Internship Requirements
Internships are important to public history students. They provide hands-on training working side-by-side with professionals. With this goal in mind, public history students are required to take nine hours of internship credit. Each credit hour requires 48 hours of work. Taking the full nine hours in one summer means that a student would work 432 hours, which equals 40 hours a week for eleven weeks. Each student must also track their time, keep a daily work journal, and write a 4-6 page summary after the internship has been completed.
432 hours = 9 credit hours (25 hours per week over 17 weeks or 40 hours per week 11 weeks)
240 hours = 5 credit hours (14 hours per week over 17 weeks or 22 hours per week 11 weeks)
192 hours = 4 credit hours (12 hours per week over 17 weeks or 17.5 hours per week 11 weeks)
144 hours = 3 credit hours (8.5 hours per week over 17 weeks or 13 hours per week 11 weeks)
Internship process:
- Secure an internship either on your own or with the help of the Internship Coordinator.
- Fill out the Internship Form and get signed approval from the Internship Coordinator (after the form is signed by all parties, a copy is made for the Internship Coordinator).
- Register for the appropriate number of HIST 496 hours.
- Keep a timesheet of hours worked.
- Keep a journal of daily activities, projects, and responsibilities.
- After the internship is complete, ask your supervisor to sign your timesheet and write a summary letter of your work on official stationary. Ask for two copies of the letter, one for your records and the other will be turned into the Internship Coordinator.
- Write a 4-6 page reflective essay. It should be a double-spaced summary of activities and projects completed, responsibilities, and skills learned during the internship. Reflect on what you learned over the course of the internship experience.
- Complete the internship form.
- Students have two weeks after the internship ends to turn in the form, letter, journal, timesheet, and reflective essay to the Internship Coordinator.