Cooperative Education

Cooperative Education provides firsthand working experience for students while they are studying for their degrees. In their junior or senior years, students may spend a semester or longer as specificed in the application working full-time or part-time in business, industry, nonprofit, or government as part of their undergraduate programs. The employing firm or agency works closely with the university in guiding the student through a practical learning experience and students earn a wage from the employer. 

Students may earn up to 12 credits maximum (1 credit equals 50 hours of work) for CTR300 - Cooperative Education. These credits are graded on a pass-fail basis. CTR 300 will be applied towards a student's free electives required for graduation. For Interdisciplinary Studies majors, credit may be applied toward the 300-400 upper level requirement. Departments may elect to allow CTR 300 to count towards program requirements where appropriate. If a student has already fulfilled all program requirements and free electives, CTR 300 will not be eligible for financial aid.

Junior or senior students who have completed 60 credits and have earned at least an overall 2.0 GPA are eligible to apply each semester and participate in this program. The student must receive written permission from his or her faculty advisor, dean, and the Cooperative Education Faculty Advisory Committee chaiperson as indicated on the application form. Application deadlines: Spring applications submitted by December 1; Summer applications submitted by April 15; and Fall applications submitted by May 1.

The decision to recommend a student for participation in the program is based on academic and personal qualifications, on the nature of the work sought, on the number of cooperative employment opportunities available, and on the number of applicants. The final decision on the selection of candidates' rests with the employer. The university does not guarantee the placement of students in Cooperative Education.