Professional Experience Program
Want a competitive edge in the job market? At Monfort College of Business, business students are required to complete at least 50 hours of professional experience before graduation. This hands-on experience prepares you for success and boosts your confidence as you step into your career.
During your Professional Experience, you’ll learn the essential skills and principles needed for an entry-level job. Plus, you’ll gain “real world” experience that will set you apart from other candidates.
Important Details:
To complete this requirement, you’ll participate in three workshops:
- Informational video
- Resume review
- Mock interview
Afterward, you can choose to do an internship for credit or an approved professional experience.
Please note: This requirement applies to most students, except international students and Software Engineering students. International students should contact the Professional Experience Coordinator for a possible waiver.
Get Started with Your Professional Experience Application
The Professional Experience application is now housed within your UNC Handshake Account. Please watch the video below for detailed instructions on how to apply, before submitting your professional experience registration and logging into Handshake.
Unlock Your Potential: Guidelines for Choosing the Perfect Professional Experience!
What Counts as a Valid Professional Experience?
A valid professional experience should incorporate skills and knowledge gained from your MCB courses. It can be obtained through employment, volunteer activities, or project-based opportunities. Your position should be similar to an entry-level role for a MCB graduate and aligned with your career goals and/or major.
Examples of Professional Experience Roles:
- Supervision
- Employee training
- Responsibilities specific to your major
- Research opportunities
- Major-specific projects
- Business-to-business sales
Internship for Credit Program
An Internship for Credit allows you to gain real-world, hands-on experience in a professional setting while earning academic credit. This course is designed to complement your studies, integrating classroom learning with practical application. It fulfills the professional experience requirement for graduation. Please note, students must secure their own internship independently — the course does not place students into internships.
Prerequisites:
- Information Session
- Resume Review
- Mock Interview
- 60+ Credit Hours Completed
Restrictions:
- Only Business Administration majors are eligible to enroll in these courses.
- Students in Business Administration minors or certificate programs are not eligible.
Grading:
Courses are graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) basis. You must complete all course requirements to earn credit. Final course completion is confirmed once grades are posted at semester’s end.
Questions?
For specific details about coursework, grading, or requirements, please contact your department chair or the course instructor.
Professional Experience FAQ's
Get answers to your most common questions about fulfilling the Professional Experience Program and how it can support your success.
Choose an internship for credit if you need business or elective credits or want it on your transcript. Otherwise, select Professional Experience.
All MCB undergraduates (except Software Engineering and international students) must complete either an internship for credit or professional experience. International students should contact Kylie Larson for a waiver.
You can start your Professional Experience after reaching junior status, but it’s best to complete it by your first semester of senior year—preferably before your final semester!
You will not be awarded a degree until this requirement is met.
Internships are strongly encouraged but there are several other avenues to completing the Professional Experience hours. You might consider doing volunteer work at a local non-profit, taking on a specific new project at your current place of employment, or reaching out to UNC Departments that may need additional support.
- Apply through your UNC Handshake Account.
- Click on Career Center (top right).
- Click on Experiences, then Request a New Experience.
- Select the correct application from the dropdown.
- Ensure your experience is approved before starting.
- For internship credit, get faculty coordinator approval to register for the 492 course.
- Denial Reasons:
- Experiences/forms didn’t meet requirements
- Feedback provided for revision and resubmission
- Revise and Resubmit:
- Missing contact information
- Misspelled email
- Hours less than 50
- Start/end dates in the past
- Full Denial:
- Job doesn’t meet emphasis requirements
- Involves door-to-door sales
- Related to the marijuana industry
- For an unlicensed business
- Domestic in nature
- Next Steps:
- Revise and resubmit
- Find a new experience if needed
- If pending, your employer may need to submit paperwork.
- Ensure your employer is aware of the email from Handshake needing their action.
- Verify employer contact info in your application is correct.
- If issues arise, email MCB.ProfessionalExperience@unco.edu.
- Professional Experience applications cannot approve without employer paperwork.
The employer evaluations and student reflection are sent out automatically via email from Handshake based on the term you selected.
- If you need your evaluations sooner, you can email MCB.ProfessionalExperience@unco.edu to request they be sent at an alternative date.
Have Questions? We're Here to Help! Reach out Anytime.
Kylie Larson
Professional Experience & Graduation Coordinator