Cooperative Experience

The Computer Science Department offers a voluntary cooperative education program option for computer science majors. Majors in both concentrations, General Studies and Information Systems, can pursue the traditional 4 year program track or they can elect to participate in, if they meet the requirements, the cooperative education program track. Students participate in two 6-month full-time coop experiences; one in their junior year and one in their senior year. This extends graduation a year but enhances their theoretical course work with real-world hands-on problem-solving, allows them to apply professional critical thinking skills within their discipline, and enriches the classroom environment. Students must register for this option in their sophomore year, will receive experiential credit on their transcript and will maintain full-time student status. The coop experience will help students experience diverse areas of interest within the computer science discipline and lead them to more focused graduate studies or employment.

Alternatively, if a student wants to experience the real-world experience on a part-time basis they can register for an internship course during a  semester in their junior or senior year as part of their regular course load.  This would become one of their "free" electives (ie- it is not counted as one of the required CS courses or CS electives). 

Students are encouraged to participate in one of the above options, as employers are looking for students who have real world experience and have demonstrated an ability in the field beyond the classroom.