The Career Catalyst Program section is filled up for the Fall 2026 semester. There will be another section available in Spring 2027. If you'd like to receive additional information on the section, please complete the following form: Group Internship Interest Form.
Group Internship Courses are classes that let students gain hands-on experience through real projects with employers. In these courses, you collaborate in a small group to solve an organization's problem, building your career experience and making you more competitive for future opportunities.
These courses are a partnership between UNC Charlotte and Riipen, a third-party that helps provide experiential learning opportunities for students.
The courses are generally available to various majors, but check out information below on each type of program to understand each course section's details and requirements.
Student Testimonials
I would recommend this to other students because it gives real-world experience that you don't always get in class. It helped me understand how to find the right companies, do research, and communicate professionally with potential clients. I also became more confident in my outreach and learned how to apply what we learn in class to real situations. Overall, it's a great way to build practical skills that will be useful in future jobs. - Former participant
Courses are built around group work, individual and team evaluations, and personal reflections. Since you’re working with a real employer, strong time management and staying on top of work is vital.
Projects typically get finalized 6-8 weeks before the class starts. Projects are generally focused on the process of doing work, and are highly transferable between different types of organizations and businesses.
You will be working with 2-3 other students on a real life project with an employer. Your work will be split amongst the team, and you’ll have recurring checkpoints and deliverables as a group.
During the project, you’ll work closely with a real employer partner on your project. This person will serve as a project supervisor and career mentor, guiding you through your work and providing feedback on performance and engagement.
Your instructor will facilitate your class and assess your work from an academic perspective. They also serve as a career mentor, giving insight into how to tackle project issues or team dynamics and how to show up professionally in your work.
Your work will be done as a team, but you’ll primarily be graded on individual contributions and engagement. You’ll be graded on the quality of your project deliverables, reflections, your professional engagement, and a final presentation.
The Career Catalyst Program is a 3 credit hour, 15-week experiential learning course for undergraduate students. The program is best for Sophomores and Juniors and focused on foundational career exploration and exposure.
Projects cover work that keep organizations running. You might research what customers/clients want, look into what similar organizations are doing, or brainstorm ways an organization can grow. Projects may also focus on finding creative ways to connect with audiences or making behind-the-scenes processes run smoother. No matter the project, you'll build practical, real world skills that you can take into any career.
Interested? Take a deeper dive into this program including week-by-week work and how to get into the course. Career Catalyst Program.
Available Courses & Sections:
- Fall 2026
- UCOL 3410-002 - Career Catalyst Program (CRN: 17498)
- 30 seats total
- Spring 2027
- UCOL 3410 - Career Catalyst Program (CRN: TBD)
- 30 seats total
Other Group Internship sections are 8-week, 1-credit hour experiential learning courses. They're intended for Juniors or Seniors who already have some academic experience and skills, and can start delivering on a project quickly. These courses allow you to bridge your academic learning with real life application.
Interested? Take a deeper dive into this program including week-by-week work and how to get into the course. Group Internship Courses.
Available Courses & Sections:
- Fall 2026
- UCOL 3410-006 - Group Internship Program (Course Registration Number: 16400)
- 25 seats, Open to all Majors
- UCOL 3410-006 - Group Internship Program (Course Registration Number: 16400)
- Spring 2027 (subject to change)
- 1 Section for all majors
- 1 Section for College of Computing and Informatics Majors - Coding/tech project focus
These experiential learning programs are courses offered through the university, so you register for them just like any other class. Some of them may require additional steps, such as registration approval from the instructor or an application. Check out each program's specific page to see if there are any additional requirements.
Credit Hours = Time Commitment. Treat this course like any other class with the same number of credits. The credit hours are your guide for how many hours you should expect to put in each week.
Differences week to week. Because you are working on a real-world project, your weekly workload may not always be the exact same. Some weeks may be lighter while others (like leading up to a major milestone or final presentation) may require more hands-on time.
Blocking your schedule. Since this course is asynchronous, there are no set regular class times. Be sure to block out dedicated project and team meeting times on your calendar each week.
Group Internship courses cannot be paid positions because they're for academic credit; however, these courses still provide you relevant, hands-on experience that can still be put on a resume and discussed in interviews. They may fulfill elective requirements, based on your major.
Be sure to read thoroughly through your program's specific page to understand the experience and commitment level required for each course. Since these courses include projects sourced from real employers, it is important that you fully commit to the experience. The section's credit hours can give you an idea of the level of commitment, but since this is project-based learning it can shift from week to week.
Additional considerations:
- Engage and maintain strong communication with your employer partner at all times.
- If you quit before the end of the program, access to the Career Center may be blocked.
All project work is done virtually and includes work on your own, as well as occasional work and meetings with your group and the employer. The exact requirements and preferences for your group will be identified when you start the course, but in the past typical synchronous work has included.
- Regular check-ins with the employer (weekly or bi-weekly)
- Regular meetings or communication with your group
Check out each page for additional information on project timelines and how the work is structured.
Yes! International students may complete any Group Internship courses since they are for academic credit.