KAM curatorial internships are offered during the fall and spring semesters, as well as during the summer. They are compensated with academic credit hours, and are not salaried positions. Applicants do not need a background in art history to apply.
Internships require a commitment of at least 6 hours a week, and a letter of support from a faculty member with whom the student has worked. Applicants should have excellent communication and writing skills, computer proficiency, and research skills.
Availability is dependent upon curatorial needs. Interns are assigned to work with an individual curator, based on the student’s educational background, experience, and interests. The goal of KAM internships is to help individuals interested in museum careers or related fields gain significant experience in one or more areas of museum practice, including work with the collection, exhibitions, publications, and programs.
Two ways to apply:
1. The student’s advisor or faculty member will authorize and assist the student in enrolling in an independent study (or similar course) in their own department as credit for either 2 or 3 credit hours, in exchange for their work. A KAM curator will assume responsibility for overseeing and evaluating the student’s work at the museum, while the advisor will ensure the student receives proper credit in return. The curator will assign a letter grade at the end of the internship.
2. Students can register in the Art History department for an independent study (ARTH 491) with a designated curator who will assign credit and grade directly (*see online form instructions at bottom of page).
Computing Academic Credit Hours:
2 credit hours = 6 hours of work per week, 90 hours total
3 credit hours = 9 hours of work per week, 135 hours total
Application Procedure:
For the application, you will need to prepare the following materials and submit them to Senior Curator Allyson Purpura via email before January 15, 2020.
1. Cover Letter/Personal Statement
Along with your mailing address, e-mail, and telephone information, include a personal statement of no more than 500 words, which explains how an internship at KAM would fit with your background and career goals. If possible, mention specific subjects, resources, or parts of the collections that are of particular interest. Describe what you hope to learn from the internship.
2. Resume/Curriculum Vitae
Please limit resumes to three pages or less.
3. Letter of support from a faculty member
This letter should be from a faculty member in any discipline with whom you have worked. It should be at least one paragraph that speaks to the applicant’s writing and research skills, interests, and ability to work independently (additional comments are welcome). The letter can be included in the body of an email or as an attached pdf.
* Online form instructions to register for an Independent Study through the Art History Department:
You will register for ARTH 491 through the online form at this link: https://art.illinois.edu/index.php/current/academics/registration
Once you click on the link, then click on “undergraduate independent study form” and fill in the boxes. For box #5 “Proposal and Objectives,” cut and paste the following:
“To gain curatorial experience by working with a museum collection, conducting object research, developing object record files, and planning exhibition-related programming.”
Be sure to fill in the hours of work/credit. Once you click on the online submission, it will go directly to Mark Avery, who oversees registration in Art History. He will then forward it on to the faculty member indicated on the form for approval and will send you the hidden instructor CRN in which to register.
