All About Engineering Co-ops
"Experience Needed" will no longer be an obstacle to your professional goals if you engage in cooperative education! The College of Engineering Cooperative Education Program at UMass Lowell can provide important benefits to you. The program has a few requirements that you’ll need to know and several expectations and process steps for you to follow.
Benefits
The Cooperative Education program gives you the chance to
- Explore your interests
- Enhance your technical competence
- Learn new skills in the professional workplace
- Gain meaningful experience that makes you more competitive in the job market. In fact, co-op jobs often turn into full-time jobs after graduation.
- Work with professionals who can become part of your network, provide references for you and mentor and guide you to short- and long-term success
- Earn money
- Earn academic credit for your experience.
Requirements
NOTE: Plastics Engineering co-op requirements differ from those of other engineering departments. Please contact Diane Hewitt, Associate Director of Cooperative Education, x2685, for information about the Plastics Engineering co-op requirements.
You may be eligible to participate in the Cooperative Education program if you
- Have completed your freshman year and at least one full academic semester at UMass Lowell. Typically employers hire rising junior and senior level students for co-op positions.
- Maintain good academic standing.
- Get the approval of your department's faculty co-op advisor.
You must take a few important steps to be awarded academic credit for your co-op experience:
- Gain approval from your faculty co-op advisor for positions you are considering.
- Complete the required paperwork, including contract and evaluation forms found on the Co-op Forms page. International students on F-1 visas are required to complete and obtain needed signatures on an additional form verifying eligibility for Curricular Practical Training.
- Register for an Industrial Experience course, using the permission number given to you by your faculty co-op advisor.
- At the mid-point and end of your co-op experience, both you and your supervisor will be asked to complete an evaluation of your experience.
Academic Credit
Each department in the College of Engineering has slightly different guidelines for the number of co-op worked hours required and the total number of credits that can be attained through co-op experience. Please contact your faculty co-op advisor for details.
Flexibility
Cooperative Education fits your schedule. At UML, part-time co-op jobs can begin at any time during the year. Full-time co-op jobs coincide with the University's academic semester calendar so they will not conflict with your academic schedule. The co-op program is completely voluntary. You can try Cooperative Education for just one term or participate for several co-op semesters.
Want to Get Involved?
Review "Typical Process for Internships, Co-op and Other Academically Related Experienced Based Education".
Make an appointment to meet with the faculty co-op advisor in your department and visit the Career Services & Cooperative Education Center at 328 Southwick Hall to speak with a career counselor about the process of seeking, preparing for, and being successful in a co-op position. Log-in to eRecruiting to search for applicable co-op positions and research companies.
Phone: 978-934-2355 Fax: 978-934-3073 Contact Us