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History Internships

A crucial component of the undergraduate experience.

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man standing in front of railing with water behind him

"My capstone project, a study of Native Americans living on the Gulf Coast during the 18th century, was a tribute to my grandfather, who served in the Arkansas Reserves during that time. "

Grayson Mays

Interned at the Arkansas National Guard Museum

History Internships

Internships are a crucial component of the undergraduate experience and preparation for a competitive job market upon graduation. The Department of History strongly encourages students to take advantage of our broad selection of internship opportunities in the following areas:

  • Museums and Historical Sites
  • Law
  • UM Research and Teaching

Museums and Historical Sites

Students have the opportunity to internship at various museums and historical sites, where they learn about the archival of important materials, how to conduct historical research, along with other valuable skills desired by many students working in the field of History.

There are also local and regional opportunities at the University of Mississippi Museum, Rowan Oak, the Burns-Belfry Museum & Multicultural Center, the LQC Lamar House Museum, the National Archives in Atlanta, and many more.

Law

Is law school or a career in the legal profession in your future? If so, students have an opportunity to complete an internship with an attorney, law firm, or legal agency to gain hands on experience and a better understanding of a legal career. We can assist students in locating and applying for internship opportunities in a variety of law related fields.

UM Research and Teaching

Students have an opportunity to work closely with history faculty in assisting with research projects or undergraduate teaching responsibilities. Interning as an undergraduate research assistant or teaching assistant is an excellent opportunity for students who are interested in a teaching or data science career and are preparing for a graduate level program.

Headshot of Neale Grisham outside

Tennessee State Library and Archives

Neale interned for the Tennessee State Library and Archives in the Educational Outreach department. In this role she worked to make archival materials more accessible for TN educators to use in the classroom. Some of her tasks included transcription, writing metadata, and finding primary sources to use in lesson programs for TN middle and high school teachers. She also developed activities for possible lesson plans and assisted with teacher workshops and programming. Neale hopes to become a museum curator.

Neale Grisham

Interned in the Tennessee State Library and Archives in the Educational Outreach department

Internship FAQs

Internships are opportunities for students to gain work experience within a desired career field for a specified timeframe.

The Undergraduate Committee of the Department of History is committed to helping students find internship opportunities that provide meaningful hands-on learning in history. Students should start by looking at our Google Sheets List and exploring websites such as the American Association for State and Local History, the National History Center, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. There are also local and regional opportunities at the University of Mississippi Museum, Rowan Oak, the Burns-Belfry Museum & Multicultural Center, the LQC Lamar House Museum, the National Archives in Atlanta, and many more.

Internships promote critical thinking, skill development, and professional growth. Specifically, internships provide students benefits such as:
  • Bridging the gap between classroom learning and the real world.
  • Gaining practical experience in a professional environment.
  • Acquiring knowledge and understanding of various elements within political science (political institutions, campaigns/elections, law, political behavior, research, policy, etc.).
  • Building and expanding social and professional networks.
  • Becoming more confident about a career path and pursuing that career.

Students may earn course credit for an internship in history by enrolling in HST 493. HST 493 is a Z-graded, three-credit-hour course that can count as an HST elective. The course provides valuable pre-professional experience and a unique opportunity to learn about history in practice outside of the traditional academic setting.

Before beginning an internship for course credit, students should identify and contact a professor who has an interest in your internship and is willing to advise you through the process. Students then enroll in HST 493 in the semester after completion of the internship. The awarding of academic credit is dependent on fulfillment of the following requirements:

  1. Completion of an internship with a significant historical component and includes at least 120 hours of internship work.  All internships used for this course must be pre-approved by your internship advisor before the start of the internship.
  2. Fulfillment of the terms of the contract interns sign with their internship provider, the so-called “Internship Training Agreement” (ITA).  The “Final Intern Evaluation Form” completed by the internship provider will constitute the basis of assessment for this requirement.
  3. Completion of a six to eight page analysis of your internship experience.
  4. Completion of significant academic work relating the internship experience to larger historical issues. The length and topic must be pre-determined and discussed with your advisor.

Internships can be paid, which offers students some financial assistance in offsetting living expenses while interning. For those who have unpaid internships there are scholarship opportunities available through the History Department and through UM Outreach Department.
Headshot of Matthew Powell

Shiloh National Park

Matthew interned at Shiloh National Military Park in Shiloh, TN, where he worked as an intern Park Guide in the interpretive division. He conducted historical research, gave interpretive tour programs, demonstrated 19th-century weaponry that included live firings, and gave a speech on Memorial Day to a crowd of over one thousand people. Matthew wants to work as an architectural historian to help preserve physical pieces of history.

Matthew Powell

Interned as a Park Guide in the Interpretive Division