Major-Specific Information

Qualified AEM students may participate in the CSE Engineering Co-op Program in order to gain valuable work experience while maintaining a full-time-student status and earning elective credits towards their degree. Completion of the program requires engagement in co-op work over at least two terms, including a summer term.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be upper-division AEM majors in good academic standing as determined by the AEM Director of Undergraduate Studies.
• All required coursework through the spring semester of the junior year must be completed before a student can begin their co-op.
• Applicants are required to indicate that they plan to do a co-op when submitting a one-year plan and should not apply for a co-op until the plan has been approved by their faculty advisor.

Required Coursework

Students admitted to the Engineering Co-op Program are required to register for the courses CSE 4896 [2 credits] (spring or summer semesters) and CSE 4996 [2 credits] (fall or summer semesters).

Technical Elective Credits

Upon completion of the co-op and both required courses, the 4 credits obtained may be applied towards the 9 required technical elective credits for the BAEM program. Lower division technical elective credits will not be accepted in conjunction with technical elective credits for a co-op.

AEM Co-op Schedule

Standard option:
Students following the standard AEM 4-year plan can complete a co-op in one of two ways.
Option 1: Summer after junior year followed by fall of senior year.
Option 2: Fall of senior year followed by summer after senior year.
In both cases, students will need to take classes in the fall of their fifth year.

Non-standard options:
Students who are ahead of schedule with their classes may be able to create their own timelines for doing co-ops. In such cases students will need to contact the AEM Director of Undergraduate Studies for approval of their plan.

Best option to fit the co-op into your schedule:
The first work term is taken the summer after the third year, and the second work term can be taken either in the Fall or Spring of the fourth year. You will take Senior Design (BMEN 4001W/4002W) concurrently with your second term of co-op and your employment should not conflict with course activities/requirements. Here are the courses you would take based on your chosen schedule:

How to fit the Co-op work semesters into your schedule:

To participate in the Co-op program, you need to define two semesters for the work assignment. If you are following the 4-year plan exactly, there is only one reasonable place to fit in this opportunity.

If you are ahead of schedule on the requirements in the lower division such that you can complete all required courses from the first two years on the 4-year plan in 3 semesters, then you can consider a Co-op assignment during Spring Sophomore year and the following summer. There may be other possibilities depending on your specific situation; see Kacey Gregerson or your Faculty advisor to discuss.

Civil Engineering students will register for the following co-op courses:
- Summer + fall co-op: CSE 4896 (summer) and CSE 4996 (fall)
- Spring + summer co-op: CSE 4896 (spring) and CSE 4996 (summer)

How to fit a co-op into your four year plan: Most CivE students choose to do a summer + fall co-op, though a spring + summer co-op is possible.

For four year planning purposes, CivE students can generally fit a co-op semester into either fall or spring semesters.  Note that required CivE courses are taught in both fall and spring semesters. However, technical courses tend to be offered only once a year or less.

Any CivE student who would like to discuss how the Co-op Program will fit into their schedule should consult with their CEGE Undergraduate Academic Advisor.

CompE students will register for the following co-op courses:
- Summer + fall co-op: CSE 4896 (summer) and CSE 4996 (fall)
- Spring + summer co-op: CSE 4896 (spring) and CSE 4996 (summer)

How to fit a co-op into your four year plan: Most CompE students choose to do one co-op semester in the summer and one co-op semester either in the fall or spring term.  For four year planning purposes, CompE students can generally fit a co-op semester into either fall or spring semesters.  Note that sophomore and junior year required CompE courses are taught in both fall and spring semesters.  However, the senior year technical courses tend to be offered only in fall or spring, but not both.  The two co-op courses total 4 credits, and CompE students may count those 4 credits as part of the 6 credits allowed for "additional technical electives."  Any CompE student who would like to discuss how the Co-op Program will fit into their technical program should consult with the ECE Undergraduate Academic Advisor.

Computer Science students will register for the following co-op courses:

• Summer + fall co-op: CSE 4896 (summer) and CSE 4996 (fall)
• Spring + summer co-op: CSE 4896 (spring) and CSE 4996 (summer)
• Fall + spring co-op: CSE 4996 (Fall) and CSE 4896 (Spring)

How to fit a co-op into your four year plan: Most Computer Science students choose to do one co-op semester in the summer and one co-op semester either in the fall or spring term. For four year planning purposes, Computer Science students can generally fit a co-op semester into either fall or spring semesters. 

Any Computer Science student who would like to discuss how the Co-op Program will fit into their schedule should consult with their CSci Undergraduate Academic Advisor.

