Undergraduate students can gain significant technical experience in the engineering industry before graduation through the Cooperative Engineering Education Program, or Co-op, an experiential learning program. Co-op students complete at least two semesters of full-time work with the same employer and receive one hour of letter grade credit per semester.
By integrating multiple semesters of engineering work experience with on-campus study, co-op students enhance their classroom knowledge through practical application of theories to real-world issues. Co-op students explore specific interests within their academic discipline and refine their post-graduation goals. At the same time, co-op allows students to earn a competitive salary, which can be used to help finance their education.
Returning to the same employer for subsequent experiences gives students access to more challenging and in-depth projects while building a long-term relationship with the employer. It also allows co-op employers to evaluate potential permanent hires over an extended period of time, provides a continual pipeline of bright young people, and a cost-effective method for completing engineering tasks.
