Cooperative Education

Cooperative education provides students with professional preparation that complements classroom training by integrating theory with practice. In the process, employers gain creative, eager to learn para-professional employees and academic disciplines acquire new curriculum ideas from the world of work through co-op students and their faculty co-op advisors. 

• What is a Co-op?

• How to Participate (Student and Employer)

• Sample forms for Faculty, Student, and Employer

What is a Co-op?

A co-op position is:

• Multiple semesters - minimum of two, usually three semesters.  May be alternating or parallel.

  • Alternating - Student alternates semesters of full-time work with full-time study.  Alternating students maintain their full-time student status while working.  Students may take classes during their working term if their work schedule allows.

  • Parallel - Student works part-time while enrolled in classes full-time.

• Credit-worthy experience - Course credit is given for the learning, not the work.  Thus experience must be related to the student's major of study and future career goals.  Future terms must build on experience gained from the first term with increased responsibilities and increased opportunity for learning.

How to Participate

• Students must arrange co-op credit through their academic department.

• Employers may post co-op positions with the Career Center by logging in to Lightning Jobsource.

Forms

Below are forms from the MTSU Cooperative Education Program was centralized in one office. These are provided as a resource to academic departments who may want to create their own forms.

• Faculty Co-op Advisor Forms

  • Co-op Full Time Form - This form is to be completed by the Faculty Adviser on all full-time (alternating) co-op students and sent to the Records Office.  It is confirmation for the purpose of certifying enrollment in special MTSU approved programs to defer repayment of financial aid or to distribute financial aid.

  • Student Final Report Outline

  • Time and Attendance Log

• Employer Co-op Advisor Forms

  • Supervisor's Final Evaluation of Co-op

• Student Co-op Forms

  • Intent to Co-op (for current students)

  • Time and Attendance Log

  • Student Evaluation of Co-op Experience

The following are sample forms from other institutions that have been modified slightly for possible use at MTSU (logos, terminology etc.).  These are provided as a resource to academic departments who may want to create their own forms.

• Position Description Form

• Work Agreement

• Learning Contract

• Learning Contract Example Completed by Student

• Student Evaluation of Co-op Work Experience

• Employer Evaluation of Co-op Student

• Faculty Outcome Summary Report

Other Cooperative Education Resources

• Leveraging Cooperative Education to Guide Curricular Innovation - University of Cincinnati, Center for Cooperative Education Research and Innovation

• Attributes of Cooperative Education Programs - Accreditation Council for Cooperative Education

• Co-op Manual - Canadian Association for Cooperative Education Programs

• Co-op Training Manual - Ohio Cooperative Education Association