Internships
Internships provide hands-on work experience as well as academic credit (AMER3008) towards an American studies major or minor. Students are encouraged to complete at least one internship with an American company or an organization with close ties to America. These can take the form of either a paid or unpaid internship full-time during the summer or part-time during the semester. All students within the American Studies Programme are expected to pursue experience-based learning opportunities.

Opportunities in Hong Kong
We maintain an internship program with The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (The AmCham). The AmCham is a U.S. organization promoting commerce among the United States, Hong Kong and Mainland China. Its members are mostly U.S. corporations with a presence in Hong Kong and include many of the most iconic American companies. The AmCham internships are an opportunity to work with an international organization, as well as to interact with representatives from other American corporations. A call for applications is sent to American studies majors and minors when positions become available—generally at the start of each semester and the beginning of the summer.

American studies majors and minors are also encouraged to pursue internships independently with American businesses or non-profit and governmental organizations in Hong Kong. Several of our students have successfully completed the internship program at the United States Consulate of Hong Kong and Macau, and others have interned for U.S. multinational corporations such as The Walt Disney Company.

Opportunities outside of Hong Kong
There are many international internship programs available within the United States (both paid and unpaid). Students who are not U.S. citizens will likely need a J-1 visa. Prominent Internship programs that are also J-1 visa Designated Sponsor Organizations (thus streamlining the process) include:

The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.: The Smithsonian Institution (SI) comprises 19 museums, 21 libraries, 9 research centers, and a zoo. The SI offers hundreds of paid and unpaid internship opportunities in departments ranging from marketing, communications, technology, and human resources to curating, exhibition design, fundraising, and education. The deadlines for summer internship programs are generally January - April; scroll to the bottom of the SI’s internship page for a list of institutions with rolling deadlines.

The Washington Internship Institute in Washington, D.C.: The Washington Internship Institute facilitates internships throughout Washington, D.C. in areas ranging from culture and politics to community engagement and communications.

The Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, D.C.: The Organization of American States (OAS) based in Washington, D.C. offers internships in programming, education, and outreach activities at both the Art Museum of The Americas as well the OAS headquarters.

The Getty in California: The Getty sponsors paid internships programs at the Getty Center (in Brentwood, Los Angeles County) and the Getty Villa (in Malibu, Los Angeles County) as well as institutions throughout California, such as the Armory Center for the Arts, the Autry Museum of the American West, El Pueblo Historic Monument, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Chinese American Museum, the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, The Hammer Museum, Self-Help Graphics and Arts, and many more.

The Museum of Modern Art in New York: The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York offers internships at both its museum and library in Manhattan as well as MoMA PS1 in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens, New York.

The Peabody-Essex Museum has a variety of internship (paid an unpaid) here: https://www.pem.org/about-pem/jobs-opportunities/internships Applications due in spring 2024.

The Archaeological Institute of America has paid internship here: https://www.archaeological.org/grant/bartman-museum-internship/ Application due April 1, 2024.

The Hingham Historical Society has public history and curatorial internships: https://hinghamhistorical.org/careers/, and there are paid internships at the Wentworth-Gardner Historic House https://nemanet.org/networking/apply_now.aspx?view=2&id=814709, , and the Maine Maritime Museum as well. https://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org/about-maine-maritime-museum/employment-opportunities/rapp-intern/