Undergraduate Co-op Options
Co-operative education (Co-op) integrates the academic education (classroom-based learning) of interested and qualified students with relevant, supervised, and paid work experience (work-based learning) with employer organizations. Co-op students gain valuable skills that help guide them through their academic education, as well as prepare them for future job markets upon graduation.
Co-op is available as a potential option to all B.Sc. and B.C.S. students.
Co-op is optional and supplementary to academic requirements of the degree. Students who wish to be considered for co-op will be selected on the basis of academic performance and suitability for the work environment. To enter and remain in co-op, students must be in good academic standing and be eligible for admission to and/or advancement in their specialization. Total enrolment is subject to the current state of the market as well as the resources available to support coaching and job development. Acceptance into the program does not guarantee students employment in each work term. Students admitted into the Science Co-op Program are required to accept and comply with the Program's Terms and Conditions. A Co-op administration and workshop fee is to be paid by all students accepted into the program.
Co-op students will be registered in the appropriate Co-op courses for each work term, once a suitable position is confirmed, and will be required to pay the Co-op course fee (see Program and Course Fees. The normal regulations governing withdrawal from courses notwithstanding, students are not permitted to withdraw from the Co-op course without permission of the Co-op Program.
Each successfully completed Co-op course will be assigned three credits and will be recorded on the student's transcript. In order to graduate with the co-operative education designation, a student must have completed the required number of work terms in addition to the normal academic requirements of the specialization. Co-operative education course credits cannot be used in lieu of or to complement academic course credits required by the specialization.
To inquire about application deadlines and for further information, please contact the Science Co-op Office, Room 170 Chemistry/Physics Building, The University of British Columbia, 6221 University Blvd, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1; tel 604.822.9677. Information is also available through the Science Co-op website at www.sciencecoop.ubc.ca.
Master of Science Co-operative Education Option
Students admitted to the Master of Science program with a co-operative education option may apply for admission to the Science Co-operative Education Program. The Program helps prepare interested and qualified students with relevant, supervised and paid work experience (work-based learning) with employer organizations for at least four months of work placement.
Co-op is optional and supplementary to academic requirements of the degree. Students pay their regular tuition fees and student fees while on a co-op work term.
Students who have been admitted to the Master of Science with the co-op option must apply to the Science Co-op Office early in their first year at UBC. Selection of students will be based on academic performance and general suitability to the work environment, as determined by an application package and interview. Students receive admission to the program with the written approval of the Graduate Chair of their department, their research supervisor and the Science Co-op Director. The total enrolment will be subject to the availability of appropriate work placements. The work placements are arranged by mutual agreement between students and employing organizations.
Participating students must register for SCIE_V 596 for their first co-op term and SCIE_V 597 for subsequent co-op terms, in addition to the courses needed to meet normal academic requirements. Satisfactory completion of co-op terms means students have completed the Co-operative Education Program, which is noted on students’ transcripts.
For more information please contact the UBC Science Co-op Office.
Doctor of Philosophy Co-operative Education Option
Students admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in the Faculty of Science with a Ph.D. may apply for admission to the Science Co-operative Education Program. The Program helps prepare interested and qualified students with relevant, supervised and paid work experience (work-based learning) with participating employer organizations. Students in a co-op program normally complete three paid work terms, each four months in duration.
Co-op is optional and supplementary to academic requirements of the degree. Students pay their regular tuition fees and student fees while on a co-op work term.
Students normally apply to the Science Co-op Office in the second year of their Ph.D. and normally begin work terms after achieving candidacy. Students in a co-op program normally complete three paid work terms, each approximately four months in duration. The work placements are arranged by mutual agreement between students and employing organizations.
Individual departments will develop their own policies about pausing funding while students are on co-op terms and are responsible for communicating these policies to students, prior to them applying for the co-op program. Individual departments may require students to achieve candidacy prior to their first co-op term. Selection of students is based on a combination of strong academic performance (including acceptable progress though the degree) and general suitability to the work environment, as determined by both a résumé and interview. Students are admitted to the program with the written approval of the Graduate Chair of their department, their research supervisor and the Science Co-op Director. Total enrolment is subject to these approvals, as well as subject to the availability of appropriate work placements. The work placements for students accepted into the program are arranged by mutual agreement between students and employing organizations. Co-op courses are taken in addition to the courses needed to meet normal academic requirements. These courses do not count for credit toward the degree, but their completion will be noted on students’ transcripts. Participation in this co-operative education program will likely lengthen the students’ degree programs by one year.
Participating students must register for SCIE_V 596 for their first co-op term, as well as SCIE_V 597 and 598 for subsequent co-op terms, in addition to the courses needed to meet normal academic requirements. SCIE_V 599 is for an optional fourth co-op term. Satisfactory completion of three co-op terms means students have completed the Co-operative Education Program, which is noted on students’ transcripts.
For more information please contact the UBC Science Co-op Office.