The WFU/Charlotte: Undergraduate Internship Semester allows students to test their academic foundations and explore their professional interests in a real-world arena. By pairing specialized coursework at The Pearl, the city’s premier hub for innovation, with a high-impact internship, participants will embark on the journey from academic learners to impact-driven professionals.

Charlotte, NC

Students enroll in a comprehensive 12-credit academic load, featuring three specialized courses alongside a core professional internship and its associated course. The internship typically requires a commitment of 20–24 hours per week, scheduled Monday through Thursday during regular business hours. The curriculum is strategically designed to leverage Charlotte’s position as a “living laboratory” for business, data analytics, and social impact. By exploring the city’s regional, national, and international influence, students gain direct access to the professional and non-profit ecosystems of an emerging global hub. Through high-impact, mission-driven projects with local corporations and NGOs, students bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world application, developing the essential skills needed to navigate complex organizational challenges with character and purpose.

Tentative course offerings include the following:

BEM 210: Introduction to Business (3h)
The Professional Lens. This course provides an overview of the modern business landscape. Students will explore the essential functions of a successful enterprise – including accounting, financial operations, marketing, human resources, etc. By mastering the fundamental “language of business,” students gain the context and professional fluency required to navigate diverse career paths and deliver high-impact results in any organizational setting.

ENT 314: Leadership and Character in Entrepreneurship (3h)
The Ethical Core. Explores and examines the leadership and character challenges accompanying the entrepreneurial journey. Includes ways to develop personal perspective, how to frame challenges and ethically navigate them, and how to lead with purpose and principle.

CSC 195: Data Visualization (3h)
The Modern Skillset. TBD

CGS 229: Internship in International Studies (3h)
The Practical Experience. For this particular course, there will be a focus on Charlotte’s emergence as a “Global City,” which provides a unique laboratory for students to engage with multinational corporations, NGOs, cross-cultural community organizations, and more. A WFU Faculty member supervises and evaluates the academic work for the internship. Credit for the internship is awarded based on completion of a research paper on a topic related to your internship, regular reflective journal submissions, satisfactory review of your work by your supervisor at your internship site, and participation in program activities. 

It is the student’s responsibility to speak to their major and minor advisor(s) regarding their study away coursework and how (or if) it will count towards their degree plan.

By the end of the semester, you won’t just have an internship on your resume; you will have:

1. Business Fluency: The ability to navigate and interpret the core functions of modern businesses and organizations.

2. Global Perspective: An understanding of how local work impacts the global stage.

3. Ethical Foundation: A clear framework for principled leadership.

4. Technical Prowess: The data storytelling skills demanded by modern employers.

Spring 2027: Charlotte-based WFU faculty

Students will live together in fully furnished apartments leased by the university. Housing will be within walking distance of The Pearl and near public transportation. All students participating in the program are required to live in program-provided housing. Program housing consists of apartments, with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, common area, and kitchen. Students are responsible for their own meals. Four students are assigned to each apartment. NOTE: Housing accommodations you may have on campus do not automatically transfer to Charlotte and certain housing accommodations (e.g., single rooms and private bathrooms, for example) may not be available. 

Curated excursions are designed to deepen your professional network and connect you with the unique energy of Charlotte’s most influential organizations. Highlights include:

• Industry Site Visits: Go behind the scenes with field trips to international organizations and to local businesses and non-profits that define Charlotte’s professional and social ecosystem.
• Networking & Mentorship: Forge meaningful connections through professional development events with our extensive WFU Charlotte-area alumni network.
• Leadership & Executive Insights: Learn directly from local pioneers through guest speaker series featuring leaders from organizations such as the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance and Atrium Health. 
• The Charlotte Experience: Beyond the office, enjoy the best of the city – from high-energy professional sporting events to local cultural attractions – all while based in the heart of the dynamic innovation district at The Pearl and Charlotte’s South End.  

Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis until the program is full or the program application deadline is reached. We encourage you to complete your application as soon as possible.  

Most successful applicants will have a minimum 3.0 GPA and a strong application. If your GPA is lower than 3.0, you are still encouraged to apply and to discuss your application with the admissions team. The team considers a number of factors in addition to your cumulative GPA. Student selection will be based on an online application with open-ended questions, an interview, and resume review. Students should schedule their interview after completing the other application steps.  

Current Wake Forest tuition and room fees, which covers tuition and academic fees, fully furnished housing, orientation, Internet access, group activities and excursions, and farewell dinner. Meals, airfare, personal travel and expenses not included.  

Federal and institutional financial aid may be used. Students accepted to this program are also eligible to apply for additional study away scholarships. 

David F. Taylor
Assistant Dean of Global Study Away
Office: 116 Reynolda Hall
Phone: (336) 758-4884
E-mail: taylordf@wfu.edu