Cooperative Education is an educational program that integrates academic study with related professional experience. Co-op students have the opportunity to earn money and academic credit for their work, while gaining valuable professional experience.
| Qualifications | Program | Benefits |
To be eligible for a co-op, students must have completed a minimum of 60 credits and
have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0. Co-op opportunities can last for a
semester, summer, or six months and can be part time or full time. Co-op jobs are in
fields such as accounting, art, communications, computer science, chemistry, journalism,
public relations, human resources, sales, and marketing and finance, to name a few.
Students earn a wage from the cooperative education employer and are awarded from one to
12 credits by the University upon successful completion of the employment period.
These credits are applied to the students' academic programs as free electives. The Center
for Career Services maintains a list of jobs for which students can apply. Based upon the
employers' specifications and requirements, the Center staff refers the students'
credentials to employers, who then determine which students they wish to interview. the
final decision to hire a student is made by the employer. Students can also discuss with
the Center staff any jobs they have pursued on their own to determine if the position
qualifies a a co-op.
The Cooperative Education work experience is a valuable tool in career decision making.
It gives the student an opportunity to try out career options prior to graduation.
After graduation, students usually find that their co-op position makes them more
attractive to prospective employers. In addition, they often receive higher salary offers
than students without co-op experience.