In the co-operative system of study, the student in an Honours academic plan is enabled to integrate work with academics. For a detailed description, see Co-operative Education & Career Action. Beginning in the second year, the co-op student ordinarily alternates four-month terms on campus for academic studies with four months off campus for practical work experience in business, industry, or government.
In order to be eligible to receive a co-op designation at the time of graduation, students in Bachelor of Arts (BA) co-op plans are required to complete:
- A minimum of four work terms beyond the 2A level,
- A minimum of four online professional development (PD) courses, and
- A minimum of four work term reports.
Professional Development (PD) Courses
PD courses are intended to enhance the professional development of the student and assist in integrating their academic and work term experiences. With the exception of PD 1, students are expected to take the courses while on their co-op work terms. The required schedule for completing the PD courses is as follows:
- PD 1 must be taken in the term prior to the first work term.
- PD 2 must be taken during the first work term.
- Two additional PD courses of the student's choice should be taken in the second and third work terms.
Work Term Reports
The required schedule for completing work reports is as follows:
- PD 2 (which counts for credit as the student's first work term report) must be completed by the end of the first work term.
- Work term report 2 must be completed by the end of the second work term.
- Work term report 3 must be completed by the end of the third work term.
- Work term report 4 must be completed by the end of the fourth work term.
With the exception of PD 2, which is submitted online, work term reports must be submitted to the student's honours discipline program; for example, Honours French students submit their work term reports to the Department of French Studies. Students must submit co-op work term reports by no later than the tenth day of classes in the academic term following the co-op work term for which the work report was prepared. Information regarding work report topics and guidelines is obtained from the honours discipline program, undergraduate (co-op) advisor.
BA Co-op Plans
The following BA co-op plans are offered:
- Arts and Business Co-op
The Arts and Business co-operative system of study combines an Honours plan in any Honours discipline in Arts (except Legal Studies/Sociology, Criminology Specialization; Mathematical Economics; Sociology/Legal Studies, Criminology Specialization; and plans offered by the School of Accounting and Finance) with the Arts and Business group of courses. The Arts and Business courses are intended to provide the student with a basic and practical general education and with skills appropriate to a wide range of careers. See the Arts and Business Co-op and Regular section and the appropriate discipline section for details.
- Departmental Co-op
Notes:
- Co-operative plans are open only to full-time students.
- Students transferring from other faculties with more than two successfully completed work terms are not eligible to pursue co-op programs in the Faculty of Arts.