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Cooperative Education


 

Cooperative Education Cooperative Education is an educational program for matriculated undergraduate students that integrates academic study with related job experience. Co-op students have the opportunity to earn money and academic credit for their work, while gaining professional experience.

If you would like to participate in the Co-op program please contact Patricia Whelan, Director of Cooperative Education, by contacting the Center for Career Services at 203-392-6536.

 

 

Qualifications

  • Matriculated undergraduate students
  • Completed a minimum of 60 credits
  • Minimum GPA of 2.0
  • Open to all majors


 

Program

  • Students earn a wage from the cooperative education employer
  • 1-12 elective credits are awarded to the student upon successful completion of the employment period
  • Co-op opportunities can last for a semester, summer or six months and can be either full-time or part-time
  • The Center for Career Services maintains a list of jobs for which students can apply
  • Students can also discuss with the Center staff any jobs they have pursued on their own to determine if they could be a co-op opportunity.


 

Benefits

  • Cooperative Education work experience is a valuable tool in career decision making
  • Offers students the opportunity to try out career opportunities prior to graduation
  • After graduation, students usually find it makes them more attractive to prospective employers


 

Previous Co-op Students Have Worked at:

  • ESPN 
  • Unilever
  • IBM
  • Yale New Haven Hospital
  • IRS
  • New Haven Historical Society
  • Pratt & Whitney
  • Honeywell


 

In their own words..........

"I would highly recommend it for the valuable experience and credit it offers. Unfortunately, I don't think a lot of students are aware of the program. I did not know it was an option for me until my advisor told me about it. In addition to helping fulfill credit requirements for graduating, it helps students merge from the purely academic environment into a work situation that is a key element in the transition from school to the professional world."  Stephanie Mirza, Preschool Group Facilitator, Yale University, Graduate Housing

 

"The co-op with the Cheshire Housing Authority showed me my career.....If I didn't do that, I wouldn't be an editor." Patton now prepares video highlights for ESPN, but it was the housing authority that really showed Patton how to edit. "When my supervisors saw how much I enjoyed it, they focused the rest of my co-op on editing. The experience blew me away." Armed with this editing experience, Patton decided he wanted to work for ESPN.
Marcus Patton, Emmy Award-winning Editor for Domestic Production at ESPN

 

"During my first three years at Southern Connecticut State University, I dedicated all of my time and effort to my academics. As a result, I performed very well in my classes and gained exceptional knowledge. Towards the end of my junior year I realized that there was something missing, I did not have any experience in relation to my field. So, I decided to visit the Career Center and search for a Cooperative Education position that best suited my interests. After revising my resume an uncountable amount of times with the help of the Career Center, I applied to the company of Unilever. To this experience I came with an open mind, expecting to gain knowledge of what it is like to work in a lab setting, to gain experience in relation to my field, and ultimately to decide if I would like to pursue such a position as my career......I recommend to all college students to gain as much experience as possible since the classroom setting differs greatly from the working environment."
Lab Assistant, Unilever