History Internships & Careers

History majors go on to work in a variety of fields. Read more at the American Historical Association’s Careers for History Majors online guide.

Careers

The history major prepares students for a wide variety of careers.

  • Lawyers
  • Foreign Service
  • Politicians
  • Researchers
  • Librarians
  • Archivists
  • Businesspeople
  • Writers/Editors
  • Educators
  • Museum curators
  • Peace Corps / Vista
  • Government Service
  • Public Relations

Marymount’s Center for Career Development can help you prepare for your internship and job search, polish your résumé, and practice your interviewing skills. You can read more about career prospects for history majors here.

Internships

Recent internship locations for History majors have included

  • Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, George Washington University
  • Sully Plantation
  • POW/MIA Foundation
  • National Museum of the US Navy
  • National Archives History Office
  • National Park Service, Arlington House
  • World War I Centennial Commission
  • Alexandria Archaeology Museum
  • Journey Through Hallowed Ground
  • The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
  • Smithsonian National Museum of American History
  • Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
  • Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
  • Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens
  • National Park Service, Frederick Douglas National Historic Site

What did these interns do? Some of their tasks and accomplishments included

  • supporting original research by known scholars
  • transcribing and researching historical documents
  • the discovery of military documents and publishing findings
  • making presentations on original research to senior military officers
  • condensing original journals and cataloguing clothing and other items belonging to prominent figures from the Civil War Era
  • writing articles for encyclopedias

Matt Corbett:
“My senior year at Marymount I participated in an  internship with the Journey Through Hallowed Ground (JTHG), a non-profit in western Loudoun County, VA. JTHG is A National Heritage Area Program and aims to promote heritage preservation, historical education, and collaboration between the numerous historical sites and organizations between Gettysburg, PA and Monticello, VA. In my role as an intern I was responsible for maintaining a large historical database where I was able to use my historical research techniques learned during my time at Marymount to accurately research Civil War soldiers who had died on the battle and ensure that there was a tree planted with the JTHG Heritage Area in their memory.

The internship with JTHG also awarded me the ability to shape my professional skills by requiring me to interact with other organizations and even U.S. Congress staffers on behalf of the Journey. This was a great experience in the practical application of skills learned while a History major at Marymount University, and I value the skills and knowledge gained during this experience.”

Grad school bound? Marymount’s DISCOVER Program is available to help you with tips on applying for and thriving in your graduate-study pursuits.