At the University of Cincinnati, we believe that learning is doing and doing is learning. It’s part of our DNA. Which only makes sense, since we invented cooperative education more than 100 years ago. So it only makes sense that we continue to innovate all aspects of experience-based learning—from internships and service spring breaks, to virtual co-ops and capstone projects.
Our co-op students earn a collective $75M per year, working in 22 countries and 44 states for more than 1,300 employers.
With a college co-op, you can jumpstart your career, help fund your degree and graduate with a degree and a resumé, ready to make an impact on day one.
Cooperative education is an educational model in which students alternate traditional academic semesters with semesters spent working full-time in their chosen field.
By merging academic curriculum with paid, on-the-job experiences, students in programs in DAAP, Engineering, IT, and Business at the University of Cincinnati get a comprehensive education based on real-world application.
UC’s co-op program helps you build your resume while earning your degree and prepares you for a smoother transition to a career after college.
In these uncertain times, it can be challenging to think about the future. At UC, virtual and remote options for experience-based learning exist to make sure your career goals post-college are still being met.
To find a co-op fit for you, consult with a co-op adviser from the Department of Experience-Based Learning and Career Education. Visit on-campus career fairs. You can also do research to find your own approved co-op experience. Or, the University database can match you with potential co-op employers.
Current co-op programs exist in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, Lindner College of Business, Information Technology and the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. But don’t be discouraged if you aren’t a student in one of those colleges! Almost every college at UC has some form of experience-based learning including
A co-op is a fixed-length, employment experience with a company in the professional field; otherwise known as experiential learning. Co-op’s are full time and paid with more opportunity to apply directly what has been taught in the classroom to contribute to the company you are working for. Co-op’s are a commitment in place of in-classroom learning and tend to be more rigorous than an internship or work-study job.
Co-op wages don’t count toward your Expected Family Contribution, which means that you won’t have to worry about paying more in tuition because you’re working. During your co-op, there is a small fee to remain a full-time student but typically, students do not take classes during their co-op semesters.
Did you know that the University of Cincinnati invented cooperative education in 1906? Today, we’re re-envisioning college co-op and career preparation, responding to the needs of an increasingly global economy that demands solutions at an ever-accelerating pace.
With co-op, employers can test drive talent from a diverse—and affordable—pool of prospects. Cooperative education integrates campus life with the business and civic community.
Co-op is a win-win for both students AND employers. Here are some examples of what you, the employer, will gain by hiring a UC Co-op student:
July 30, 2021
Emily Baxter, fine arts senior in UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, spent her co-op working for RARECulture, a New York-based design firm, but worked right here in the Queen City creating wall plaques and historical designs for the region's new sports venue: TQL Stadium, home of major league soccer team FC Cincinnati.
July 29, 2021
The University of Cincinnati began holding in-person Orientation sessions for incoming students and their parents July 12. The activities will continue until the week before classes begin at UC on Monday, Aug. 23.
July 28, 2021
Yoonjee Park, assistant professor of chemical engineering at University of Cincinnati's College of Engineering and Applied Science, developed a biodegradable drug delivery device that is activated by light, which would allow for on-demand dosing and fewer side effects for treatment of posterior eye diseases. With recent funding awards from the National Institute of Health and a Young Investigator Award from Ohio Lions Eye Research Foundation, Park and her research team are testing the safety and efficacy of the device. In 2019, she also participated in UC’s Venture Lab business pre-accelerator.