Internships

This word cloud was generated by our HIST 212 Winter 2021 interns while reflecting on the skills they gained throughout their internship experience. To learn more about our internship opportunities, check out the HIST 212: Experiential Learning in Historical Practice Blog. Each blog post is written by a HIST 212 student and showcases their research and project-based learning while participating in the Department of History's internship program.

“I have been fortunate to have this opportunity that will leave me with so many valuable skills for my history degree and future endeavours.” - Sarah Lewis, HIST 212 Intern, The Queen’s Quarterly

“When I became a history major, one of the first things I wanted to tell people was: history isn’t just about facts. It’s also stories, real stories about real places you live in now, and there’s a whole treasure trove of them.” - Shelley Yu, HIST 212 Intern, Beyond Classrooms Kingston.

Note: We also accept HIST 212 applications where the student has arranged their own placement with a sponsoring organization. This organization does not have to be in Kingston and can be either a remote or in person assignment. If you have a placement in mind, or if you have secured a placement independently, please contact Jenn Lucas to determine whether the arrangement would qualify as a History 212 Internship.

Winter 2025 Placements

Placements for Winter 2025 will be published on December 2nd. Applications are due on Monday, December 16th. 

How to Apply

Submit the following to hist.undergrad@queensu.ca. Please put “HIST 212 Internship Application” in the subject line. 

1. Cover Letter: A one-page cover letter that highlights your interest in the position(s) you are applying for, as well as relevant skills or experiences that would make you a good candidate for the position(s). 
2. Resume: A two-page resume that highlights relevant work and/or volunteer experience (Queen's Career Service offers helpful tips for cover letter and resume writing) 
3. Email: Please put "HIST 212 Internship Application" in the subject line of your email submission. Include your student number and a list of internships you would be willing to accept (in order of preference).

Interviews may be scheduled for especially competitive positions. Successful applicants will be notified, specifying the internship to which they have been assigned.  After confirming acceptance of the internship offered, they will be enrolled in HIST 212 (a 3.0-unit pass/fail course), and will be enrolled in the HIST 212 OnQ page. Students will have the opportunity to discuss their unique internship projects and experiences with the other students registered in HIST 212. Course evaluation includes a short mid-term assignment as well as workshops and seminar discussions on the placement experience throughout the internship.

We strongly urge students to enroll in a back-up course (typically a 200 level lecture) during registration. This course can be dropped if the internship application is successful.

Please DO NOT contact our partners directly during the application process. Direct all queries to: jenn.lucas@queensu.ca.

The Queen’s Archives in conjunction with the Department of History offers two internship possibilities for History students (HIST 501 and HIST 502) which are available to students in their 3rd and 4th year. Interns offer valuable support for various aspects of research, processing, exhibition development, collection care and documentation, digitization, and operations at the archives. Student interns will be supervised by Heather Home, the Public Services/Private Records Archivist. Interested students should read the detailed descriptions below and submit an application to jenn.lucas@queensu.ca before August 1. Students interested in the archival internship are strongly encouraged, but not required, to enroll in Dr. Maynard's HIST 448 Thinking Inside the Box: Archives, Historians, and the Politics of the Past.

HIST 501/6.0 History/Queen's Archives Internship

HIST 501 (6.0-units), is a research-based practicum recommended only for upper-year students with a certain amount of familiarity with archival practice. Students work with a collection of their own choosing over the term and write a longer report or create an exhibit (virtual or otherwise) at the end reflecting the research they have done with the papers. Students will be assigned two supervisors: one for their archival work, and another appointed by the Department of History to provide guidance on the final research paper. The department’s supervisor will read the final paper and students are encouraged to present their work at the Inquiry @ Queen’s Undergraduate Research Conference and publish their work.

HIST 502/3.0 History/Queen's Archives Internship

HIST 502 (3.0-units) is conceived for students interested in acquiring experience working with archival collections. This course will generally take the form of a student undertaking an assigned project(s) in consultation with an archivist. Working to further describe, preserve and make more readily available, archival fonds located at the Queen’s Archives. Each project will give the student hands-on experience working in an archive in consultation with an archivist. There are a number of projects that are available from conservation-focused work, to prepping material for digitization, to assisting in the research and processing of new collections or accruals. Students are required to complete a journaling assignment, which encourages students to reflect upon the skills and experiences they are gaining throughout their time in the archives. Students will also be asked to select one archival document or object to discuss in an extended write up (two to three pages), for submission.

"My co-interns and I had an absolute blast working with the records of Allie Vibert Douglas, the first female astrophysicist in Canada. It is so rare that you get to interact with a historical figure on such a deeply personal level as we did. Her story deserves to be told, and I am grateful to have played a part in helping it reach more people. I can think of few other opportunities in school in which your work can have such a direct, positive impact on others."

-Victor Drazilov, on his experience in HIST 502

2024-25 Project: The 2024-25 archives internship project will focus on a moment in time – the year 1825 in the local geographic region. From identifying resources to digitizing content, and undertaking transcription we will take a look at what we can, and cannot, learn about Kingston from the records available. The aim of the project is to strengthen you research skills while honing your critical abilities to understand and contextualize what emerges through the work.

How to Apply  

HIST 501

Students interested in applying to HIST 501 should first contact a potential faculty supervisor to discuss potential projects.
To apply for HIST 501 (6.0-units) for the fall and winter term students must submit the following information to Jenn Lucas (jenn.lucas@queensu.ca) by August 1 each year.

1. A cover letter with an expression of interest outlining the reasons for pursuing this opportunity, long term goals etc.
2. A resume.
3. A 2–3-page project proposal, consisting of a bibliography and proposed course of research displaying knowledge of the Queen’s University Archives collections. Your project proposal should include a description of a thematic area or research topic that you are interested in working on. You can find information about the Queen’s University Archives collections on their website.  Your enrollment in this course is conditional upon the approval of your research proposal by the Undergraduate Committee and a representative from the Queen’s University Archives
4. In your email please include: 
   1.  The name of a faculty member in the Dept. of History who has agreed to supervise your HIST 501 project
   2.  Your student number

Once accepted, the student is responsible for contacting Jenn Lucas (jenn.lucas@queensu.ca) to ensure they are enrolled in the appropriate course prior to the end of 2nd week of the term.

HIST 502

Student interested in applying to HIST 502 (3.0-units) for either the fall or winter term should submit the following information to Jenn Lucas (jenn.lucas@queensu.ca) by August 1 each year.

1. A cover letter with an expression of interest outlining the reasons for pursuing this opportunity, long term goals etc., and identifying your preferred semester(s)
2. A resume.
3. In your email please include:
   1. The name of a faculty member in the Dept. of History who can speak to your academic work (preferably a seminar instructor)
   2. Your student number
   3. Please indicate which term (fall and/or winter) you are applying for

As part of the application process, the details of the placement (tasks, timing, research focus, etc.), will be discussed between the student and the Internship Supervisor. Once they are accepted, the student is responsible for contacting Jenn Lucas (jenn.lucas@queensu.ca) to ensure they are enrolled in the appropriate course prior to the end of 2nd week of the term.

Students should register in a backup course during registration and if your application for HIST 501 or HIST 502 are successful you can drop the backup course to make room in your schedule for this internship experience at that time. All students will be notified of the status of their application before the start of term. 

If you would like to submit a late application (i.e. after August 1) to be considered for the winter term, please contact Jenn before submitting an application.