The Department of History Internship Program allows undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills at one of the many historical and cultural institutions in the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area.
Student Internship Requirements
Students complete, at minimum, 120 hours of work during their internship over the course of a semester or summer and, ideally, will enroll in one of the below courses:
- HISTORY 392A – Archival Internship
- HISTORY 392B – Public History Internship
- HISTORY 5592 – Public History Internship
Undergraduate students are limited to a maximum of 9 credit hours in internship coursework (note that each course can only be taken once). Three credit hours of which can be applied to fulfill the Capstone Course requirement with advisor approval. In addition, six credit hours may be applied towards the Upper Division (300-400+) Level History Course Electives (i.e. two internship courses at 3 credits hours per course).
Graduate and doctoral students are limited to 3 credit hours of internship coursework.
Note: Graduate students who are admitted into the Master of Arts in History with a Public History Emphasis are required to take 3 credit hours in an internship in coordination with the Director of the Public History Emphasis.
Crafting an outstanding resume and cover letter is essential. UMKC Career Services offers support in resume and cover letter development to enhance your internship applications. Additionally, honing interview skills is vital for success when invited to interviews.
Funded Internship Program for Graduate Students
The UMKC History Department offers its graduate students the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts with an emphasis in Public History. Started in 2010, this degree trains and prepares students for careers in museums, historical organizations, archives and other cultural institutions. To support this effort, the History Department created a Funded Internship Program. This graduate student assistantship provides interns with professional experience while working at one of Kansas City’s historical and cultural organizations. The Funded Internship Program equips emerging Public Historians with real-world work experience and connects them with mentorship and networking opportunities.
Applying for a Funded Internship does not guarantee a position. Students will undergo an Interview Process with a potential Internship Host Site before they are awarded a position.
Graduate History Students selected for Funded Internship positions will be hired through UMKC as a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) or Research Student Assistant (RSA).
- GRAs receive a stipend ($20 an hour) and up to 6 credit hours of tuition remission for the semester(s) in which they have been awarded an assistantship (excluding summer semesters).
- RSAs receive a stipend ($20 an hour).
There are additional paid internship opportunities for History Graduate Students through the Center for Digital and Public Humanities. Please note that these have a different application process. To learn about those opportunities or if you have any questions, contact Michael Sprague, DPH Coordinator.
Application Requirements
- Students must be admitted into either the Master of Arts in History, the Master of Arts in History with a Public History Emphasis, or the Ph.D. Humanities (History) degree programs.
- Students awarded a GRA Internship position must be enrolled in at least six (6) credit hours per semester. Contact the Department Administrative Assistant for regulations regarding exemptions to this rule.
- Students selected for a Funded Internship position will work 20 hours a week at their host site.
Application Process
- Submit a GRA/RSA Application and a resume or CV to the History Department’s Administrative Assistant.
- If selected for the Interview Process, the student will coordinate with Dr. Enríquez and the Internship Host Site to schedule a candidate interview.
- Enríquez will notify the student if they are awarded the Funded Internship Position.
Internship Coordinator
Interested in applying for a paid internship? Have questions about available internship opportunities? Contact Dr. Enríquez to learn more.
Sandra Enríquez
Associate Professor of History
Email
Placement Sites for Professional Experience
The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art
The State Historical Society of Missouri
What Our Students Are Saying
"I'm an undergraduate history major, and I'm specifically interested in public history like archives and museums. My internship took place in the spring semester of last year at the Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum in Gladstone, Missouri. It's a small historic home on preserved farmland that is operated by Gladstone Parks and Recreation. One of my favorite projects was contributing to the spring exhibit which covered domestic life in the region during the 1930s. I was able to research and write exhibit labels for items on display and curate old photos and recipes to use in exhibit panels. I also enjoyed working with the museum's archives. I used PastPerfect (a museum collections software) to accession a large collection of 1930s-1950s toys that had been donated to the museum."
Molly Sloan
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