43
Programs of Study
43.14
Cooperative Education (Work Experience) Program
43.14 Cooperative Education (Work Experience) Program
Students should contact their Department Office to determine if the Department is participating in this program. For those Departments that are participating, students may consult the Department Coordinator, Cooperative Education (Work Experience) for further information on the program including admission requirements. In participating Departments, the Cooperative Education (Work Experience) Program provides students who have completed their third year of study in the Faculty of Arts with an opportunity to apply for an extended, paid work experience. The program lasts for 12 to 16 months, and after completing the reporting requirements, a student may receive university credit for the experience. Academic requirements to be met by students wishing to participate may vary by Department but a minimum Faculty Grade Point Average of at least 2.3 is always required. Possession of the minimum FGPA requirement may not be sufficient to qualify for participation. Additional requirements (i.e., an interview) may also be required at the discretion of the participating Department.
Students should be aware that under the Protection for Persons in Care Act, they can be required to satisfy a criminal records check before being allowed to serve a period of internship/practicum placement/work experience placement. Refer to §23.8.3.
A student must successfully complete WKEXP 801, 802, and 803 and the final year of their academic program to graduate with the Cooperative Education (Work Experience) Program designation. Students are not permitted to register in any academic courses during the period of work experience, but are considered to be full-time students at the University of Alberta for the periods in which they are enrolled in WKEXP courses.
Student participation in the program is voluntary; however, it is not possible to guarantee that all students wishing to participate will be able to do so, as participation is dependant on the availability of suitable work placements. Participating Departments will make every effort to assist in finding suitable employment for those students wishing to take part in the program, but ultimately the responsibility for obtaining suitable employment rests with the student who wishes to participate.
Students choosing to participate should also be aware that participation in the program may result in difficulties in selecting courses for their program, as participating Departments may not have the flexibility to offer desired courses in terms suitable to all students. If particular courses are required or strongly desired, students must plan work terms around the availability of such courses.
Following is the normal sequence of required courses in the Cooperative Education Program:
Year | Term | Course | Weight | Grade |
Year 4 | One | WKEXP 801 | 0 | CR/NC |
Year 4 | Two | WKEXP 802 | 0 | CR/NC |
Year 4 | Three | WKEXP 803 | 0 | CR/NC |
