Cooperative Education Frequently Asked Questions

Employer Guide to Cooperative Education
(Maybe printed in booklet form)

Career Development Timeline

What is Co-op? Click here to watch an informational video about Cooperative Education Who can participate? How does a student get involved? What are the benefits? What about credits? What's the difference between a Co-op and an Internship? Will students lose residency status if they work outside their home state? How will participation in Co-op affect graduation? What are the student's responsibilities after accepting a Co-op position? How can I learn more?

What is Cooperative Education?
Cooperative Education at UND is an educational program that enables students to integrate classroom learning with practical professional experience in their field(s) of study.

Coop is a planned, supervised work/learning experience in which the student performs duties within his/her field of study. Students' work is closely supervised and job responsibilities are significant; primary work duties are directly related to the student's major, homework is assigned, and evaluations are performed.

Who can participate in Cooperative Education?
The Cooperative Education program (Co-op) at the University of North Dakota administers its program to full-time students planning to graduate from UND. Participation in the Cooperative Education program is for students who have completed 24 academic hours of study with a minimum of a 2.00 cumulative grade point average. Individual academic departments set further criteria which must be met before an opportunity for a cooperative learning experience is granted, (i.e., course prerequisites).

It is important for students to meet with their departmental coordinators when they are considering participation in a Co-op experience.

This is necessary so that students meet department requirements prior to seeking a Co-op position.

How does a student get involved?
Participation in the Cooperative Education program is a privilege extended to those students who meet particular requirements and who demonstrate, through their initial academic work, their ability and desire to benefit from the program.

The University of North Dakota operates on a semester system. Students who would like to participate in this program must:

• Be a full-time student (enrolled in 12 credit hours) planning to graduate from UND and have completed 24 academic credit hours of study.
• Maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA (or higher depending on departmental requirements) and be considered "in good academic standing."
• Meet with a faculty co-op coordinator from their academic department to gain permission to participate in a Co-op work experience. A student cannot participate in the Coop program without departmental approval!
• Attend a Co-op Orientation session for an overview of Cooperative Education.
  These sessions are held every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.; Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in McCannel Hall, Room 280. When this time frame conflicts with classes, individual sessions can be scheduled by contacting the Cooperative Education Office at (701) 777-4105.
• Open a Co-op credential file. A Co-op credential file and all necessary forms are explained fully during the Co-op Orientation session or individually in a meeting with a Co-op coordinator.
• Meet with a Cooperative Education program staff member to coordinate paperwork (i.e., resume, cover letter, credential file), discuss employment opportunities, and job search techniques.
• Obtain permission from major or minor department to enroll in 397 (Undergraduate) or 537 (Graduate School) Cooperative Education once a Co-op position is secured. To obtain academic credit for a Co-op work experience, students must pay tuition and be enrolled in the 397 (Undergraduate) or 537 (Graduate School) course within their academic department.

What are the benefits of Co-op?
When students accept a co-op assignment, they are offered the opportunity to learn useful employment skills in real jobs, learning under actual working conditions. Co-op contributes added direction and meaning to academic learning. An active Co-op program develops a bond between education and industry, helping to keep curricula up-to-date and relevant. Students will network and have an opportunity to get their "foot-in-the-door" when it comes to seeking employment after graduation.
Employers consistently indicate their preference for college graduates with career job-related experience gained through a Co-op/internship program. Students get "on-the-job" training, employers benefit from the utilization of additional professional staff, and a continuing pattern of school-community relationships is developed.

What about credits?
Cooperative Education at the University of North Dakota is offered for 1-8 credits; accruable to a total of 24. Variations exist in the number of credit hours a student may apply and will be determined by their Departmental Coordinator.
When a student enrolls in a 397 (Undergraduate) or 537 (Graduate School) Cooperative Education course, that student is considered a full-time student by UND (some exceptions may exist that may affect financial aid) regardless of the actual number of enrolled credits.

What's the difference between a Co-op and an Internship?
Cooperative Education is an extension of the educational process designed to provide practical working opportunities for students within their major field(s) of study. Internships often fit the same general description. Here are the major differences:

• Participants in the work phase of Co-op are always paid. Internships may or may not provide a salary.
• The work phase of Co-op occurs on an alternating or parallel basis usually for a cumulative period of three on-the-job semesters. Internships are generally a "one-time" experience. In other words, Co-op students often return to the workplace up to three times while interns may only go once.
• Co-op employers are interested in retention of co-op students. Therefore work performance, training, and productivity are key elements to student work periods.
• Co-op is a planned, supervised work experience in which the student performs duties within his/her field of study. Students are closely supervised and duties are significant; primary work duties are directly related to the student's major, homework is assigned, and evaluations are performed. Interns may perform duties irrelevant to their major field, and may or may not receive substantial supervision.

Will students lose residency status if they work outside their home state?
No. All students are registered as full-time within the University while on Co-op work assignments. Thus, permanent residency status is not affected because Co-op participants retain their "student" classification.

How will participation in Co-op affect graduation?
If enrolled in Co-op, it may take longer to complete the typical four year academic program. Because a student may work three different semesters at the job site, it is possible that graduation will be delayed a year or less if one of the semesters devoted to the work phase includes a summer or if the student selects the parallel plan.
Many companies offer to retain students through the summer if they've been there during the Spring semester, or, on the other hand, companies may ask a student to begin his/her Co-op job in the summer and continue through the Fall semester. This enhances the quality of a work experience by allowing the student more time to acclimate him/herself to a job-site, and provides the employer with a knowledgeable employee for a longer period of time.

What are the student's responsibilities after accepting a Co-op position?
Upon acceptance of a Co-op position, students should do the following:

• Notify the Co-op Office at once. The Co-op Staff needs to be aware of where you will be going and when. There are "assignments" given, in conjunction with your academic department, that originate in the Co-op Office. Please see a Co-op Counselor as soon as possible after accepting a Co-op job.
• Meet with the Co-op Coordinator from your academic department to discuss assignments and to determine the number of Co-op credits to be awarded. Special permission is required to enroll in 337/397 Cooperative Education course.
• Register for credit. The Co-op Staff will be happy to assist with registration, and can take care of processing registration and/or add-drop slips for out-of-town Co-op students. Again, please see a Co-op Counselor as soon as possible after accepting a Co-op position.
• See the appropriate administrative offices on campus. These offices may include any or all of the following: the Financial Aid Office, Bursar's Office, Registar's Office, and Housing Office.

How can I learn more?
For more information about Cooperative Education, please call 701-777-4105, email or stop by Room 280 McCannel Hall.