The UNC Charlotte Film Studies program and the University Career Center have partnered to ensure that every student who earns a Film Studies degree graduates with more than academic knowledge — they graduate with real, discipline-relevant experience.
Through the Film Studies Experience Component, students are supported in pursuing meaningful professional and creative opportunities that connect the classroom to the industry. Whether that means an internship on a film set, a project with a local nonprofit, a short-term gig opportunity sourced right here on campus, or an independent experience of your own, there is a pathway designed for you.
This collaboration is built on a simple belief: the skills developed in Film Studies — visual storytelling, critical analysis, production, research, and creative problem-solving — are valuable far beyond the classroom. Our job, together, is to help students put those skills to work before they graduate.
For Students: How to Get Started
Getting involved in the Film Studies Required Experience Component is a three-step journey — from expressing your interest, to securing an experience, to earning academic credit for your work.
Step 1 — Express Your Interest
The first step is making sure employers and project partners can find you.
Log into your Hire-A-Niner account and submit your resume for Career Center review and approval. Once approved, add your resume to the Film Studies Program Resume Book — a curated talent directory shared directly with employers, project sites, and community partners engaged in this program. By adding your resume to the Resume Book, you'll be among the first to receive new opportunities as they are developed and released throughout the year.
Step 2 — Secure Your Experience
Once you've added your resume to the Resume Book, you're ready to pursue an experience. You can explore the available pathways below, respond to opportunities shared through Hire-A-Niner, or connect with the Career Center to discuss what's the right fit for your goals and schedule.
When you've secured an experience, you'll submit it for departmental review and approval through the Experience Portal before moving forward.
Step 3 — Register for Academic Credit (Optional)
If you'd like to earn academic credit for your internship experience, you can register for UCOL 3410, the University Internship Course, offered every Fall, Spring, and Summer semester.
Before registering, here's what you need to know about the course parameters:
Academic Credit Required Site Hours
1 credit hour = 50 site hours
2 credit hours = 100 site hours
3 credit hours = 150 site hours
Site hours are completed at your internship location and verified through the Experience Portal. The online course includes career education modules and guided reflection activities to help you get the most out of your experience.
Note: Academic credit is available for qualifying internship experiences only. Gig and Group Internship Program participants should refer to those program pages for credit information specific to those pathways.
Programs to Explore
Not sure where to start? Here are the active and upcoming experience opportunities available specifically for Film Studies students:
Gig Internship Program
Short-term, flexible project opportunities posted on an ongoing basis. Log into Hire-A-Niner to browse current postings and apply directly.
Group Internship Program
A 1-credit, 8-week cohort-based project experience sourced each semester. Projects are announced at the start of each term — check back regularly for upcoming opportunities.
Film Studies Gig Cohort (Coming Soon)
A dedicated pipeline of paid, non-credit gig projects sourced exclusively for Film Studies students from campus departments and local nonprofits. Each project is up to 40 hours and designed to connect directly to your discipline. Stay tuned — more details coming soon.
For Organizations: Partner With Us
The UNC Charlotte Film Studies program is home to motivated, creative students with training in film production, media marketing, visual storytelling, cultural programming, and community-based work. Through our partnership with the Career Center, we've built a streamlined pathway for organizations to connect with this talent — whether you're ready to host an intern, propose a project, or explore what's possible.
Our team handles the logistics. You focus on the experience.
Who Are Film Studies Students?
Film Studies students at UNC Charlotte are a diverse group drawn from nearly every college and department on campus. Interns are typically juniors and seniors in good academic standing who have completed a significant portion of their program coursework. Depending on the nature of your opportunity, you may request students with specific production skills, academic backgrounds, or pre-professional experience — and we'll work with you to find the right match.
For a full overview of the Film Studies program and its areas of focus, visit filmstudies.charlotte.edu.
How to Get Involved
There are three ways organizations can engage with Film Studies students through this program. All pathways are supported by the Career Center, which serves as your single point of contact from inquiry through completion.
Host an Intern
If your organization is ready to host a Film Studies intern, send your internship description to Patrick Madsen at pmadsen@charlotte.edu. Not sure where to start or want to talk through what an internship at your organization could look like? Reach out — we're happy to help you build something from the ground up. Once your opportunity is approved, our team will push it directly to interested students, and you may also post it on Hire-A-Niner to reach students independently.
For more information on building and hosting an internship experience, visit:
Career Center Experiential Education for Employers
Join the Group Internship Program
The Group Internship Program is a structured, 8-week cohort model where a small group of students completes a defined project for your organization. Projects are sourced each semester and matched with registered student cohorts. This is an excellent option for organizations with a specific, time-bound need that would benefit from a team approach.
Post a Gig Opportunity
Gig opportunities are short-term, flexible projects posted through Hire-A-Niner and completed by individual students on a non-credit basis. If your organization has a defined, contained need that doesn't require a full semester commitment, a gig posting may be the right fit.
Internship experiences through the Film Studies Required Experience Component are designed to provide students with genuine pre-professional exposure within the field. Strong partnerships share a few things in common:
Experiences are designed to:
- Provide students access to pre-professional work within Film Studies areas of focus, including film production, media marketing, community-based work, cultural programming, and related fields
- Offer general or project-specific organizational support aligned with the student's academic background
- Give students meaningful exposure to how professional organizations operate
- Advance your organization's goals while providing a substantive learning experience for the student
Experiences are not designed to:
- Produce pro bono marketing or commercial materials for the organization
- Function as full-time employee substitutes
- Provide administrative support without access to meaningful professional experience
- Extend significantly beyond a single semester or the agreed-upon hour commitment
- Serve organizations or individuals who are not registered businesses or nonprofits
- Support work outside the Film Studies program's areas of focus
Internships are available during Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters, with some flexibility based on project workflows and organizational timelines. Students pursuing academic credit through UCOL 3410 are required to complete a minimum number of verified site hours connected to the credit hours they register for. In some cases, students and organizations may choose to continue working together beyond the formal internship period — any such arrangement is made directly between the student and organization and falls outside the scope of this program.
Internship partnerships are selective. The Film Studies program and Career Center carefully curate organizational relationships to ensure a quality experience for both the student and the partner. Submission of an internship description does not guarantee placement, as matches are dependent on student availability and alignment with current program enrollment.
Any additional inquiries can be directed to:
Rodney Stringfellow
Director of Film Studies
rstringf@charlotte.edu
Dr. Daniela Dal Pra
Undergraduate Advisor of Film Studies
dcunicod@charlotte.edu
Will Davis
Lecturer of Film Studies
wsdavis@charlotte.edu