EE students will register for the following co-op courses:
- Summer + fall co-op: CSE 4896 (summer) and CSE 4996 (fall)
- Spring + summer co-op: CSE 4896 (spring) and CSE 4996 (summer)

How to fit a co-op into your four year plan: Most EE students choose to do one co-op semester in the summer and one co-op semester either in the fall or spring term.  For four year planning purposes, EE students can generally fit a co-op semester into either fall or spring semesters.  Note that sophomore and junior year required EE courses are taught in both fall and spring semesters.  However, the senior year technical courses tend to be offered only in fall or spring, but not both.  The two co-op courses total 4 credits, and EE students may count those 4 credits as part of the 12 credits allowed for "additional technical electives."  Any EE student who would like to discuss how the Co-op Program will fit into their technical program should consult with the ECE Undergraduate Academic Advisor.

Environmental Engineering students will register for the following co-op courses:
- Summer + fall co-op: CSE 4896 (summer) and CSE 4996 (fall)
- Spring + summer co-op: CSE 4896 (spring) and CSE 4996 (summer)

How to fit a co-op into your four year plan: Most EnvE students choose to do a summer + fall co-op, though a spring + summer co-op is possible.

 For four year planning purposes, EnvE students can generally fit a co-op semester into either fall or spring semesters.  Note that required EnvE courses are taught in both fall and spring semesters. However, technical courses tend to be offered only once a year or less.

Any EnvE student who would like to discuss how the Co-op Program will fit into their schedule should consult with their CEGE Undergraduate Academic Advisor.

Geoengineering students will register for the following co-op courses:
- Summer + fall co-op: CSE 4896 (summer) and CSE 4996 (fall)
- Spring + summer co-op: CSE 4896 (spring) and CSE 4996 (summer)

How to fit a co-op into your four year plan: Most GeoE students choose to do a summer + fall co-op, though a spring + summer co-op is possible

For four year planning purposes, GeoE students can generally fit a co-op semester into either fall or spring semesters. Note that not all required GeoE courses are taught in both fall and spring semesters and technical courses tend to be offered only once a year or less.

Any GeoE student who would like to discuss how the Co-op Program will fit into their schedule should consult with their CEGE Undergraduate Academic Advisor.

ISyE students will register for the following 2-credit co-op courses:
- Summer + fall co-op: CSE 4896 (summer) and CSE 4996 (fall)
- Spring + summer co-op: CSE 4896 (spring) and CSE 4996 (summer)

Students who complete both of these courses may use them to meet 4 of the required ISyE technical elective credits.  Students who only complete one co-op course may not use the course as a technical elective.

How to fit a co-op into your four year plan: Most ISyE students choose to do one co-op semester in the summer and one co-op semester either in the fall or spring term.  In some cases, students are able to complete a co-op and still complete their degree in 4 years.  These students usually co-op during Summer after Sophomore year and Fall of Junior year.  Students have the option to take IE 3011 remotely if they are co-oping during Fall of their Junior year.

Co-op can also be a good option for students who are ahead or behind a single semester on the 4-year plan.

Any ISyE student who would like to discuss how the Co-op Program will fit into their academic plans should meet with an ISyE advisor for an advising appointment.

How to fit the Co-op work semesters into your schedule.

To participate in the Co-op program, you need to define two semesters for the work assignment. If you are following the 4-year plan exactly, there are two reasonable places to fit in this opportunity:

1. Summer between Junior and Senior Year + Fall Senior Year.  In this option, you will complete the Co-op assignment and then return to campus for Spring Senior Year (permission will be granted for taking MatS 4301W without MatS 4212) and follow that up with the Fall Senior Year courses (MatS 4212, MatS 4221, Tech Electives).  This option extends time needed to earn your degree by one semester (December graduation). 
2. An entire academic year between Junior and Senior year.  In this option, you will complete two semesters (Fall + Spring) between the Junior and Senior Years.  This option extends time needed to earn your degree by one year.

If you are ahead of schedule on the requirements in the lower division such that you can complete all required courses from the first two years on the 4-year plan in 3 semesters, then you can consider a Co-op assignment during Spring Sophomore year and the following summer.   There may be other possibilities depending on your specific situation; see Kacey Gregerson or your Faculty advisor to discuss.

ME students will register for the following co-op courses:
- Summer + fall co-op: CSE 4896 (summer) and CSE 4996 (fall)
- Spring + summer co-op: CSE 4896 (spring) and CSE 4996 (summer)

CSE 4896 and CSE 4996 will count towards the ME Technical Elective requirement for ME majors.