What Will Co-Ops be like in Semesters?

Cooperative Education, is one of the programs that defines Rochester Institute of Technology students.  Co-op provides students with required work experience and gives RIT student their competitive advantage when they enter into the workforce.  But some students are worried that with the upcoming switch to semesters, the co-op program is going to be less of an RIT staple.  Don't worry, co-ops are still going to be incorporated into school requirements, just a little differently.  Below is a list of the following co-op requirements throughout RIT (provided by the different colleges).

B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences

Computer Science – Two semesters and one summer
Game Design and Development – Two summers
Information Security & Forensics – Two summers
Information Technology – Two summers
Medical Informatics – Two summers
Networking and System Administration – Two summers
New Media Interactive Development - Two summers
Software Engineering – Two semesters and one summer

College of Applied Science and Technology (those that require Co-op)

Computer Engineering Technology - 2 semesters and 2 summers
Civil Engineering Technology - 2 semesters and 2 summers
Electrical Engineering Technology - 2 semesters and 2 summers
Electrical Mechanical Engineering Technology - 2 semesters and 2 summers
Environmental Sustainability, Health & Safety - 2 semesters and 2 summers
Manufacturing Engineering Technology - 2 semesters and 2 summers
Packaging Science - 2 semesters
International Hospitality and Service Management - 2 semesters and one summer

College of Imaging Arts and Sciences

Undergraduates in two different degree programs in the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences are required to participate in cooperative education.

Students in the Photographic and Imaging Technologies program which includes both the Biomedical Photographic Communications and Imaging and Photographic Technologies options will be required to complete one summer co-op.

Students in the Media Arts and Technology program in the School of Print Media will be required to participate in co-op as follows: Either two summer sessions, or one semester and one summer session, or one semester and one intersession period.

E. Philip Saunders College of Business:

Undergraduate students must have a co-op experience based on the policies outlined below:

1. One semester of full-time employment or a minimum of 560 hours.
2. Two summer terms of full-time employment, where a summer term is at least 8 weeks or a minimum of 280 hours.

With Director of Student Services approval, a study abroad experience may be used to satisfy a maximum of 280 hours of co-op experience.

College of Liberal Arts (that require co-op)

Advertising and Public Relations – one summer
International Studies – one semester or summer co-op or internship or study abroad experience
Journalism – one summer
Museum Studies – one summer co-op or internship
Communication – one summer
Psychology – one summer
Public Policy – one summer co-op or internship
Sociology/Anthropology – one summer co-op or practicum experience

Kate Gleason College of Engineering

All undergraduates in the Kate Gleason College are required to participate in cooperative education. The requirement includes two semesters and two summers. 

Students who will be at RIT through the conversion will be working with their advisors to develop their individual advisement plans over the next year to keep them on track for graduation.  These IAPs will incorporate Co-Op requirements into them, so that a student with 2 quarter co-ops left to complete, can transition that requirement into the semester system.  RIT is here for their students in this transition and if you have any questions contact your academic department or write to us through our Facebook (RIT Semester Conversion) or Twitter Page (@RITConversion).