Catalyst courses
Catalyst Courses take advantage of open Wednesday afternoons built into North Park’s schedule, offering two city-based learning experiences each semester. These classes connect what you learn in the classroom with real-world experiences across Chicago—in places like museums, financial districts, nonprofits, and businesses.
Explore Chicago While You Learn
From touring the Historic Pullman Foundation to exploring the Art Institute of Chicago, Catalyst Courses bring textbooks to life. You’ll engage directly with the city, apply course concepts in real time, and reflect on your experiences with classmates and faculty.
Why It Matters
Catalyst Courses help you build both soft and hard skills, expand your understanding of potential career paths, and prepare you to live and work in diverse, dynamic environments.
How It Works
If you’re enrolled in a course at 12:40 p.m. or 2:30 p.m., it may include “Activity Wednesdays”—two scheduled sessions during the semester between 11:40 a.m.–4:10 p.m. Sessions are planned to avoid schedule conflicts, even if you’re in more than one Catalyst Course.
Contact
Center for Civic Engagement
Sohlberg Hall
5130 N. Christiana Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625