The History department offers HIST 387 (for BA students) and HIST 787 (for MA-level students), “Internship in History.” This course enables history majors to earn a maximum of three credit hours for a faculty-supervised internship directly related to history or the collection and preservation of historical materials. The course combines practical work with supervised, independent academic study.

Typically, an internship will involve work at a local archive, library, museum, historical site, or other appropriate organization. The purpose of the internship is to provide students with field experience working with historical materials. The student must devise a program of internship work in consultation with a faculty sponsor and a representative of the host organization. The student will prepare and present interim reports as well as a substantive final report as requested. Internship projects are subject to approval by the faculty sponsor. Only one internship can be counted towards fulfillment of the History major. Internships deadlines vary, but students should seek out and apply for suitable internships at least a semester in advance. The following organizations offer history-related opportunities.

Archives:

• The Legacy Project at Mount Hebron Cemetery (paid semester-long and summer internships; accepted on a rolling basis.) Please email dpoulos@thecemeteries.com for application information.
• Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (summer and semester-long internships)
• Kupferberg Holocaust Center (semester-long internships at QCC).
• The Lesbian Herstory Archives (rolling applications)
• The National Archives at New York City  (semester-long internships)
• New-York Historical Society (summer and semester-long internships)
• Queens Historical Society (summer and semester-long internships)
• Rye Historical Society (rolling applications)
• Library of Congress:
  • Archives, History, Heritage, Advanced (AHHA) Internship Program – Fall 2026
  • Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Internship Program – Fall 2026
  • Exploring the World Geography & Map Internship Program
• Other opportunities arise throughout the year at specialized archives, such as the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Your professors can be a good resource here.

Museums:

• The Holocaust Educator School Partnership (paid semester-long internship at the Museum of Jewish Heritage)
• The Museum of Jewish Heritage (general internship)
• American Museum of Natural History (Museum Education Experience Program paid internship; semester-long and summer internships)
• Brooklyn Museum (summer and semester-long internships)
• Godwin-Ternbach Museum (internship opportunities at the museum at Queens College)
• El Museo del Barri (summer and semester-long internships)
• Fraunces Tavern Museum (summer and semester-long internships at a museum of the American Revolutionary era)
• Center for Jewish History (volunteer docent opportunities)
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art (range of internship opportunities)
• Museum of the City of New York (summer and semester-long internships; rolling applications)
• Museum of Modern Art (12-month and summer internships)
• Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art (semester-long paid internship)
• Guggenheim Museum (semester-long and summer paid internship)
• Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum (range of museum-related volunteer opportunities)

Historic preservation, historical sites:

•  The Gracie Mansion Conservancy (opportunities for volunteer docents to assist with public tours of Gracie Mansion.) Contact Maat Silin with any questions (msilin@moconsultant.nyc.gov)
• Castle Clinton National Monument (museum volunteer)
• US National Park Service (volunteer opportunities)

Subject to approval by the department, college credit may also be arranged for internship opportunities in other fields that require the research skills fostered by a history major, such as government or the media.

 Government-related:

• New York State (information on all NY State government internships)
• CUNY-MTA internship (paid semester-long internships)
• Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s Office (internship opportunities)
• Senator Charles Schumer’s State Office (internship opportunities)

Publication and media:

• New York Observer (semester-long and summer internships)
• WNYC (internship opportunities)

For further internship opportunities, consider the CUNY Cultural Corps: cuny.edu/CulturalCorps. The City University of New York partners with New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs and The Rockefeller Foundation to run a program that creates opportunities for CUNY students to work in the City’s cultural sector.

For any questions regarding internships, please contact our Director of Internships, Professor Andrew Amstutz at: andrew.amstutz@qc.cuny.edu.