Once Hired – Your Next Steps
When you accept a co-op position you will follow these guidelines for the duration of your co-op experience. Be sure to contact your Co-op Coordinator should you have any questions.
After accepting a position, schedule a Co-op: Pre-Work Conference through ePACK. Bring the following to this meeting:
- Plan of Work and Study form (undergraduates only) signed by you and your Academic Advisor, within your department.
- An offer letter with your manager’s name and email address.
Once you’re hired by a company or agency, you will need to register for the appropriate course for each semester or summer period that you’re employed until you graduate or you officially withdraw from the University. This excludes permanent, full-time employment. The registration cost for the Co-op course, as set by the University, is currently:
- COP 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 (Alternate Full-Time): $490*
- COP 101, 201, 301, 401, 501 (Parallel Part-Time): $245* *fees are subject to change
Campus facilities, services and activities are open to all registered co-op students. Please be sure to register and pay the necessary registration costs – otherwise, you may jeopardize your participation in the program.
In the event that the Co-op Program has to register for you, a late fee will be charged as required by the University’s Cashier’s Office.
If you are on financial aid and are considering participating in the Cooperative Education Program, contact the Student Services Center to learn how your earnings from a co-op job could affect the amount and type of aid that you receive in the future. As a general rule, you shouldn’t expect to receive financial aid while you are on a co-op rotation.
While you are in a co-op work assignment, keep a record of additional expenses you incur during your co-op job. Financial Aid staff may consider these costs when reviewing your co-op earnings.
DO NOT collect your financial aid at the beginning of any semester in which you anticipate going on a co-op work assignment. If you do collect aid and then go on assignment, you must pay back the full amount immediately.
Contact Student Services Center with additional details.
As a successful co-op student, you’ll enjoy the rewards of real-world job while continuing to receive a top-notch education. Between alternating work periods, you are required to be enrolled in classes full-time.
All undergraduate co-op students must maintain a 2.0 GPA to remain in the program, while graduate students need to remain in good standing with the University and keep a GPA of 3.0 or above. If your employer’s GPA requirements are higher, they will apply in lieu of those mandated by the University. In either case, you and your employer will both be notified by the Co-op Program if your GPA drops below the required level.
After each work rotation, you will schedule a post-work conference with your Co-op Coordinator. Please check the Co-op Important Dates for post-work deadlines. Bring the following items to this meeting:
After you meet with your Co-op Coordinator and submit your work report you will be awarded a Satisfactory (S). Until you complete your post-work requirements an Unsatisfactory (U) will be recorded at the end of the following semester.