Professional Practicum at Khoury College
Where education meets industry practice
Professional Practicum is an innovative, high-level experiential learning opportunity that blends rigorous coursework with faculty and client mentorship to give students the skills they need to solve real-world problems. In this model, cohorts of five to six students spend a semester collaborating on a client-sourced issue, gaining hands-on experience and learning how to translate classroom learning into practical solutions.
Client engagement varies by partner; some meet weekly for feedback and iteration, others on a different cadence. In addition to technical instruction, students learn how to run professional meetings, present ideas, and incorporate feedback in a real business context. In addition, students benefit from mentorship of faculty leading the course as well as faculty with domain knowledge. Practicum culminates in formal presentations to faculty and industry partners, where students are evaluated both by professors and clients.
Professional Practicum is currently available to Khoury students at Northeastern’s Boston, Oakland, and Miami campuses.
Sample Professional Practicum partners
- Massachusetts National Guard
- Boston Children’s Hospital
- Oakridge Labs
- Society for the Study of Affect
- Northeastern University
- Pawtograder
- KidzHack
What are the benefits of Professional Practicum?
- Solve real problems sourced directly from industry partners
- Develop technical and professional communication skills in tandem
- Work directly with faculty mentors and build client relationships throughout the project
- Collaborate within a small team of approximately five to six students
- Build your resume with a credit-bearing experience that goes beyond the classroom
- Satisfy NUpath Capstone Experience, Integration Experience, and Writing Intensive requirements (Boston only)
How does Professional Practicum work?
Practicum takes different forms in different locations, reflecting the business and community partners in each area — as well as where students are in their educational path.
Boston (undergraduate students): Working in groups of five to six, students enrolled in CS 4535: Industry Practicum select a project from a bank of real, open problems provided by industry partners. Student teams have access to Khoury faculty for guidance, as well as to their client/customer throughout the semester.
Miami (graduate students): Professional Practicum is offered as an elective, and students are typically advised to take it in their second year. Miami’s inaugural cohort teams in spring 2026 worked with a client for a full semester, starting with a statement of work then meeting weekly to share progress and incorporate feedback. The semester culminated in a deployed solution and formal handoff, complete with documentation and next steps for the client.
Oakland (undergraduate students): Professional Practicum is designed for first-year students under the mentorship of faculty members, with projects scoped appropriately for early-stage learners. A distinctive feature of the Oakland practicum is its partnership with Oakridge Labs, which opens the door to hands-on research opportunities. For new undergraduates interested in research, this is a chance to start building that foundation immediately.
Student presentations: real projects, real results
Questions about Professional Practicum?
Contact James Chang-Davidson, director of industry-aligned student programs