Co-operative Education

Director, Co-operative Education and Workplace Partnerships
Karen McCargar, BA, ext. 4105

"Co-operative education," a form of work-integrated learning, is a model of education that integrates and alternates a student's academic learning with workplace learning in fields relevant to the student's academic and personal goals. All full-time honours students in the Faculty of Arts may apply for the Co-op Education designation.

Both work and academic terms are full-time and follow a formalized sequence. Faculty of Arts co-op students complete two work terms of at least 10 weeks each, in approved employment related to their discipline or career goals. Students begin the first work term after completing at least four academic terms. Most students will complete their work terms during the summer after Year 2 and Year 3, although occasionally they may fulfill work term requirements through full- or part-time positions scheduled during an academic year.

Students complete the COOP-000 Fundamentals of Co-operative Education course, a pass/fail half-credit course that introduces students to the requirements, processes and essential topics of co-operative education. Co-op credits are in addition to a student’s academic program and are not included in a student’s overall GPA or in their credit count.

Employers provide job descriptions, and the Department of Co-operative Education accepts positions that provide a suitable learning environment and engage the student in productive work. Students apply to employers with whom they are interested in working. Employers are encouraged to interview on campus. Although the university cannot guarantee that students will obtain employment, staff members in the Co-op Office strive to make suitable employment available to co-op students.

Employers supervise their students and evaluate their workplace performance. Co-op staff members monitor each student's progress during the work term. The co-op curriculum supports student learning goals, personal evaluation and reflection; students are required to set goals each term and write work term reports.  Employers compensate students for the work they perform. (In exceptional cases, an Arts Co-op or Science Co-op student may be eligible to accept a volunteer position.)

Participants pay a co-op fee in each term of Year 2 and Year 3.

To obtain the co-op designation, students must complete all the requirements of both their academic program and co-op requirements. For a complete description of the academic program, refer to the academic program requirements of the departments offering honours programs.

Students completing the co-op will have the notation "Co-operative Education" appended to their transcript and noted on their degree. No academic credit is given for participation in co-op.

Additional Information
 
Application Procedure

Students apply online for admission to Arts Co-op by the first Monday of classes in Year 2. However, students are encouraged to apply for admission to co-op during the winter term of Year 1. Enrolment in co-op is limited, and the admission process is highly competitive.
Application procedure includes:

  1. completion of an online application,
  2. full-time registration in an honours program, 
  3. submission of a résumé,
  4. an admission interview.

To qualify for an admission interview in September of Year 2, applicants must obtain a minimum GPA of 7.00 overall in Year 1 or a minimum GPA of 7.00 in their honours discipline courses and a minimum GPA of 6.5 overall in Year 1. Selection of candidates is based on their academic record, performance during the interview, recent work experience, and recent volunteer service and extracurricular activities. The Co-op Office announces admission decisions in September. Students on study permits may apply to co-op programs at Laurier. Note, however, that there may be a limit on the number of spaces available to international students.

Students must complete five full credit courses (ten half-credit courses) and meet the requirements of progression to second year to be considered for admission to co-op. We give preference to students who complete their courses by May of first year but will consider students who don't meet requirements until the end of August. Students who have more than 7.5 credits are not eligible for co-op as they are too far along in their studies.

The only entry point for Arts Co-op is at the beginning of fall term in second year. Students who have withdrawn or have been removed from their academic program are not eligible to continue in co-op, even if they are later reinstated into that program.

For further information, contact:
Department of Co-operative Education
Wilfrid Laurier University
192 King Street North
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5
Telephone: (519) 884-0710 ext. 4484