What is the Cooperative Education Program?
Cooperative Education is an experiential learning program that allows students to apply theoretical knowledge obtained in the classroom to practical situations in the workplace.
Why should I be interested in participating in this program?
Participation in the Cooperative Education Program provides the following benefits to participants:
• Enhanced academic performance
• Significant pay and benefits
• Practical work experience
• Increased understanding of business/industry practices
• Confirmation of career choice
• Potential job opportunity following graduation
• Solid network of professional references
What kind of pay and benefits can I expect to earn?
Engineering students will typically earn more than $13 an hour, and many employers offer additional benefits such as paid holidays, leave accrual, housing assistance, etc.
What are the program’s eligibility requirements?
Students must have at least a 2.45 grade point average in order seek an assignment, be enrolled full-time, and have completed at least 27 hours before beginning an initial work assignment.
What is the time commitment required by the program?
Clemson’s program is accredited by ABET (Accrediting Board of Engineering & Technology), and this organization requires that students obtain 52 weeks of practical experience in order to receive a co-op degree. Clemson engineering students achieve this total by working three rotations in an alternating sequence, where a co-op rotation is followed by a school term until the student has completed a fall, a spring and a summer rotation.
For majors other than engineering (such as packaging science, computer science, management, marketing and finance), the requirement is two rotations, with at least one of those rotations being a regular semester (fall or spring).
Do I complete all rotations with the same employer?
Because students are entrusted with increasing levels of challenge and responsibility if they continue with the same employer, students are expected to remain with their initial employer unless they are dissatisfied with the experience.
How much will this program extend my expected graduation date?
Many engineering students can complete the three required rotations and graduate in four and a half years. Due to curricular issues, a few majors require five years to complete, but the faculty in these majors still strongly encourage their students to participate in the program.
Where are most Co-op assignments located?
The large majority of assignments are in the Southeast, but there are Clemson co-op students all over the United States and a few in western Europe.
Where can I live while on assignment?
Students can choose to obtain housing close to their assignment (many employers will assist students in locating housing), or they can choose to stay on campus if they are close enough to commute to their assignment.
Can I obtain an assignment with a company not currently part of Clemson’s program?
Yes, as long as the employer will agree to the requirements of Clemson’s program. The co-op faculty will determine if an employer meets the requirements.
How will the faculty of this program help me to obtain an assignment?
The Cooperative Education faculty meet with students on an individual basis once a week to determine the needs of each student and to explain to each student which assignments might be good matches. Students also receive assistance with their resumes, participate in an interview workshop, receive individualized overviews of employers of interest and are provided with written accounts from students who have completed assignments with employers of interest.
What is the likelihood of obtaining an assignment?
Co-op assignments are obtained on a competitive basis through an interview process and, therefore, are dependent on factors such as grades, class status, personal presentation, communication skills and other variables. The large majority of students who elect to participate in the program obtain co-op assignments.
Will I remain under my parent’s health insurance while on assignment?
Yes. The Registrar’s Office will gladly send the insurance provider a letter explaining that the student is participating in a recognized academic program sponsored by Clemson University.
Can I participate in this program while also pursuing study-abroad opportunities or other academic or social programs offered by Clemson University?
Yes. Students can participate in all campus activities, provided the activities do not require students to be in two places at once.
Can I still attend football games while on assignment?
Students in the program can receive football tickets, participate in intramural activities and make use of campus facilities if they pay the appropriate fees. In many cases, these fees are less than what the student would ordinarily pay.
How and when should I enroll in this program?
Students are eligible to begin assignments as early as the summer following the freshman year; however, many employers prefer students to have completed at least the first semester of the sophomore year. To enroll in the program, students need to visit the Cooperative Education Program office in 321 Brackett Hall to determine if they would like to pursue a co-op assignment. If they elect to do so, they will be assigned to a member of the co-op faculty who will guide them through the program.