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Is Co-Op Right For You?

Last updated on 2023/10/15

The University of Windsor provides Co-Op options for both undergraduate honours and graduate computer science programs. Although it is an excellent opportunity for you to develop practical skills, you should consider the pros and cons of Co-Op and whether it is worthwhile for you.

Here are some benefits you get from participating in the Co-Op program:

  • Work experience: you can get workplace experience while you're still in school. This will not only boost your resume, but also give you an idea what your career can look like after graduation.

  • Money: although wages vary from student to student, you will be paid for the work that you do during the work terms.

  • Network: you get to interact with other Co-Op students and professionals in your industry. This is an opportunity for you to develop your professional network and to learn about the career paths that you were not aware of.

  • Skills: from your employment, you will be able to develop technical and soft skills outside of the classroom environment. Co-Op is also a chance for you to find the in-demand skills in your career field.

  • Time management: during the Fall term of your second year, you will need to enroll in an extra class for Co-Op training (Transform module). You will also need to apply to job positions and interview for them during your study semesters prior to your work semesters. This is a way for you to practice managing your career and academic workload. When you are applying for post-graduation jobs during your last year, this skill will come handy to you.

However, you should also consider some of the drawbacks of Co-Op:

  • Less time flexibility: you are required to enroll in full time studies (4 or more classes) in the semesters before and after a work term. If you want to change your sequence from the standard Co-Op sequence, you must make a schedule for the classes you will take for the rest of your program and get it approved by the Co-Op office.

  • Less academic flexibility: to maintain your position in Co-Op, you must maintain a cumulative average of 60%, major average of 65% and no more than one outstanding grade below 50%.

  • More fees: you must pay extra semesters of Co-Op fees during your enrollment (see the note below for more detail). Even when you withdraw from the program, you must continue to pay this fee for two more semesters.

  • You are graded: during your work semesters, you are expected to write reports, assessments, learning objectives and portfolios. These activities, along with your employer's evaluation of you, will be used to determine if you passed/failed this work term.

note

The total cost of your Co-Op fees is dependent on the number and length of your work terms. Standardly, domestic students pay $460 for 8 semesters ($3680 in total), and international students pay $570 for 8 semesters ($4560 in total). However, if your placement is 8 months long instead of 4 months, you will make 5 payments instead and thus pay less in total.

Note that this amount is for 2023-2024 and may change for future semesters.

After reading some of the potential benefits and drawbacks of Co-Op, perhaps you are able to have a better picture on whether you should enroll in a Co-Op program. If you would like to have a deeper discussion about Co-Op, you can contact our current CSS Career Advisor, Borhan Saflo, or our Work Integrated Learning Coordinator for STEM, Kyle Cacilhas.

Extra Readings​

If you are interested in the Co-Op program, here are more resources from the Co-Op office that you can read into:

You can also look at your academic calendars for information and requirement for Co-Op programs specific to your department. For the Spring 2023 academic calendar, the Co-Op regulations for Computer Science students is on page 578: