Summer Museum Internship Program

HAA 394: Museum Studies Internship

Offered every summer, HAA 394: Museum Internship provides students with valuable opportunities to explore career paths in the museum field while applying knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to a real-world setting. Internship placements are secured at Chicago area museums in a range of disciplines and typologies, allowing students the opportunity to connect their Liberal Studies Program academic education to the stewardship and public education functions of museums in their respective disciplines.

All internship placements support the core purpose of museums in society - the preservation, education, and exhibition of aesthetic objects and artifacts of material culture. Students apply the analytical, research, and writing skills they have developed through Liberal Studies coursework to museum projects ranging from artifact research and cataloging, to writing content for digital engagement initiatives, to assisting with education and public program development. Through the internship experience, students build increased proficiency in research, critical inquiry, professional writing, and verbal communication skills, while exploring the application of liberal arts education to the field of museums and cultural heritage. Working alongside museum professionals, the course allows students to develop a greater understanding of career options in the museum field while more clearly defining their personal career goals and building professional networks.

If you are interested in enrolling in this course, please contact Cheryl Bachand  by the beginning of spring quarter.

Recent Internship Placements:

Art Institute of Chicago

• Asian Art Department, Collections Research and Documentation 
  
• Digital Experience and Access 

Chicago Collections

Chicago History Museum

Chinese American Museum of Chicago

DePaul Art Museum

National Hellenic Museum

• School Programs 
  
• Public Programs
  
• Development and Administration