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Co-operative Education

Definition

"Co operative Education Program" means a program which alternates periods of academic study with periods of work experience in appropriate fields of business, industry, government, social services and the professions in accordance with the following criteria:

1. Each work term is developed in partnership with the employer and approved by the co-operative education program as a suitable learning environment;
2. The student is engaged in productive work for which the student receives remuneration;
3. The co-op curriculum supports student learning goals, personal evaluation and reflection;
4. The student's performance in the workplace is supervised and evaluated by the student's employer;
5. The student's progress during their work term is monitored by the co-operative education program;
6. Both work and academic terms are full-time and follow a formalized sequence.  The total amount of co-op work experience is normally at least 30% of the time spent in academic study.  For programs of two years or less the total amount may be a minimum of 25%.  A work term is defined as a minimum of 12 weeks and/or 420 hours full-time paid experience;
7. Co-op Programs begin and end on an academic term;
8. The student completing multiple work terms is normally exposed to the work environment during more than one season of the year.