History Department Internships

While earning a degree at our Long Island campus, history majors can intern at a historical society, museum, library, archive or any other institution that will provide an experience in historical methodology and research. This experience helps prepare them for real-life work in the field they’re most passionate about.

While there is no guarantee of employment, many students are offered part- or full-time jobs where they completed their internships. And at the very least, an internship can improve a student’s resume, provide valuable experience and establish a professional network.

History students on the Long Island campus have completed internships at:

• Long Island Maritime Museum
• Long Island Museum
• Smithtown Historical Society
• Suffolk County Historical Society

Core Curriculum Objectives

A supervised internship also fulfills the requirement for the Integrated Learning Area Core of Service Learning and Experiential Learning.

Students in the minor will learn the value of service and experiential learning through interactive experiences and reflections within real-world contexts. These experiences will encourage students to forge a link between theory and practice while clarifying the students’ connections to their local and global communities. Students thus come to recognize the value of and need for ongoing inquiry, analysis and evaluation.

Learning Outcomes

• Explore career options in the field of history.
• Professionally interact with staff and supervisors in a local community organization.
• Demonstrate the ability to carry out historical research at an advanced level.
• Utilize primary and secondary sources to support the research agenda described in the internship.
• Critically analyze, synthesize and evaluate historical information from multiple sources.
• Complete a well-written research project that will provide the basis for a museum exhibit (or similar).
• Reflect on personal and professional development provided by the internship.

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Joshua Cortez ’21
History Major • Art History Minor

"Interning at Suffolk County Historical Society was a transformative experience that exposed me to museum operations and maintenance. Coupled with the historical research methods learned at St. Joseph’s University, the history department has fully prepared me for continuing my educational and professional careers."