Experiential Learning

The Luther Hodges Scholars Program’s mission is to provide a world-class, transformative scholarship experience for exceptional students who are committed to learning and working at the intersection of business, academia, policy, government and the nonprofit sector at home or abroad.

> Learn more about the Luther Hodges Scholars Program

The Undergraduate Business Honors Thesis challenges motivated students to move beyond traditional coursework and apply critical thinking skills to an academic business thesis. Eligible students develop an intensive research project, which extends far beyond the limits of the material in a single course during a single semester. Students who complete this project spend almost one full year (six academic credit hours) under the guidance of a UNC Kenan-Flagler faculty member, researching, writing and revising an original thesis on a business topic.

To be eligible for a Senior Honors Thesis you must:

• Be a business major
• Have and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher and a business major GPA of 3.5 or higher
• Be an active student on campus for Fall and Spring semesters of your senior year.

A limited number of seats are available in the Senior Honors Thesis program.

If you are interested in applying for the Honors Thesis, please click this link to share your information in order to receive additional information.

Senior Honors Thesis Program Completion

Students who meet all requirements will graduate with Honors or Highest Honors, depending on the recommendation of the thesis committee. The award with highest honors indicates that these students achieved superior status in all aspects.

The Award for Honors Excellence is presented at the Undergraduate Business Program Commencement Ceremony to recognize the student who completed the most outstanding Honors Thesis. The student receives a certificate to recognize this honor.

UNC Kenan-Flagler faculty are innovative educators who are at the forefront of their academic areas, researching some of the most pressing issues facing business today. As a UNC Kenan-Flagler Business student, the best ways to get involved in research is to:

1. Speak with the faculty who taught the course you have enjoyed and you performed well in. Share your interests in the topic and have an open collaboration on ways in which you could pursue it.
2. Review faculty’s research area/interests and approach the professor to determine if they are seeking research assistants on projects.

In the instance that a faculty member offers an unpaid assistantship or mentorship on a topic area not currently provided through the BUSI course offerings, you may pursue an Independent Study course option.

INDEPENDENT STUDY

An Undergraduate Business Independent Study provides you the opportunity to pursue a special research interest under the direction of a faculty supervisor.

Independent Study does not substitute for an offered course and is not compensation for service as a teaching or research assistant, grader or other paid University work. Independent Study credit in not given for work you have already completed or will do as part of your established academic plan.

> Learn more about the UBP Independent Study policy

Eligibility:

• You must be a current UBP student (sophomore, junior or senior as defined by your terms in residence) in good standing (no honor court or Dean of Students disciplinary actions pending or otherwise).
• You must select a faculty advisor/supervisor before you submit the Independent Study Learning Contract.
• Independent Studies are not approved for first-semester UBP students. Normally, seniors should not take an Independent during your final semester, but exceptions are allowed.
• You may earn no more than three credits in BUSI Independent Studies.

Request for undergraduate business Independent Study

Submit the following documents to UBP Academics prior to the deadline:

1. Independent Study Request Form
2. Independent Study Learning Contract
3. Independent Study Syllabus – view example

*All documents must be provided and fully completed prior to being reviewed for approval by the UBP Assistant Dean.

Independent Study Learning Contract and Syllabus

You should complete a Learning Contract and Syllabus with the instructor that includes:

• The number of hours per week you expect to work
• The number of required meetings between you and your faculty advisor during the term
• Reading and writing assignments and due dates
• Assessment information specifying how the final grade will be determined
• A brief work plan

Requirements:

• Get permission from the UBP Assistant Dean.
• Get permission from a faculty advisor.
• Provide regular updates to your faculty advisor.
• Deliver your work according to schedule (no incompletes).

Deadlines

Registration for an Independent Study course will only be completed after the learning contract and syllabus has been approved and no later than the last day of “late registration” (the end of the first week of classes in a fall or spring semester or the equivalent date in each summer session).

Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise
Kenan-Flagler Research Tools
Kenan-Flagler Faculty

Davis Library Research Hub
Odum Institute for Research in Social Science
Statistics Help Desk
Business Librarian
Center for Decision Research

Carolina Repository (view past Kenan-Flagler Honors Theses)

The BUSI 393/493 application will be available on March 28th at 9:00am

Who is eligible?

• Current Business students who have secured an internship for the summer of 2025 and will complete at least 200 (non-OT) hours through the summer (Monday, May 19th-Friday, July 25th).
• Students who can actively participate in the course.  The course is operated through the Canvas Course Portal and is delivered asynchronously.  You are required to be actively engage and adhere to deliverables and deadlines.

Who is NOT eligible?

• Fall 2025 admits to the UBP
• Assured Admission students who were admitted to UNC in Fall 2024
• Foreign national students who are Business minors

PLEASE NOTE:  BUSI 393 may only be taken once to obtain internship credit, unless you are a foreign national student who needs the credit as a condition of your internship offer.

Completion of this course applies towards your business major/minor elective credit and experiential education general/High Impact education credit.

How do I apply?

To apply for BUSI 393 or 493, you must complete and submit the Request for Academic Credit and Learning Agreement (RACLA). (RACLA will be available online on March 28th at 9:00 am and should be submitted no later than 11:59 EST on Friday, May 23, 2025).  In order to provide proof of a valid internship that meets the minimum requirements for this class, we will need to verify several details.  As part of the application, you will be asked to upload documentation that address the following information (e.g. Offer Letter and/or Position Description):

• A formal or informal offer letter/message that provides confirmation that your internship will meet the minimum requirement of 200 hours between Monday, May 19th-Friday, July 25th (whatever documentation you provide for this should include a representative from the company where you are interning).
• A general outline of your job duties and responsibilities
• If you are required to complete an academic course as a condition of your employment, please upload verification of this policy.  A formal letter, memo, or email correspondence is sufficient.

What happens after I submit the RACLA?

Space is limited in this course.  We will review applications and notify students regarding a decision about enrollment in BUSI 393/493 within 7 business days of submission of the RACLA AND required supporting documents.  Students will be notified and manually enrolled in BUSI 393 or BUSI 493 (depending on your circumstances) for Summer Session II.  It is your responsibility to be aware of the summer add/drop and payment deadlines to proceed accordingly.

Other Considerations:

Enrolling in a summer internship class incurs tuition and fees so it’s important to budge accordingly.  For detailed information on the cost of summer school, please visit https://cashier.unc.edu/tuition-fees/summer-school/  Understanding these expenses will help you make an informed decision about your summer enrollment.

We look forward to receiving your application!

If you have an internship secured during the fall or spring term, you will not be able to earn BUSI 493/593 credit.

SPCL 493

Undergraduate internships are available through University Career Services with the approval of the office of Undergraduate Curricula. For students whose employers require them to receive academic credit for their internship, arrangements must be made in advance of beginning the internship. Credit does not count towards your graduation.