Cooperative Education (CO-OP) is a supervised, academic program that formally integrates semesters of academic study with semesters of paid, full-time work experience while retaining full-time student status.
What is the CO-OP Program?
- Co-op is a relevant, supervised, paid, career-related work experience, which helps students gain a better understanding of their chosen field while increasing marketability at graduation.
- There are many co-op models (work schedule options) available to meet students’ and employers’ specific needs. Co-op models may include alternating, back-to-back, and single work terms.
- Co-op is generally not a summer-only program, except in certain circumstances (e.g., international students).
- While co-oping, students are enrolled in a specific course (e.g., ENGR 385, BUSN 392, AGLS 292, etc.), which allows students to maintain full-time student status during their co-op work terms (even though co-op courses are typically 1-2 credit hours, depending on the college).
Benefits of CO-OP
- Opportunity to confirm your choice of major
- Gain professional work experience
- Increase your understanding of classroom theory
- Earn money to help pay college expenses
- Gain useful employment contacts
- Develop confidence and professional skills
When can I begin a CO-OP?
- Co-op requirements may vary depending on the college/department. Many colleges/departments will require students to have completed a specific number of hours before co-oping. Many of the departments in the College of Engineering will have a specific course that is required to be completed prior to co-oping. Students should check with their specific department to find the department’s requirements.
- Due to the required number of hours/prerequisite courses, typically co-op is not available to freshmen. If a freshman gets a co-op offer, they must receive special permission/exception to participate in the co-op program. Engineering students must already be accepted/in a major before they can co-op. Students in general engineering will not be allowed to co-op until they have successfully been accepted in a major-there are no exceptions to this requirement.
Getting Started
If you plan to co-op, you must attend a Co-op orientation.
The Co-op orientation schedule can be found on the Career Center’s event calendar. At the orientation, the entire co-op process will be explained, while allowing you will receive information on completing all the steps in the co-op process and have the opportunity to ask co-op questions. If there are no more Co-op orientations during the semester, email Brad Collet at b-collet@tamu.edu, or call our front desk at 979-458-8627 for more information.
Co-op Orientation
To find a list of Co-op orientations visit the Career Center events calendar.Steps to CO-OP
Attend the Co-op Orientation.At the orientation, the following co-op steps/process will be explained in greater detail. Here is a list of the generic (not major-specific) co-op steps:
- You will be registered in a co-op course that is specific to your college/department. This is a graded course worth 1-2 credit hours, depending on your college's requirements.
- Your grade for the co-op course will be determined by completing the course requirements as outlined by your faculty co-op advisor (professor of record for the department's co-op section) in their syllabus.
- By being enrolled in the co-op course, you will maintain your full-time status at TAMU.
- However, note that full-time status may or may not be recognized by scholarships or financial aid. If you have scholarships or financial aid packages, please check directly with them.
- To participate in the co-op program, you will need to have a revised degree plan that shows your enrollment in the co-op course for the semester(s) you plan to co-op. This degree plan must be approved and signed by your academic advisor.
- You will need to agree to and sign the Co-op Terms of Agreement, which can be found on the co-op orientation slide. If you have any questions about the Co-op Terms of Agreement, please contact us.
- To register for the co-op course, you will need to fill out a pre-registration form.
- Once this form is completed, we will remove the temporary block on the co-op course and email you with all the information you need.
- At the end of your co-op semester(s), you will need to submit three evaluation forms: Evaluation of the Co-op Student, Work Experience Evaluation, and Employer Assessment of Academic Preparation.
- Please use the due date provided by your professor in their syllabus.
Summary of the CO-OP Process
- Attend co-op orientation
- Create a revised degree plan and have it signed by the academic advisor
- Submit signed Co-op Terms of Agreement
- Complete/submit preregistration form
- For course requirements find them in the syllabus or contact your professor
- Submit course requirements to the professor by the due date
- Submit a copy of the evaluation forms to the Career Center
Report Guidelines
• General Report Guidelines• Aerospace Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Industrial Engineering
For all other majors, please see the professor’s syllabus, or contact the professor directly.