Cooperative Education

Through credit-bearing internships, designed with faculty and staff assistance, students put their classroom learning to work. Both on and off campus, 1-, 2- or 3-credit internships may be developed with the assistance of the Coordinator of Cooperative Education and a faculty advisor. Each credit requires a minimum of 45 hours of on-site work during the semester; a 3-credit experience, therefore, would necessitate a total of 135 hours (or approximately 10 hours each week).

Work sites throughout the surrounding area may be recruited to provide students the chance to explore their field of interest and gain valuable experience prior to actually entering the world of work. A site supervisor is assigned to each student. Students are prepared for their experience through an orientation seminar at the beginning of the semester led by a member of the College staff.

Job descriptions provided by the work site are used to develop learning objectives. These objectives are completed by the student in addition to their work hours. Evaluation of the experience is completed at the end of the semester by the site supervisor, faculty advisor and student. For more information, students should contact the Coordinator of Cooperative Education in the Student Development Center at 413-236-1611.