Question: I have heard an eight-month co-op term is planned for all engineering programs. Is this change being made and, if it is, when will it be implemented?
In response to a survey of co-op employers which indicated a strong interest in longer work terms, the associate deans and department chairs are currently considering changing the sequencing of academic and work terms so as to make one of the work terms eight months in duration. A longer work term would not only benefit employers, it would allow students to work on more substantial projects and help ensure that they have meaningful co-op experiences.
Over the next few months there will be on-going consultations about introducing an eight-month co-op term. Preliminary discussions have begun with Co-operative Education and Career Services (CECS) to identify the challenges associated with extended work terms. There have been discussions with the departments to identify interest in an elective model or a fixed model. Representatives of the nanotechnology program which currently includes eight-month co-op terms have noted that the fixed model works well for their students. Wayne Parker, engineering’s Associate Dean of Co-operative Education and Professional Affairs, will be working towards the development of a plan that addresses CECS and student issues.
The structure of our undergraduate programs is complex and major changes cannot be easily made, so any change to the length of a co-op term would take at least a year to plan and implement.
Please submit questions for the Dean to Meg Bauman, Student Relations Officer at mebauman@uwaterloo.ca.
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