Coop vs Internship

Co-op
As a Co-op student, you are expected to complete at least three terms working as a student assistant or intern for a single company during your undergraduate and/or graduate career. Co-ops must alternate their work and academic semesters, which allows for the ability to take breaks from coursework every so often. There is an orientation and application procedure you must go through the semester before you plan on working. The Department of Professional Practice (DoPP) has information regarding these procedures. You are granted 12 hours of credit, which is not applied towards your GPA, but is instead used so that you may be officially a full-time student. You may live on campus if your work is nearby, however some companies may offer living arrangements.

Pros

 * Being a Co-op gives you a special investment into a particular company, and likewise means you have a better chance of being hired after graduation.


 * You can co-op as many terms as you like before you must graduate.


 * You have a greater chance of learning more, as you may not have to go through any learning or training periods again (usually only in the first term).


 * Most companies will give you a raise per semester, granted work performance is satisfactory.

Cons
You are stuck with a single company, and if you must quit or join another company you will not be recognized by the Department of Professional Practice as having completed a Co-op. *


 * Note that under some circumstances, the Co-op office will allow you to work for multiple companies and still complete the co-op program. For example, if the company you work for is not providing enough challenging work for you, they may allow you to work for a different company for your 3rd term.


 * Co-op earnings can be excluded from FAFSA, but internship earning are counted. This can impact your expected family contribution (EFC) and lower your financial aid package.

Internship
As an intern, you are able to fulfill a single semester with any one company. The length of the work term may vary, though it usually falls within the time frame of Tech's semester schedule. You may intern anywhere, even internationally.

Pros
You are not necessarily tied down to working for more than one semester.