Opportunity and Excellence

Objective A1.1. Provide a high-impact education that integrates academic rigor, career-related experiences and real-world learning.

• Action A1.1.1. Launch The Charlotte Model for Student Success² as the institutional framework for delivering multifaceted, high-impact learning that distinguishes Charlotte from peer universities.
• Action A1.1.2. Refine Charlotte’s General Education³ framework by aligning core competencies⁴ , majors⁵ and experiential learning⁶ with clear pathways that promote student learning and persistence.

Objective A1.2. Build students’ career advantages and their ability to thrive in a global, interconnected world.

• Action A1.2.1. Guarantee that every student has a pathway to access internship opportunities⁷ before graduation, regardless of discipline or learning platform.
• Action A1.2.2. Broaden the portfolio of high-impact, universal-access experiential learning opportunities to complement and enhance student learning.
• Action A1.2.3. Enhance internationalization and study-abroad initiatives to integrate global learning inside and outside the classroom, providing students with a wide range of intercultural experiences.
• Action A1.2.4. Modernize curricula and experiential learning to foster industry-informed competencies by integrating artificial intelligence and emerging technologies and their responsible use, critical and ethical reasoning and entrepreneurial thinking.

Objective A2.1. Drive degree attainment with flexible pathways and proactive support that boosts persistence and reduces time-to-completion.

• Action A2.1.1. Dismantle barriers to graduation by aligning predictive enrollment planning, flexible learning pathways and strategic hiring in high-demand courses while maintaining academic rigor.
• Action A2.1.2. Customize support systems for all students through proactive onboarding, advising, professional and peer mentoring, second-chance options and flexible choices tailored for managing work and family responsibilities.

Objective A2.2. Support students having financial challenges that affect degree affordability and completion.

• Action A2.2.1. Extend targeted financial support to students for tuition, emergency hardship and participation in internships, experiential learning and international opportunities.
• Action A2.2.2. Augment financial wellness and debt management education to promote informed financial decision-making and reduce student debt burden.

Objective A3.1. Become the top choice in the region for online degree programs that combine academic excellence with career preparation.

• Action A3.1.1. Multiply the portfolio of online bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees that provide a comprehensive academic experience with market-relevant programs and professional mastery, connecting lifelong learning and workforce skills.
• Action A3.1.2. Support online students through active learning, adaptive platforms, peer support, flexible scheduling and tailored services grounded in quality standards.
• Action A3.1.3. Expand access for online learners to internships and other experiential learning opportunities.

Objective A3.2. Position Charlotte’s reach and impact through strategic enrollment growth and retention.

• Action A3.2.1. Optimize undergraduate and graduate enrollment, both on-campus and online, using targeted recruitment strategies that reach regional, national and global markets.
• Action A3.2.2. Improve academic credit mobility by recognizing relevant prior learning from military training, work experience, associate degree coursework and community college partnerships to reduce time to degree.
• Action A3.2.3. Designate Charlotte as a top choice for military-affiliated students by expanding and enhancing specialized support for their unique career transitions and professional development.

Objective A4.1. Accelerate Charlotte to be a leading global destination for graduate program excellence, advanced professional mastery and pioneering research.

• Action A4.1.1. Expand research-focused and pioneering curricula to elevate Charlotte’s national profile for master’s and doctoral programs.
• Action A4.1.2. Cultivate robust graduate program enrollment pipelines by streamlining pathways for Charlotte undergraduates and establishing strategic recruitment partnerships with regional employers and higher education institutions without graduate degrees.
• Action A4.1.3. Sustain graduate student financial viability and the overall student experience with competitive-level support, research and teaching assistantships and dedicated housing environments that reduce cost-of-attendance barriers.

Objective A4.2. Enrich graduate programs through applied learning and career preparation.

• Action A4.2.2. Incorporate creative discovery, research-based problem solving, innovation and applied learning, along with leadership development experiences that prepare graduates for meaningful careers within and beyond academia.
• Action A4.2.1. Align graduate curricula with industry-informed, future-focused competencies, advanced digital fluencies and responsible artificial intelligence within a framework of expanded experiential learning.

