What is an Internship?
An internship is any short-term, supervised work experience usually related to a student's major field, for which the student may or may not earn academic credit. The work can be full- or part-time, on- or off-campus, paid or unpaid.
What is Cooperative Education?
Cooperative Education, or Co-op, is an academic program designed to provide undergraduate engineering students the opportunity to enhance their engineering curriculum through practical, industry appropriate, work experience. Co-op is similar to an internship; however, it is a longer, often recurring, experience. The typical co-op assignment is 4 to 8 months long, with the student working an adjacent summer and semester. Students participating in the program receive academic credit (often technical elective credit) and get paid. In addition, co-op satisfies CPT for undergraduate F1 students.
To participate in co-op, we recommend that the student has completed at least three semester of engineering curriculum and has maintained at least a 2.6 grade point average.
Co-op Benefits
- The ability to apply knowledge and skills obtained in the classroom.
- The ability to evaluate potential careers.
- The opportunity to develop maturity and responsibility in a “real world” work environment.
- Maintain full-time student status while working.
- Receive academic credit AND get paid!
- Have a degree AND work experience upon graduation.
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Getting Started
Set up a meeting with the Co-op advisor to review your opportunity.
E-mail vcareers@usc.edu to set up an appointment. During the appointment qualifications and requirements will be discussed.
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