to complete the following:

1. Project Description/Prospectus:

-A detailed description of the project to be undertaken and of the agency at which the internship will be conducted.

-Include discussion of the resources and methods to be employed.

-Include a bibliography of secondary literature establishing the context of the project in the relevant professional historical literature.

-Submit in typed, double-spaced format for approval by Internship Coordinator and agency internship supervisor.

-Due no later than the end of the first week of the Internship.

2. Completion of a minimum of 140 hours work.

3. Submission of a weekly summary of hours and activities, emailed to Internship Coordinator.

4. Four book reviews:

-Typed, 2-3 pages in length.

-Critical, professional quality.

-Books to be selected in consultation with agency supervisor or Internship Coordinator from bibliography in Project Description/Prospectus.

-Due dates distributed over the duration of the internship, or as agreed upon with the Internship Coordinator.

5. Major Project:

-A professional historical product suitable for inclusion in career portfolio.

-One copy —whether text, analog/digital media, graphic record, or a combination— submitted to Internship Coordinator at the end of the internship. Copy will be retained in History Department library.

The student’s grade in HIST 640 will be based on the following distribution:

Professional conduct:

Completion of minimum hours,

Evaluation of student’s work by agency supervisor,

Adherence to established deadlines ................... 10%

Quality of written work:

Project Description/Prospectus,

Book Reviews ................................................... 20%

Quality of Major Project ........................................................... 70%

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