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History Internships and Research

Enhance your education by being an active part of it

Internships
Internships allow you to practice the art of being the historian as you make their own contributions to the preservation and promotion of history.

Being so close to Des Moines affords our history students many opportunities to obtain internships through the Iowa History Center where they can put their study of history to use. Students serve as research assistants in many of their internships, producing work that will be used in public displays or educational programs.

Recent internship opportunities have included:

  • Des Moines Metropolitan Opera Company
  • Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center
  • Greater Des Moines Partnership
  • Hotel Fort Des Moines
  • Iowa Department of the Blind
  • Iowa History Center
  • Iowa Jewish Historical Society
  • Living History Farms
  • Marvo Entertainment Group
  • Salisbury House
  • State Historical Society
  • Terrace Hill
 

Research
Like most departments at Simpson, history stresses research because of the many ways it can enhance your education and your marketability.

Research Papers
Most of our 300-level courses require students to engage in writing a research paper. You have the opportunity to select your own topics related to the course, discover relevant primary and secondary sources and create your own thesis-driven paper.

In Historical Game Design, you have the opportunity to work together to create and research a Reacting to the Past game, which you will then play test in the course with your peers and other faculty.

Independent Original Research Projects
You have the opportunity to complete an original, primary source-based research project by signing up for a one or two semester Independent Study course under the direction of a faculty member.

Research Symposium
You may decide to present your work to the Simpson community at the annual Research and Creativity Symposium. Here you have the opportunity to share your findings with other students and faculty through panel presentations, with a Q & A session or by participating in round table discussions.