Cooperative Education
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. 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. Co-op orientations are held once per month during each semester and can also be found under the Events tab in HireAggies. Students only need to attend once.
If there are no more co-op orientations during the semester, email Sandra Trevino-Lewis ’91 or call our front desk at 979-458-8627 for more information.
If you’re a student at Mays Business School, please contact [email protected] to schedule an appointment with an advisor in lieu of attending orietation.
Co-op Orientation
To find a list of co-op orientations visit the Career Center events calendar or under the Events tab in HireAggies.
Learn More About Co-Ops
Does co-oping delay graduation?
Typically, co-oping does delay graduation because students are enrolled in a co-op course (1-2 credit hours) rather than a full schedule of classes. Employers typically value a number of relevant work terms over time to graduation.
Can additional courses (e.g., online classes) be taken while co-oping?
The ability to take additional courses depends on the major/department. Some departments are fine with students taking online courses while co-oping, other departments do not allow additional courses to be taken. Students should check specifically with their department.
Are scholarships/financial aid packages affected by co-oping?
While co-op students maintain full-time status while co-oping, scholarships/financial aid packages may have specific parameters/criteria required to receive the scholarship/financial aid package. These criteria may/may not be met while co-oping. Students should check directly with their scholarship, or the financial aid office, to see how their specific situation may be affected.
How can the co-op credits be used in the degree plan?
Departments vary on how they will allow co-op course credits to be used in the degree plan. Students should check directly with their departments to see how the co-op credits can be used.
Since co-op students have full-time student status while co-oping, are they charged for full-time tuition/fees?
Fortunately, co-op students do not have to pay for full-time tuition even though they maintain full-time status. Because each student’s situation is different, in order to get an estimate on the tuition for the co-op course, students are advised to check with the university’s tuition calculator.
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 Texas A&M.
- 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.
- 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
Important Dates for Current Co-Op Students
April 6: Co-op Report; Evaluation of Co-op Student to faculty advisor
April 6: Work Experience Evaluation and copy of Evaluation of Co-op Student to Career Center
June 1*: Pick up graded copy of report from Faculty Co-op Advisor
*subject to Faculty Advisor’s Schedule
All Engineering Students
May 6: Print out and have Supervisor fill out Employer Assessment of Academic Preparation
- Reports must be postmarked by the due date to be considered on time.
- EXCEPTIONS: Industrial Engineering reports must be received by the due date.
- Any deadline information in your specific department report guidelines supersedes Career Center deadlines.
- Documents due to the Career Center may be submitted with the Faculty Advisor’s deadline.
- AERO, CHEN, CPSC/CECN, CVEN, and MEEN students must also submit a copy of the Student Work Experience Evaluation to their Faculty Co-op Advisor.
Forms & Guidelines
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.