Current Students FAQs
What elective courses should I take to market myself?
Is the Co-op program available for international students?
What are the benefits of international Co-op?
Where have students been placed for international Co-op?
If I get a job on my own, can I get a Co-op credit for it?
How are Co-op work terms graded?
What are the work term assignments?
I haven't been offered a job and my course registration date
is approaching, what should I do?
Am I still considered a full-time student when on a work term?
Can I take courses
while I am working?
Are there any special scholarships or financial assistance for Co-op students?
That
would depend entirely on your academic focus. It is recommended that your
meet with someone from Kwantlen’s advising department for guidance.
How
does Co-op benefit my academic studies?
Co-op enriches your
academic experience by allowing you to take the knowledge you acquire in the
classroom and apply it. Also, from work terms you take the knowledge you
acquire and feed it back into your education there by allowing you to be more
marketable and more informed with the classroom. Applying your education in the
real world makes all your learning more meaningful.
Does Co-op count as one of my
electives for my program?
No, Co-op is in addition to
your regular diploma/degree requirements.
Is the
Co-op program available for international students?
Yes,
international students are eligible for co-op upon approval of a Co-op Work
Permit. Attend an information
session to
find out more information.
What are the benefits of international
Co-op?
The same as the benefits
for local Co-op but with the opportunity to learn about diverse cultures and to
gain insight into international work practices and procedures.
Where have students been placed for
international Co-op?
China, Africa, New York and
more!
Yes,
but first your Co-op Instructor must approve the position. Your Co-op
Instructor will review the job description, contact the employer to determine
suitability, and approves the position for Co-op. It is
recommended that when you are interested in contacting employers directly on
your own, that you speak to your Co-op instructor immediately as your
instructor will coach and guide you through the process to ensure your success.
If
you get offered two jobs at the same time and have not yet committed to one,
you are able to choose which placement you prefer. If you have already accepted
a Co-op placement, you are required to honor your commitment to that
employer. If you withdraw from an accepted Co-op job without a valid
reason, you will no longer be given access to Co-op job opportunities.
Typical wages for first year
students range from $10-$15 per hour and from $12 to $20 for second, third and fourth
year Co-op students. Co-op employers set the wage, not the Co-op office.
We encourage students to focus on the quality work experience in your field of
study rather than the wage. Co-op work experiences jump start your career.
What if I had a change of plans after I am
admitted to Co-op?
You can withdraw from Co-op
without additional charges as long as you are not in a class or registered for
a work term course. Otherwise, you will have to complete the co-op class or
workterm course. Withdrawals from any course at Kwantlen are subject to the
university course change dates and deadlines. http://www.kwantlen.ca/registration/dates.html
I would like to work abroad or in another
province but it is too expensive, how does this work?
It depends on the company you are
applying for. Some companies include accommodations and travel expenses (but it
is not the norm). If you are interested in working abroad, we encourage
this. Access to the Co-op student housing web site is also available should you
wish to rent or sublet a residence. Please consult your Co-op Instructor to learn more about
Co-op jobs outside of the Lower Mainland
Co-op
work terms are graded based on satisfactory completion of all work term
assignments, employer mid and end term evaluation and Co-op Instructor
evaluation. You will receive either a MAS (mastery) or an NCG (no credit
granted). MAS or NCG grades do not impact your GPA.
Yes
you can, but you must always consult your program Co-op Instructor when you are
changing the sequence of work and academic terms. You must ensure that
finish your program on an academic semester with 3 or more academic classes.
How many work terms
can I take?
For most programs, you do two
co-op work term placements. If you wish to do more than two work terms
you must first consult with your Co-op Instructor.
Yes, you can work for 8 months,
either at the same employer for two consecutive semesters, or two separate
employers. This is considered two full-time Co-op work terms. Parallel
work terms over 8 months are credited as one Co-op work term. It is
strongly advised that you first consult with a Kwantlen Advisor to determine
how an 8 month work term fits into your academic schedule.
How
many work terms do I have to complete to get the Co-op designation?
