Co-operative Education

Co-operative Education (Co-op) formally integrates academic studies with paid, full-time work experiences at host employer organizations. The name reflects the co-operative relationship between the employer, the student, and KPU.

Students enrolling in Co-op programs benefit in many ways. They gain practical work experience while earning a competitive wage to help finance their education. They explore their career choice, develop goals and learn job search and career success skills. They also learn to apply their skills and knowledge in the world of work. Co-op programs provide the opportunity for students to acquire extensive career-related work experience with their diploma or degree.

The Co-op Education department is responsible for coordinating co-op work experiences. The Co-op office works with employers to develop experiences that integrate the skills and knowledge acquired by students in their on-campus courses. Faculty from the department also instruct mandatory employment skills courses, instruct the work term courses and perform site visits to evaluate the work experiences with both student and employer. All students wishing to choose the Co-op option must first enroll in COOP 1101.

Co-operative Education work terms are typically four months in duration and begin with the start of each semester in January, May and September. Work terms are available locally, nationally and internationally with compensation for these roles being set by the employer.

Students completing all the requirements of a Co-operative Education program will receive a Co-operative Education designation on their credential and transcript.

KPU currently offers Co-op Education options within the programs listed below:

For more information about these Co-op programs, refer to the specific program section of the calendar.

For information about Co-op courses, see the Course Descriptions.

Students in Co-op programs are required to pay designated co-operative education tuition fees. See Tuition & Fees for more information.

General Co-operative Education Requirements

Declaration Requirements

Co-operative Education is optional and selective. Students wishing to choose the Co-op option must "declare" a change of their program status to include a "Co-op Option". Once declared, students will be eligible to register in COOP 1101 and participate in work terms. In order to declare, students must meet the Declaration Requirements for the program. To declare Co-op, students must complete a Co-op declaration by contacting the Co-op office.

Note: Seats for COOP 1101 are limited and available to students in a declared Co-op option on a first-come, first-served basis during the registration period.

Continuance Requirements

For students with a declared co-op option, ongoing requirements must be maintained in order to continue in the program. Specific Continuance Requirements are stated in the Co-operative Education section of each program. Failure to fulfil Co-op Continuance Requirements may result in the student being removed from the Co-op option of their program.

Work Term Requirements

Work terms consist of a minimum of 420 hours of work per work term. These hours plus confirmed satisfactory competency assessment reports during the work term from their employer(s) indicate mastery of a work term semester.

For students with a declared co-op option, participation and enrolment in a co-op work term requires:

Successful completion of COOP 1101; and
Instructor permission; and
All work term requirements as stated in the Co-operative Education section of each program.

Please note that the Co-operative Education office attempts to secure relevant work-learning opportunities for all qualified co-op students, however employers follow normal hiring practices. As a result, KPU cannot guarantee that a student will be selected for a co-op work term.

Registration

Registration for a Co-op work term must be completed prior to the start of a work term. Extension of a Co-op work term to subsequent semesters or returning for an additional work term with a previous Co-op employer requires registration in the appropriate work term course. The University reserves the right to register a student placed in a work term if the student fails to do so.

Completion Requirements

Please note that for co-op options, you must complete your program on an academic term, not a work term. Also, credits for Co-op work term courses may only be used to satisfy graduation requirements for the Co-op option of the Diploma and Degree programs. These credits do not contribute to the overall required academic credits for non-Co-op programs.

Delaying a work term

Students who have completed COOP 1101 cannot delay more than two consecutive semesters when eligible for seeking a work term. Students who delay more than two consecutive semesters may be removed from the Co-op option of their program.

Student Conduct

Co-op students may be removed from the co-op option of their program if currently facing student misconduct issues as identified through the Office of Student Risk and Judicial Affairs.

Exit Requirements

Students wishing to exit the Co-op option of their program must complete a Co-op Withdrawal Form.

Students completing all the requirements of a Co-operative Education program will receive a Co-operative Education designation on their credential and transcript.

Transferability of Work Terms

Work terms successfully completed (i.e., noted on transcript) in any approved BC post-secondary Co-op program shall be considered for transfer by the accepting institution using the regular transfer credit process.

The acceptance of a student for transfer into another institution having a Co-op program does not guarantee acceptance into the Co-op program at that institution. An institution may still require that the transfer student complete additional work terms as part of his/her new program of study.

For More Information

Phone:	604.599.2465
Email:	co-op@kpu.ca
Website:	kpu.ca/coop

Last Updated: Sep 16, 2013