This degree program is designed for students who wish to take advantage of close ties between the Department of Anthropology and the Haffenreffer Museum and to develop museum-related employment opportunities. The program is normally completed in two years of residence. Students generally design and mount an exhibition at the Haffenreffer Museum. Management, conservation, collections management, education, exhibition, research, and interpretation of various sites are among the topics discussed at the Haffenreffer Museum as well as through trips to other museums nearby. In a 500-word statement applicants should propose a focus for their internship, which the Museum will try to accommodate in assigning the intern to particular members of the staff.
Most internships result in a final product of some kind, to be agreed upon with the supervisor.
The Museum expects an intern to work at least one day a week during the internship and keep a log documenting their museum involvement. Academic Internships for college course credit are available to students currently enrolled at Brown University or other colleges or universities. The student interested in a particular topic related to collections research, exhibitions, education programs, or other museum areas should develop the project in joint discussions with a faculty sponsor and the museum internship supervisor. The museum on-site supervisor agrees to assist in the project design, monitor the internship, and to evaluate the work completed. Internships not for course credit are available to Brown University students who express a strong interest in entering the museum field and wish to gain practical experience in collections management, education programs, exhibitions, and other aspects of museum operations before seeking further training in anthropology, museum studies, or in a related discipline.