CSU Home > Career Center > Co-op Requirements

Requirements

Co-op

• Any degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate student with a minimum 2.5-3.0 institutional GPA
• At least two semesters (30 semester hours) of degree-level work
• At least 15 hours of which have been obtained at CSU
• Willing to work a minimum of two semesters at a co-op experience

Internships

• Junior-senior level
• Participation dependent upon each school
• Accumulated semester hour requirement for major
• GPA requirement as determined by academic department

Co-op plans

Co-op students may elect a parallel or alternate pattern of work, subject to the needs of the student and the employer.

Parallel plan

This plan enables the student to work part-time and attend classes part-time. Under this arrangement, the student generally works 20 hours per week while taking classes. The distinguishing characteristic that separates a parallel co-op from a part-time job is that co-op is a guided work plan supervised closely by the co-op coordinator and the academic department.

Alternating plan

The student participating in this plan works full-time for one semester and returns to CSU full-time as an on-campus student the next semester. Typical alternating schedules are fall-summer or spring-fall rotations. The alternating plan allows the student to focus totally on his or her co-op assignment. Also, it is the only option for co-op assignments that involve work outside the Columbus area.