In my own experience, I was always required to do something in writing
as part of my for-credit internships.  The writing requirement was usually
a journal.  Personally, I found keeping a journal extremely useful.  It was
a good way to link what I was doing in my internship to my coursework.
It also helps supervisors to have a written record of the interns activities
for evaluation purposes -- especially when the intern is working on a
more independent project.  Also, for all my internships I was always
given a formal letter grade.  Personally speaking, this was always a big
boost to my GPA and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Laura Mahoney
Office of Sponsored Projects
Smithsonian Institution

>>> Ed Gyllenhaal <[log in to unmask]> 05/09/97 09:54am >>>
I will be hiring six museum education interns for my museum next year, all
from the history major program at a local college. The history major,
which
is new this year, requires two three-credit history-related internships as
part of the program. The history department is in the process of
developing
guidelines for these internships.

It has been suggested that the students be required to A) work a
minimum of
200 hours, B) write a paper relating to their experience, and C) be given
a
formal grade for the internship.

My own feeling is that the internships should be pass/fail only, and that a
paper is not a necessary product of such an experience.

How do most museums/archives/history-related institutions handle
for-credit
internships? Any input at all would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Ed Gyllenhaal
Curator
Glencairn Museum
Bryn Athyn, PA
[log in to unmask]