Cooperative Education Program: Students

Cooperative Education is an academic engaged-learning program designed to provide undergraduate students with an opportunity to learn under a mentor in their field of study. Semesters of co-op rotations typically alternate with semesters of classes and result in significant full-time experience. Students’ experiences are monitored by their co-op advisor to ensure a successful teaching and learning process.

All prospective students must:

• Have a minimum Clemson University GPA of 2.5
• Be enrolled in a full time (minimum 12 credit hours) course load
• Have a valid driver’s license and vehicle by the time they begin their rotations
• Be able to pass a company-mandated drug screen

Engineering students must complete all general engineering course requirements and declare their major.

Non-engineering students need to complete their first year of courses.

Transfer students need to complete at least one semester at Clemson (to have a Clemson GPA).

• All co-ops are paid, full-time assignments.
• A co-op is a multiple semester experience. An internship is a one semester experience.
• Co-op rotations appear on students’ transcript.
• Each co-op student is supported by a co-op advisor who assists in matching with a company and ensures students have meaningful projects while on rotation.
• Our co-op companies are teaching partners in the program and are expected to provide a mentor who facilitates on-the-job training and experience that cannot be gained in the classroom.

Yes! Many students gain co-op experience first and then leverage that industry experience to find an internship closer to graduation.

Yes! Talk to your academic advisor and your co-op advisor about your interest in studying abroad and co-op, and they can help you identify the best time to incorporate both into your academic plan.

Use our Plan of Study form to create a course plan!

Yes!

Multiple rotations on assignment are required to complete the program.

Engineering students complete a minimum of three rotations

• Two 18-week semesters (fall or spring) and one 14-week summer session
• Rotations are typically completed by alternating semesters on assignment with semesters in classes

Other majors complete a minimum of two rotations

• At least one rotation must be an 18-week semester semester (fall or spring)
• Rotations are typically completed back-to-back rotations such as a Spring-Summer or Summer-Fall
• Many students choose to complete a third rotation

We suggest filling out a Plan of Study form with your academic advisor to incorporate co-op to see the best time to enter the program.

A rotation is the time spent with your co-op company in between semesters of classes. A traditional engineering three-rotation schedule allows students to give their company a significant time investment without falling behind in their classes. For non-engineering majors, rotations may be separated with a semester of classes in between or be back-to-back.

Students who require back-to-back rotations (academic schedule issues, Tiger Band, etc.) should let their co-op advisor know when they enroll in the matching process.

When do rotations begin?

Rotations can begin in the Spring, Summer, or Fall semesters. Your starting semester is determined by when you enroll in the co-op matching process (COOP 1000 course).

Fall semester COOP 1000 results in a Spring semester rotation start

Spring semester COOP 1000 results in Summer OR Fall rotation starts

Yes, students make a commitment to complete the program with the same company and typically experience increasing levels of challenge and responsibility with each subsequent rotation as they gain more experience and training in their role. Occasionally, students determine that the assignment is not a good fit and may not complete the program with the initial company.

No, our companies work with us because they have relevant work and projects for co-ops all year, not just in the summer. Students must commit to at least one rotation during a fall or spring semester to participate in the Co-op Program.

Yes, participating students usually add 1-2 more semesters to their original graduation date.

With Co-op, you are not “delaying graduation”; you are gaining your first year of work experience while still an undergraduate!

79% of co-ops are hired full-time or are accepted to graduate school before graduation

• Extended time with your company:
  • Leads to more in-depth projects, responsibility, and training resulting in a strong resume for your first full-time position
  • Develops your professional reputation and network before you graduate
  • Lets you experience your major in the real world to help you make future career decisions

Co-op students on their first rotation are discouraged from taking academic courses so they can get used to their co-op company and focus on skill acquisition. If you plan to or need to take courses while on rotation, please discuss it with your co-op advisor and academic advisor.

Enrollment in COOP 1000, the 0 credit placement course, is free.

Each time students are on rotation with their company, they pay a $300 program fee on iRoar. Students do not pay tuition while on rotation.

There are three optional fees on iRoar for access to Redfern, Fike, and/or athletic events.

Access to Clemson football games is purchased separately from the athletic ticket office.

Yes, every student is enrolled in the appropriate COOP course (COOP 1010 for their first rotation, COOP 1020 for their second rotation, etc.), which maintains your full-time student status.

Palmetto Life, Palmetto Fellows, and most other scholarships can be deferred while you are on rotation, so you aren’t using a semester of aid while working full-time for your co-op company.

Students are required to monitor their own scholarship renewal requirements. Contact the financial aid office with further questions (finaid@clemson.edu) or view their resources here.

Yes. The Registrar’s Office will gladly send the insurance provider a letter explaining that the student is participating in a recognized academic program sponsored by Clemson University. The letter will state that the University recognizes the co-op student as a full-time continuing student.

Each co-op advisor focuses on a specific major or set of majors so they have in-depth knowledge of the positions and industries of the host companies seeking those majors. Students enrolled in COOP 1000 will meet one-on-one with their advisor several times to determine their career interests, discuss their research on the participating companies, and schedule interviews.

The Co-op course also includes a one-on-one resume assessment, asynchronous interview training videos, a synchronous interview skills workshop, and an optional mock interview to prepare you for the Co-op Interview Days event.

The large majority of students enrolled in COOP 1000 obtain co-op assignments. It can vary for each major, but overall, 90% of participating students receive one or more offers.

Co-op assignments are obtained on a competitive basis through the Interview Days event and factors such as GPA, class status, interview preparation, personal competencies, and other variables can affect the likelihood of an offer.

The employers seeking co-op students changes each semester so there is not one single list of our host companies.

However you can view our current Co-op Sponsors!

The large majority of assignments are in the Southeast with many opportunities in the Upstate within a commutable distance of campus. However, there are Clemson co-op students all over the United States.

Take a look at our Salary Survey for average pay per major.

Wherever makes the most sense for you! If you are commuting from Clemson, you can still live on campus or in a local apartment. If you need to relocate for your co-op assignment, most of our companies provide housing or a housing stipend to help students find a place stay.