Transfer Students: Planning for Your Co-op

What is co-op?

Co-op, short for “Cooperative Education”, is full-time work (30+ hours/week) that occurs within a full academic semester. The work must relate to your major so that you can apply classroom learning to professional work experiences. Co-ops are graded pass (Satisfactory) or fail (Unsatisfactory) by your Co-op & Career Advisor. Successful completion of your co-op includes meeting all co-op requirements and submission of two evaluations at the end of the co-op: one from you and one from your workplace supervisor.

• Every undergraduate Wentworth student must successfully complete 2 required co-ops to graduate.
• Every Wentworth student is responsible for conducting their own co-op search, with support from their Co-op & Career Advisor. Dedicated Co-op & Career Advisors will teach

What can you do to successfully prepare for your co-op search?

1. Get your Tracking Sheet/Curriculum Map Completed: All transfer students need to meet with their Success Advisor or Primary Advisor to identify when they should go out on their co-op semesters. The typical co-op schedule is below, but transfer students are often on an alternative track. Your Success Advisor or Primary Advisor can develop a Tracking Sheet/Curriculum Map to plan your courses and co-op semesters.
2. Register for Intro to Co-op to Prepare for Co-op: All transfer students must register for Intro to Co-op (COOP 2500), in Leopard Web at least 1 semester before the co-op semester. This course teaches about resumes, job searching, and how to be successful on co-op. It is a zero-credit, pass/fail class that is tuition free and taught by Co-op & Career Advisors.
3. Meet with your Co-op & Career Advisor: All transfer students must meet with their Co-op & Career Advisor at least one semester before going out on co-op to gain access to WITworks (Wentworth’s co-op and jobs platform) where you can search and apply for co-op job postings.
4. Review the Co-op Handbook and other resources: The Co-op Handbook provides answers to commonly asked questions about co-op. Additional resources, including an events calendar, handouts, and videos, can be found here: www.coopsandcareers.wit.edu.
5. Determine eligibility for Transfer Industrial Professional Credit (Transfer IPC): Students with appropriate prior work experience may petition for Transfer IPC to receive credit for one of their two required co-ops. The work must meet specific criteria and must relate to your major at Wentworth. Contact your Co-op & Career Advisor to discuss the criteria for IPC options (including for transfer students and those with military experience) and to receive the necessary forms. Approval of IPC is not guaranteed. Forms must be submitted for review.

Important requirements for co-op eligibility:

• Transfer students need a Tracking Sheet/Curriculum Map which indicates when they are scheduled for co-op. Each School varies in their academic review process, but your Success Advisor or Primary Advisor will develop your tracking sheet/curriculum map. You can then meet with your Co-op & Career Advisor to plan when and how to start your co-op search.
• To determine when a transfer student will go out on co-op, the Success Advisor or Primary Advisor considers what completed courses were transferred in, as well as what courses have been completed within the new Wentworth major. To go out on co-op, a transfer student should be at the academic level for their major as specified for the co-op. As the typical co-op schedule below shows, most students go out on their first required co-op in the spring of their 3rd year, with the second required co-op in the fall of 4th year.
• All transfer students must attend classes at Wentworth for one semester before they can be considered for co-op eligibility.
• To go out on co-op, students must be in good academic standing, which includes a GPA of 2.0. (In rare cases, a transfer student can seek approval from their Dean to go on co-op with a GPA of 1.9-1.99).

Below is a typical Co-op Schedule:

A transfer student’s schedule may be different due to their unique situation.