Co-op / Internships

Internships & Co-op COVID-19 Guidelines for Students

 

Cooperative Education
Cooperative Education (Co-op) is a formal program integrating multiple terms of work and academics. Students work in professional assignments directly related to their major. Students on the alternating plan rotate semesters of full-time work with semesters of full-time school. Students are required to meet and maintain an institutional GPA of 2.3 or higher and remain in good standing with the university in order to be eligible.

Students from the College of Engineering are required to meet additional requirements to participate in the Cooperative Education Program. 


Internships
The internship program option allows students to participate in either a part-time or full-time work experience to complement the student’s major or field of study.  Students are required to meet and maintain an institutional GPA of 2.0 or higher and remain in good standing with the university in order to be eligible.   The student, employer, and the university work collaboratively to structure the work plan.

Program Participation
Co-op and Internships are designed to supplement classroom experience and to promote academic and professional development. Students generally complete one year of courses prior to beginning an assignment. Students receive academic recognition through a transcript notation for participating in the Cooperative Education or Internship Program, though they do not earn academic credit hours. Employers and students appreciate this official recognition because it reflects a student’s desire to obtain practical work experience while pursuing the degree.

Co-op and Internships are educational in scope; we communicate and monitor students’ progress throughout the term. Students submit evaluative assignments throughout the semester that reflect upon and summarize their work experiences and progress. Students also receive informal and formal feedback through the supervisory evaluation process.  

Undergraduate students may apply based on general program requirements, including being classified as a full-time student upon participation in the program, the completion of 24 credit hours, and an overall institutional GPA of 2.3 or higher for the Co-op option and an overall institutional GPA of 2.0 or higher for the Internship option.  Graduate students may apply after they are accepted into a graduate program.  Program requirements may vary based upon the student’s academic college. While the program is open to all academic majors, there are some majors/academic departments in which the curriculum may not support a particular work-schedule option.  Students on study visas are not eligible to enroll in the program without prior approval from the Office of Immigration and International Admissions. 

Both the Co-op and Internship programs provide valuable experience and flexibility for students and employers. For more information, please contact Career Services at (251) 460-6188.