¹ UNC Charlotte and Charlotte: Throughout this plan, “Charlotte” refers to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. To maintain clarity, references to the surrounding metropolitan area are denoted as the “Charlotte region.”

² The Charlotte Model for Student Success is Charlotte’s holistic framework designed to help students achieve success at every stage of their college experience, from discovering their purpose to transitioning to post-graduation life. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. (2025, December 8). The Charlotte Model: Helping students find success through a unified approach. https://inside.charlotte.edu/2025/12/08/the-charlotte-model-helping-students-find-success-through-a-unified-approach/ Student success is the intentional pursuit of timely degree completion through the holistic development of every student academically, professionally and personally. It blends high-quality learning experiences, strong support networks and meaningful engagement opportunities that equip graduates to thrive in careers, contribute to their communities and lead in a rapidly changing global world. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. (2026, February 19). Charlotte Model Working Group.

³ Charlotte’s General Education program is a baccalaureate degree requirement for all undergraduate students that is organized around the four Charlotte core competencies. General education courses introduce students to the competencies in different disciplinary contexts and provide opportunities to practice them. This provides students with a breadth of knowledge across various disciplines. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. (n.d.). General Education Curriculum: Develop breadth in general education courses. https://uge.charlotte.edu/charlotte-core/general-education-curriculum

⁴ The Charlotte Core Competencies provide Charlotte undergraduate students with an overarching and interconnected learning experience by intentionally integrating the four competencies: Communication, Critical Thinking, Engagement across Perspectives and Quantitative/Data. The four competencies form connections between general education courses, major courses and co-curricular activities, with general education providing the foundation on which the majors and co-curriculum build. Charlotte’s four core competencies are highly valued, durable and transferable. They prepare our students to be successful college graduates, versatile career professionals and engaged citizens and community members. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. (n.d.).
Preparing students for success in college, work and life. https://uge.charlotte.edu/charlotte-core/

⁵ The major represents a degree-seeking student’s primary field of study. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. (2018, November 29, revised). II. Policy statement: Major. https://provost.charlotte.edu/policies-procedures/academic-policies-and-procedures/definition-undergraduate-majors-minors/

⁶ Experiential Learning. These opportunities, designed to enhance and broaden student learning, encompass a wide variety of options, including but not limited to research, creative projects, entrepreneurship, peer mentoring, study abroad programs, student teaching, service and community-engaged learning, in-person and virtual exchanges, experiences in business-university partnerships, honors programs, career preparation and development and student employment as internship-worthy experiences. Internships are perhaps the most popular form of experiential learning. “We have found that engaging in experiential learning, whether it be a semester-long internship or participating in a case challenge, provides students with greater clarity of career
direction, academic decisions and increased confidence in the strengths they can leverage in the world.” The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. (n.d.). Office of Undergraduate Education: Experiential learning. https://uge.charlotte.edu/thrive-charlotte/experiential-learning/

⁷ Internships include all experiences that provide career exploration and preparation, offering opportunities to gain experience and develop industry-specific skills. UNC Charlotte broadly defines an internship as a short-term, fixed work experience in a professional setting that enhances classroom learning. Internships are a form of experiential learning. Charlotte guarantees access to internships, but securing a specific internship still requires students to apply, interview and be chosen by the employer program. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. (n.d.). Career Center: Skills & experience: Classroom to career. https://career.charlotte.edu/skills-experience. Understanding Internship Opportunities https://career.charlotte.edu/students-alumni/gain-experience-intern/understanding-internship-opportunities#:~:text=Are%20internships%20guaranteed%20for%20every,by%20the%20employer%20or%20program
understanding-internship-opportunities#:~:text=Are%20internships%20guaranteed%20for%20every,by%20the%20employer%20or%20program. Frequently asked questions. https://careerdocs.charlotte.edu/pdfs/experientialeducation/Student%20FAQ%20-%20Internships%20(2018-02-28).pdf