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case western reserve university

Office of Engineering
Student Programs
 

Undergraduate Cooperative Education

What is Co-op?

Cooperative Education is a formalized academic program which enables students to alternate classroom studies with career-based experiences in industry. Cooperative Education is an extension of the classroom. It is a learning experience designed to integrate classroom theory with practical experience and professional development.

Cooperative Education in the United States began in 1906 in Ohio. It has since grown nationwide to include approximately 1000 public and private colleges and universities with a student enrollment of over 200,000.

Understanding the importance and benefits of Cooperative Education for both student and employer, Case Institute of Technology, Case Western Reserve University, initiated the Co-op Program in the 1979-1980 academic year.

The Co-op Program is housed under the Dean's office of The Case School of Engineering (CSE) in the Office of Engineering Student Programs (OESP).

Benefits of Co-op
  • Test classroom theory in a practical work environment
  • Enhance academic knowledge
  • Personal and professional development
  • Improve written and oral communication skills
  • Provide partial funds for educational costs
  • Improve career possibilities at graduation
  • Focus on long-term career direction and options
  • Establish professional contacts with employers
  • Refine interpersonal skills
  • Paid work experience
Eligibility

Students are strongly encouraged during the freshman year to plan for co-op by arranging their curriculum accordingly. Generally students are eligible to co-op after their fourth or fifth semester.

Requirements:

  • Full-time student status
  • Eligible to work in the United States
  • Approval from major department
  • Meet minimum academic standards

In all situations, eligibility and co-op schedules are determined by the student's major department and the Cooperative Education Office.

Co-op Schedule

Co-op is voluntary and non-credit. A co-op schedule is offered by all engineering and science departments except Astronomy, and is also available to Accounting and Management majors.

Co-op assignments are typically for two seven-month periods, each period consisting of the summer and a contiguous spring or fall semester. Many employers prefer these longer co-op periods, where students have enough time to become involved with more substantial projects.

The program does not add or reduce the amount of necessary course work, but rearranges the academic course load. Approximately one year of additional time is necessary to participate in the practical training and to complete academic requirements.

Scheduled times for co-oping vary among departments. Curriculum sheets designed by the student's major department indicate the co-op sequence. These curriculum sheets are available in the co-op office.

Students must apply to the Co-op Program the semester before the assignment begins. Deadline dates:

  • February 15th for summer/fall assignment
  • October 1st for spring/summer assignment
Binary/Transfer Students

Binary (3-2 Engineering) Program and transfer students must complete at least one semester of coursework at Case before admission to the Co-op Program. Binary and transfer students are only obligated to complete one seven-month co-op assignment.

Participating Majors:
  • Engineering
    • Biomedical Engineering
    • Chemical Engineering
    • Civil Engineering
    • Computer Engineering and Computer Science
    • Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics
    • Fluid and Thermal Science
    • Macromolecular/Polymer Science
    • Materials Science & Engineering
    • Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
    • Systems & Control Engineering
  • Sciences
    • Biochemistry
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Engineering Physics
    • Geology
    • Mathematics
    • Statistics
    • Physics
  • Business
    • Accountancy
    • Economics
    • Management
    • Management Science