Internships through American Studies
Increasingly, students are finding that internships provide a useful, even necessary, bridge between their undergraduate studies and their subsequent careers. American Studies majors with 60 credits or more, and a 2.5 GPA or better, may apply 3 credits of internship (AMST 386) toward the upper level course requirement of the major.
Information on internships is available in the American Studies office, 1102 Holzapfel, or from the Career Center. Internships in government, business, and cultural institutions (e.g. museums, libraries, historical societies) are readily available. In recent semesters, the department has placed interns in television and film production companies; public relations, marketing, and legal firms; and the Smithsonian Institution.
In order to qualify as an internship for credit, the work placement must:
(1) have a clear connection to American Studies or a Focus Area, and
(2) include mentoring by the intern’s site supervisor.
This mentoring may take the form of regular evaluation sessions, rotation among several departments or tasks, or being included in meetings and planning sessions. The goal should be exposure to the overall operation of the worksite and insight into career options available in that field.
Majors interested in pursuing internship opportunites through the department should contact Professor Jo Paoletti, who coordinates the department’s internship program, and submit a formal internship proposal to her. The proposal cover sheet and instructions are available in the American Studies office or online: AMST Internship Proposal Form (.doc)
For further information, contact Dr. Jo Paoletti (jpaol@umd.edu) or the American Studies office (301.405.1354).
