What is a Co-Op?

Co-op (Cooperative Education Program) is an educational program where students can get hands-on experience in their field of study through working in a professional environment. 

How does Co-op work?

The secret to success in Co-op is to schedule the program as early as possible. If you begin at SUNY Oswego as a freshman, you could start your work term as early as the second semester (summer to fall or spring to summer) entering your junior or senior year.  If you are a transfer student, you can begin after completing at least one academic semester in your major. 

If you are interested in participating in Co-op, you need to meet with your academic advisor and obtain a release form from him/her once you are academically ready. Then, you will complete and pass a mandatory course that prepares you to succeed in Co-op. The Co-op job hunting process starts upon the completion of the mandatory course, and when that position is secured, you are all ready to go!

Different majors have different Co-op schedules to comply with their curriculum. Please discuss with the Co-op academic advisor in your department to coordinate the Co-op schedule with your regular coursework. 

Please keep in mind that the Center for Experiential Learning has to approve you for a Co-op program before you could start applying for any Co-op positions.

Typical Co-op Questions

Scholarship Information