Cooperative education is a structured method of combining classroom-based education with practical work experience. A cooperative education experience, commonly known as a "co-op," provides academic credit for structured employment experience. Work experience must be directly related to the student’s declared major in STEM to be eligible.
To register for this course, a student must have completed 50% of core coursework, maintain an overall GPA of 2.0 and a program specific GPA of 2.5.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
Cooperative education helps students make the school-to-work transition, develop career and program-related learning objectives, and work on applicable skills for employment. Placements should provide students with the opportunity to apply and expand upon knowledge learned in the classroom, and develop the skills acquired in their coursework to align with the standards and expectations set by the worksite.
- Core Career-Focused Topics:
- Resume Building
- Professional Dress and Demeanor (attitude, posture, courteousness)
- Workplace Communication
- Interviewing Skills
- Networking and Social Media
- Seeking Employment
- Career Advancement
- Program-defined
- 1-3 program specific learning objectives will be developed by the instructor for each individual offering.
- Student-defined
- Students will create 1-3 learning objectives per credit to be approved by instructor for each individual offering.
- Career Services-defined
- Build a resume that meets standards of Career Services Officer.
- Attend a career workshop in professional dress.
- Articulate the reasons for professional attire.
- Wear professional attire while on the worksite.
- Display appropriate professional attitude and demeanor while on the worksite.
- Interview effectively.
- Participate in a mock interview and give appropriate answers to five questions.
- Complete a written job application in a prompt, professional manner with all information legible, error-free, and thorough.
- Display an understanding of the appropriate use of Social Media sites during a Career Services workshop.
ILT approval dates added
Assessment and Requirements
- Weekly journal
- Participation in a career-focused workshop
- Consistent and prompt attendance at worksite
- Reflective paper
- Interview
- Presentation
- Final project
- Employer evaluation
A course syllabus will be developed by the instructor each semester the course is offered. The syllabus will include the standardized co-op Core-Career Focused Topics as well as Program-defined, Student-defined, and Career Services-defined learning objectives.