University of South Florida

The Career Center administers the University's Cooperative Education (Co-op) Program. Cooperative Education is a relationship between the University and employer that allows students to engage in a paid training experience in fields related to their major while pursuing their degree. While Co-op is always a paid position, it is not credit-bearing.

Cooperative Education may be a one or multi-semester commitment from the employer and the student. This involves two plans:

• Alternating Plan allows students to alternate full-time semesters of training (35-40 hrs a week per semester) with full-time semesters of study.
• Parallel Plan allows students to work their Co-op assignments on a part-time basis (15-25 hours a week per semester) while taking classes.

Upon completion of their Co-op experience, Co-op students are graded either S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory), based on their performance at their training site.

Co-op Timeline

The chart below indicates the month to notify us of your interest in participating; when interviews for potential Co-op candidates take place; and when students begin on-site training.

Want to become a Co-op Employer?
Follow these two easy steps:

1. Register with us through Career Connections and indicate in the Co-op Education Agreement that you would like to participate (the agreement is included in your Career Connections registration).
2. Post your Co-op position via Career Connections.

We suggest the following strategies for recruiting students for Co-op positions:

• Career Connections Job Listing Service
• Career Connections Resume Search
• Career Networking Fair
• On-Campus Interviews

Answers to Employers' Frequently Asked Questions

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Office Hours: M-F: 8am-5pm
Walk-in Hours: Mon/Wed/Thur, 10 - 3 & Tues, 10 - 12:30, Fall/Spring