Students
Cooperative Education (Co-op)
Co-op is an experiential opportunity and USF course administered by the Office of Internships and Career Readiness. Co-op integrates hands-on, paid, career-related work experience with your academic program and provides you with valuable training in your chosen career field. It is offered part-time (Parallel) or full-time (Alternating).
Access to the Co-op course is by permit only once you have received an official Co-op offer. If you have a Co-op offer please report your Co-op offer/hire now.
Although employers may use the terms “Internship” and “Co-op” interchangeably, they are not the same academically. Below you will find the key requirements of a Co-op experience:
- Company must have a physical location you will report to
- Supervisor must be a subject matter expert in the field you are engaging in the Co-op experience for and serve as a mentor for your professional development
- Supervisor must be willing to establish learning objectives and provide evaluation of your performance each semester you are out on Co-op
- Paid; minimum of 15 hours per week
- Tasks you are being asked to engage in is directly (at least 51% of work tasks) related to the your current academic major
- Learning outcomes/objectives are related to your field of study
- Must require a minimum of 2 semesters of commitment by both you and the employer
- Each semester you are out on Co-op, the experience you are gaining should be increasing in complexity, building on previous duties, or a new rotation in a different facet of the field/industry. This is not just one long internship doing the same thing each semester.
CO-OP QUICK LINKS
What is Co-op?
Am I eligible?
When and how do I apply?
Co-op Course Details
International Students
If you have read through this information, or if you are currently in the Co-op program, and have questions, you can visit Diane’s Virtual Drop-in Hours through Microsoft Teams during the pre-scheduled times:
- Tuesdays, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
- Wednesdays, 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm
If those times do not work for you, please email Diane Mellon, M.A., Coordinator of Experiential Learning Programs (dmellon@usf.edu) with your questions or to request a separate appointment time.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are looking for assistance in finding an internship or Co-op, visit the Student section of our Career Services website for the appropriate resources to assist you with your search or schedule an appointment with a Career Coach.