Cooperative Education and Internship Program Overview
The terms cooperative education (co-op) and internships refer to work experiences available to students at upper academic levels.
The program matches employers with students for the completion of meaningful workplace tasks. The demands of a co-op job or internship require the advanced skills of an upper level student. At Wright State University, students become eligible for co-op or internship employment in their sophomore year, once they have completed minimum requirements as set by their academic department.
The co-op experience traditionally lasts more than one quarter. Co-op program structures include alternating, where students work full-time and alternate quarters of work with quarters of study; and parallel, where students work part-time and simultaneously continue their academic study. A co-op job generally implies a commitment of at least two work quarters or more. Internships are filled on a quarter by quarter basis. Both types of employment may be either full- or part-time.
In the following paragraphs, cooperative education (co-op) is used as the universal term describing the educational work experience undertaken by students.
Work performed by students in a co-op must provide educational opportunities consistent with each student's course of study. Employers are asked to provide a job description detailing the tasks to be performed by the student, the work schedule, and the wage range. Additionally, the employer may specify particular majors or GPAs.
Employers are to provide an on-site supervisor to oversee the day-to-day work of the co-op student, and to complete a performance evaluation form, provided by Career Services, at the end of each work term. Career Services asks employers to report changes in a student's employment status.
Full-time and Part-time Employment
Students may participate in cooperative education on a part-time or full-time employment basis. This option provides students and employers with maximum flexibility.
Full-time co-op is available to qualifying students as their schedule permits. A full-time co-op is defined as 400 hours over a 10 week quarter; typically, 40 hours per week. Only when registered for full-time co-op is the student officially recognized by the university as a full-time student during the work term.
Part-time cooperative education placements result when a student's work schedule is less than full-time. The preferred number of hours for part-time co-op is 20-25 hours per week over the course of the ten week quarter. Employer needs as low as 10 hours a week may be accommodated by special arrangement with Career Services. Students who register for part-time co-op must also carry a minimum of twelve credit hours of coursework, to be considered a full-time student.
There are independent study options available to Liberal Arts students seeking academic credit for co-op experiences. For more information on Liberal Arts Learning contracts, email career_services@wright.edu.
Student Qualifications
To participate in the cooperative education program at Wright State University, students must be sophomore level or above; have completed or be nearing completion of entry-level courses as outlined by their college; have declared a course of study and been accepted into that program; have a 2.5 GPA for undergraduate students and a 3.0 GPA for graduate students; and be committing to a job related to their major.
Detailed Student Eligibility Requirements, by College and Major
Referral Methods
Career Services connects co-op employers and students in a variety of ways.
On campus recruiting events provide a venue for students and employers to meet.
A computerized, database referral system, The Wright Search, provides employers with the résumés of all participating, qualified students who have indicated they are seeking work.The employer then contacts the students directly.
Through the on-campus interviewing program employers receive résumés and meet with qualified students at our on-campus interviewing facility.
Employers may request on-campus postings only, without database referrals, resulting in information being forwarded to related departments.
Employers can also preview Wright State University student résumés via The Wright Search database.
Student Academic Calendar and Registration
The quarterly co-op and internship periods generally correspond to the quarterly periods of Wright State University's academic calendar. Students must register prior to or during the first two weeks of the quarter in which they are working. Students involved in a co-op or internship during fall quarter may extend their co-op or internship through December, under their fall quarter registration.
Academic Calendar
Wright State follows a quarterly registration schedule. To plan student co-ops with a minimum of conflict, please consult the Wright State University academic calendar.
Wright State University Academic Calendar 2007 - 2008
Registration for Co-op or Internship
Students formally register for co-op or internship through their college liaison in Career Services. The co-op course appears on the official transcript as a pass/fail course. Students who meet co-op and internship eligibility requirements for their major, and who have secured a co-op or internship related to their field of study, follow the step by step co-op and internship registration process.
Student Co-op and Internship Registration Process
To register for co-op or internship, schedule an appointment in Career Services. Appointments may be scheduled through the Career Services front desk by calling 937.775.2556.
©2004 - 2008 Wright State University
This page was last updated Friday, 16-May-2008 11:17:48 EDT.
Questions or comments?
Email career_services@wright.edu