Student Co-op Guide
Cooperative education experiences (or co-ops) give you the chance to take what you’ve learned in the classroom and put it into action through paid, hands-on work experience.
- Gain practical skills and experience
- Strengthen your resume
- Launch a career with confidence
Start planning early – and don't give up. Think about what you need to do to attain a co-op. Then reverse engineer and create a timeline to reach your goals.
Step 1: Review co-op requirements.
All undergraduate students in the College of Engineering and Innovation are required to complete one to three credit-bearing co-ops, depending on their major. Make sure you become familiar with all co-op requirements.
Step 2: Complete co-op orientation in Canvas.
All students in the College of Engineering and Innovation – except online students – are required to complete the co-op orientation in Canvas within the first few weeks of their first semester. We recommend you review before registering your first co-op and as often as you like after that.
The orientation provides information about:
- Requirements
- Resources and strategies
- How to register a co-op
You should have received an invitation to your BGSU email to join the orientation in Canvas when you entered the college. Accept the invitation to gain access. Email the Office of Cooperative Education if you do not see co-op orientation listed in Canvas and we will re-invite you.
- Log in to your MyBGSU account and access Canvas.
- Click Courses and select Co-op Orientation.
- Successfully complete modules 1-4 to gain access to module 5, an exclusive list of employers who have hired BGSU co-op students in the past.
Email the Office of Cooperative Education or call 419-372-7581 if you still have questions after reviewing the orientation.
Step 3: Meet with your academic advisor.
Meet with your academic advisor early to design an academic plan that integrates coursework with your co-ops. Meet with them at least once each semester to update your plan as needed. Keep an open mind and be prepared to adjust as needed.
It will be helpful to assess your goals before you meet with your advisor. Keep an open mindset. Discovering your academic and career goals is a lifelong process.
Career coaches in the Kuhlin Hub for Career Design and Connections can be a valuable resource for thinking through career plans.
- Explore occupations, career paths and majors.
- Answer the question, "What can I do with a major in...?"
- Create action plans aligning with your career and educational goals.
Some questions to ponder:
- What do you aspire to be?
- What are your values?
- What are your struggles?
- What are your goals?
- When do you want to complete your co-op?
- Where do you want to complete your co-op?
Step 4: Research and apply for co-ops.
This is a crucial step – from creating your resume to securing a co-op. Start early. Don’t give up, and ask for help when you need it.
Step 5: Register your co-op.
Your co-op is completed in unison with a credit-bearing co-op course that includes assignments, requirements and due dates. You cannot self-enroll in a co-op course. You must submit a co-op registration application. Once approved, the course will be added to your schedule.
Retroactive credit for a co-op that was not registered cannot be granted.
Step 6: Complete all co-op assignments and requirements.
Your co-op is completed in unison with a credit-bearing co-op course. You are required to complete the required assignments by the posted deadline date
Step 7: Thank your employer.
Send a hand-written thank you note to your employer at the end of your co-op. This simple gesture can leave a lasting and positive impression.
Also consider asking your supervisor or another mentor from your co-op experience if you can use them as a reference in the future.
Co-op resources
You are not in this alone. You have a team behind you that can help you navigate the co-op process.
- Co-op and co-op course requirements
- Resume writing and reviews
- Industry connections
- Navigating a co-op search
- Navigating a job search.
- Resume writing and reviews.
- Career fairs, events and workshops
- VMock
- Career coaching
- Major-specific resume writing and reviews
- Portfolio reviews
- Industry connections
- Academic and career mentorship
- Mock interviews
- Coaches to help you overcome challenges, seize opportunities and design your college experience
- Tools and skills to help you plan
Updated: 10/06/2025 04:46PM