To
receive the Co-op designation you must finish two work term placements in your
diploma/degree as well as all appropriate Co-op classes. Please note that
not all programs current grant a Co-op designation. For more information,
contact the Co-op office at co-op@kwantlen.ca.
What should I expect on a Co-op work term
site visit by my Co-op instructor?
Your Co-op Instructor will meet
with your supervisor first to obtain feedback on your performance, discuss your
learning goals and inquire about future Co-op opportunities. Your Instructor
will then meet with you to obtain your feedback, discuss your performance, and
review your learning goals and other assignments and plan for future Co-op work
terms.
What are the work term assignments?
Work term projects assignments
vary by instructor but for the most part include reflection assignments through
on-line participation and a presentation/report that may be presented in video,
PowerPoint or lecture format.
I hear that being involved in the Co-op
process can take as much time as a course, is this true?
Yes, most work terms are full time
jobs and also require additional course work in the form of on-line journals,
goal setting, work term report, an employer evaluation of student
performance. The time involved in applying and interviewing for Co-op
jobs can be time consuming as well. The semester you plan to look for a
Co-op job, be prepared to spend several hours per week on applying, preparing
and interviewing for positions. The amount of time spent seeking a Co-op
job will be dependent on how many jobs you apply for and how soon you are hired.
Do I have to make payments to my Student
Loans while on a workterm?
No, a full time co-op work term is
a course and counts for 9 credits.
A parallel co-op workterm is
part-time by nature over 2 consecutive semesters, and counts for 2.25 credits
per semester. So you will need to take additional academic courses to
maintain your full time status.
Do I have to pass my work-term to get the
credits?
Yes, it is the same as any other
Kwantlen course. While on a co-op workterm, you are on a course. You must
fulfill all written assignments successfully.
What
are the tuition and fees for Co-op and when do I pay them?
COOP 1101,
2101 and 2301 are all one-credit classes. Tuition and fees for these
classes are based on one-credit of university tuition and fees for that
semester.
Co-op work
terms are assigned 9 credits for each full-time work term (semester). Tuition
is charged at 4.5 credits per semester for domestic students. Part-time
(Parallel) Co-op work terms are assigned 4.5 credits for each part-time work
term (semester). Tuition is charged at 2.25 credits per semester for domestic
students.
International
students pay workterm tuition of $$1305 for each full-time Co-op work term
(semester).
University
fees are also charged in addition to your tuition. For more information
on Co-op tuition and fees, visit http://www.kwantlen.ca/calendar/generalinfo/tuition-fees.html#N10E64.
We
encourage students to register for classes while continuing to seek a work
placement. If you then accept an offer. You should drop your courses and
register into a Co-op work term course (instructions will be sent to
you). Please note that currently all add/drops of courses must adhere to
university guidelines. Fees and penalties may be assessed should course
changes be made after the first day of classes. For more information,
visit http://www.kwantlen.ca/registration/dates.html.
If you are a Co-op student on a
full-time Co-op work term, you earn 9 credits and maintain your full-time
status. If you are a parallel Co-op work term student, you earn 4.5
credits which is not considered full-time.
Why do I have to pay tuition and fees when
working in a Co-op job?
Students do not pay any tuition
fees until they have secured a Co-op work term placement.
Co-op Education is part of your
academic program. You are paying a course fee for your work term and will be
doing a variety of assignments to support your learning during the work term.
Your Co-op instructor will be supporting your learning and guiding you through
the workterm to maximize your learning.
On your first co-op work term, it is best to
focus on working in a career related job. We recommend that you not take any
courses while on that first work term to ensure you are not dividing your
commitment between school and the employer. However, if for good reason you
need to take a course, discuss this with your Co-op Instructor and the employer
before taking on more than you can handle. We want to ensure we set you up to
succeed in both school and at work. The maximum number of courses alongside a
full-time co-op work term course is 2. Anything beyond that requires special
approval and is considered an overload situation. Please consult your
Co-op instructor.
Are there any special scholarships or
financial assistance for Co-op students?
