How Co-op Works

What do I need to know about co-op at UBCO?

Students develop critical career readiness knowledge such as resumé and cover letter development, job search strategies, interviewing preparation, and networking skills.

Students learn and reflect while engaging within the workplace, advancing their skills and abilities all within supported terms of work experience.

Who can participate in co-op?

The Interdisciplinary Co-op Education program is available to undergraduate students studying the following disciplines:

What’s involved in the co-op process?

Students must first apply to the Co-op Education program during the annual admissions period (September 1–30).

Once admitted, students are required to complete the Career Readiness Curriculum—this consists of online asynchronous programming and synchronous workshops (October to April).

Co-op students then enter phases of job searching (typically beginning four months prior to the targeted job start date). Coaching support and advice is provided to develop job search confidence and industry research capabilities.

Students can also secure employment through a self-sourced job search and aren’t required to limit their job search to positions on the co-op job board.

Once employed, the Co-op Program Office actively supports students to ensure they stay connected to UBC and benefit from new opportunities, applied learning and reflective growth.

How do I get a co-op designation?

In order to achieve the Co-op Education designation on your academic transcript, three terms of co-op experience must be completed.

Work terms are typically four months long (minimum 420 employment hours and 12 weeks of employment). Some workplaces employ co-op students for longer contracts, such as eight or twelve months consecutively.

All co-op work terms will appear on your academic transcript as additive credit and does not replace required or elective course work in your undergraduate degree program.