Students
Student Co-op Course Details
Your Co-op experience is documented on your official academic transcripts as a “Cooperative Education” Course each semester you are out on Co-op with your employer. The course is graded Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. If you receive an Unsatisfactory for Co-op you will not be eligible for future Co-op enrollment/experiences.
The course is available for variable credit, but most students will take the course for “0” credits. The available number of credit hours is based on whether your experience is considered Parallel or Alternating.
Access to the course is by permit only. You will only receive this permit once your Co-op offer has been reviewed and approved for enrollment in the USF Co-op program.
Paying for Academic Credit: As Co-op is a variable credit course, you would pay for the number of credit hours you choose to enroll in. Please keep in mind that Co-op is 100% online, therefore online course fees do apply.
Choosing “0” credits: If you are registered for any other credit bearing coursework in any semester while registered for “0” credits for Co-op you do not have to pay for the Co-op course. If you are registered for only Co-op for “0” credits and taking no other coursework in the same semester, you will be charged for one credit hour. Monitor Oasis the first three weeks of the semester for any fees you may be assessed. Failure to pay the required fees will result in an administrative hold on your account and will prohibit you from registering for the following semester or receiving your diploma.
Concurrent Academic Credit Requirement: Students are required to make progress (accumulate academic credit) toward the completion of their degree. Therefore, back-to-back Fall and Spring Alternating (full-time) Co-ops are not allowed.
Academic Performance: Undergraduate students must maintain a minimum of a 2.5 cumulative grade point average, and graduate students must maintain a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average while in the Co-op program.
The assignments in the Co-op courses are designed to ensure you are reflecting on your experience as it is happening. The course assignments include, but are not limited to:
- Establishing at least 3 specific learning objectives with your supervisor at the beginning of each semester (requires supervisor’s signature)
- Mid-term update on your progress towards your learning objectives as well as other “check-in” questions about your experience up to that point
- Final report on learning objectives (with supervisor's signature)
- Evaluation of your performance, filled out and signed by your supervisor
- Evaluation of your Co-op experience, filled out by you