General Regulations: Graduate Co-op

1. Approval to participate in graduate Co-op is at the discretion of the student's academic unit in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Executive Director, Co-operative Education Programs. Co-operative Education is not open to students in graduate certificates and diplomas, and non-degree graduate students.
2. Normally, some graduate course work precedes the first graduate work term; exceptions must be approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Executive Director, Co-operative Education Programs. The first work term must precede completion of program’s academic requirements, and all work terms must be completed prior to completion of degree requirements. Normally, a graduate program should not end with a co-op term unless the student is concurrently registered in 596, 598, 599, or 699.
3. Master’s students must register for each work term at the 800 level, and doctoral students must register for each work term at the 811 level. Normally, work terms are of four month duration. Back-to-back work terms may be undertaken, but students must complete requirements for each work term in order to receive credit for two work terms. Students who wish to register for course work while on a work term must have prior written approval from their academic supervisor and Co-op coordinator. Students may register for a work term as required to receive the co-op designation for their graduate degree after oral examination of dissertation or thesis, or after project-based oral examination or comprehensive examination (see " Registration after Oral Examination of Dissertation or Thesis or After Project-based Oral Examination or Comprehensive Examination").
4. Once the work term has been registered, students are not permitted to withdraw without penalty of failure unless specific written permission has been granted by the Executive Director, Co-operative Education Programs. Co-op students must either be registered in a work term or an academic term and are subject to continuity of registration regulations as outlined on this page.
5. Each work term is evaluated on the basis of the student's performance of assigned work term tasks and a final work term submission as defined by the individual department. The work term period and evaluation (grading: INP, COM, F/X, or N/X) are recorded on the student's official academic record. A failing grade (F/X or N/X) will be assigned if the student fails to complete satisfactorily the requirements for the work term. The requirements for a passing grade (COM) in a work term normally include the completion of all of the following:
   • the co-op program’s satisfactory assessment of the work term,
   • the employer’s satisfactory evaluation of the student,
   • the satisfactory completion of the final work term submission (such as report, performance review, log book, journal) according to the deadlines established by the individual department.
   Students who are assigned a grade of F/X or N/X for a work term that carries 3.0 units will have a zero grade point assigned for that work term. The written submission may constitute a thesis proposal or report of progress on the thesis. If not thesis-related, the submission will focus on the program-related work and will be required to be of suitable quality for graduate level work as determined by the academic unit. In academic units where a formal Co-operative Education program exists, the Co-op coordinator will be responsible for ensuring the assessment of the work term and the submission of the grade; where no formal co-op program exists, the graduate adviser will ensure the assessment of the work term and the submission of the grade.
6. A Co-op program fee is charged for each term of work term registration. This fee is in addition to any tuition fees and student fees. It is due in the first month of each work term and subject to the normal University fee regulations (see “Regulations Concerning Fees for Graduate Programs").
7. To qualify for the Co-op designation upon graduation, a Master’s degree requires a minimum of two work terms (normally of four month’s duration each) and a doctoral degree requires the completion of a minimum of three work terms. Specific program areas may require more work terms and some programs may, after formal assessment, provide partial exemptions for prior experience.
8. Normally, a site visit will be undertaken by the student’s thesis supervisor, academic unit’s Co-op coordinator, graduate adviser or other appropriate faculty member.