Undergraduate Education has launched a new major-specific academic internship program, where students are provided the opportunity to be placed in an internship relating to their major, and enroll in a course that links the internship with academic work. These courses have between 12-20 students and include site visits, speaker series, and the opportunity for students to be mentored by faculty. UE partnered with five departments to successfully place over 75 students in academic internships for the spring quarter 2015. The students are placed in both on-campus groups as well as off-campus organizations including unions, schools, non-profits, advocacy groups, and museums. This academic internship program is constructed to serve as a method for students to cultivate their professional development, as well as to enhance their academic experience at UCR. The educational significance is demonstrated through research, student learning objectives, professional and academic guidance from a faculty advisor and internship site supervisor, and the opportunity to successfully link theoretical knowledge from a class-room to real-world work experience.