Cooperative Education
Information for Students > Upperclass Students
You've been in the College of Computer and Information Science for a while, now, and you know it's time to start thinking about co-op. What do you do?
• General criteria for the program
• Before your first co-op
• Changing assignments
• Returning to a previous co-op
• Coming back to school after a co-op
• Graduating seniors
• Frequently Asked Questions
Don't forget to familiarize yourself with basic information about co-op policies and procedures by reading the CCIS Co-op Manual and General Northeastern University Co-op Student Handbook.
Remember that students must be in good academic standing in order to go out on co-op. This means:
• You cannot be on academic probation or dismissal.
• You must have a 2.0 QPA or higher.
• You must complete several basic freshman-year courses, such as Fundamentals of Computer Science 1 and 2.
• You must be enrolled in classes at the time you begin seeking a co-op position.
• You must be a full-time student.
In addition, students must be "cleared" by their co-op coordinator before they can accept or begin working a new co-op position. For more information about the clearance process, see the CCIS Co-op Manual.
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You must be cleared for co-op in order to begin job-searching using the co-op database, or to accept a job obtained on your own. The clearance process ensures that all students...
• have an up-to-date and professional-quality resume (and/or cover letter) ready to send out to potential employers
• meet academic and professional standards for participating in the co-op program
• (international students) meet visa and immigration requirements for participating in co-op
• discuss career goals and employment options with the co-op faculty
• will be able to meet co-op requirements and still graduate on time
For details on co-op clearance, see the CCIS Co-op Manual.
Once you are cleared, or just prior to clearance, you must also attend the "Group Meeting for Students Seeking A New Assignment" for the semester in which you wish to begin job searching. See the Calendar for the next available meeting.
Once you have been cleared, and have attended the Seeking New Assignments meeting, you can begin job searching.
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Once you get a co-op job, you are required to work at the same company (not necessarily in the same job) for at least six months.
If, at the end of those six months, you'd like to seek a new position, you must complete the following steps:
• Discuss the idea of changing jobs with both your co-op coordinator and the supervisor at your current company as soon as you begin thinking about it.
• Consider moving within your existing company---i.e., to another department, or a different job. You do not need to complete the clearance process as long as you stay at the same company.
• Attend the "Group Meeting for Students Seeking A New Assignment" for the semester in which you wish to begin job searching. See the Calendar for the next available meeting.
• Turn in a Job Status Form to notify your coordinator in writing of your intention.
• Tell your supervisor that you are leaving, so that he/she can make your old job available to another student. You may not be able to return to this company, if you begin searching for a new position. Be sure, before you start!
• You must be cleared in order to seek or accept a new co-op job. Schedule a meeting with your coordinator to get cleared.
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Returning to a Previous Co-op Job
If you are returning to the same company you worked at during your last co-op, you must complete the following steps:
• Communicate with your job supervisor during your in-class semesters, and ensure that the employer is still willing and able to employ you for the next co-op period.
• Complete the Co-op Status Form and submit it to your coordinator by the deadline.
• If your employer cannot hire you again, you must seek a new assignment.
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Coming back to classes after a co-op
If you are currently on co-op, and are about to return to classes, you must complete the following steps:
• Speak with your supervisor about your future plans at the company. (See Returning to a Previous Co-op Job or Changing Assignments for the next steps.)
• Fill out a Co-op Status Form.
• Ask your employer to fill out his/her portion of the Student/Employer Evaluation. (You have to do part of this form too.) Your co-op grade is based in part on this evaluation!
• Complete the Student Job Description form. This form will help any students who might want to work this job in the future to know what it's like.
• Make copies of these forms for your own records.
• Bring all of the above forms to the Returning From Co-op meeting. See the Calendar page for the next meeting date and time.
NOTE: Students are discouraged from working part-time in a co-op position during an in-class quarter. This practice "uses up" a co-op job that another student could be working while you're in school!
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After your last co-op (follow Returning from co-op procedures), schedule a meeting with your co-op coordinator to discuss what you've learned from co-op over your Northeastern education, and your post-graduate career plans. Your division may need to be changed to a non-co-op option.
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Why is co-op mandatory in CCIS?
Northeastern University is unique because students have the opportunity to gain a year or more of full-time, professional-level experience in their chosen profession, before graduation. We are aware that many students come to Northeastern with pre-existing experience, and we are aware that many of you have professional-level skills even before you begin co-op. However, we believe, as does the university, that cooperative education not only enriches the traditional college academic experience, it is essential for the development of a well-rounded professional. Co-op allows students to receive higher starting salaries upon graduation, and often results in students graduating with a job waiting for them.
Students who are considering attending Northeastern, and the College of Computer and Information Science, should think hard about their educational priorities. Cooperative education is available as a non-mandatory option in the College of Arts and Sciences. If you are uncertain about the value of co-op, CCIS may not be for you.
For more on the Northeastern philosophy on cooperative education, visit the Cooperative Education Department Homepage, and read President Freeland's essay on practice-oriented education.
Who is my co-op coordinator, and how do I reach him or her?
Please see our Co-op Faculty page.
If I've done full-time professional work before beginning the co-op program, can I get retroactive co-op credit for it?
No. Part of the value of co-op is that it coincides with the CCIS academic curriculum, allowing you to draw on recent work experience in order to better-understand your coursework (or vice versa). Past experience is good, in that it will help you to gain higher-level (and better-paying) co-op jobs, but in order to get credit for work experience it must be done under the supervision and approval of your co-op coordinator.
Am I guaranteed a job?
The CCIS Co-op Program is designed to prepare you for real-world job searching and employment. In the real world, getting a job depends on your skill, experience, and professionalism. External factors such as job market conditions, and competition, can also be the deciding factors in how your job search goes.
The CCIS Co-op Faculty have taken steps to circumvent some of these factors, by...
• Requiring students to achieve a minimum level of professionalism before the job search begins.
• Working individually with students to help them improve their job-search skills and employability.
• Forming relationships with employers in order to develop new job opportunities, and improve the quality of existing ones.
Despite these measures, however, we cannot force employers to hire you. In tight job markets, students with weaker skills or grades may have difficulty obtaining a co-op position. The co-op faculty will work closely with these students and with potential employers to try and find a good job match. In general, so long as these students are persistent in their job search, and diligent in working with their coordinator, they will find a job before graduation.
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