Creation of a Concentrated Coop Education Program

Engineering Faculty Document No. 19-03

9 February 2005

To:  Engineering Faculty

From:  Cooperative Engineering Education Committee

Date:  9 February 2005

Subject:  Creation of a Concentrated Cooperative Education Program and Courses

            The faculty of the Cooperative Engineering Education Committee has approved the creation of a certificate granting Concentrated Cooperative Education Program detailed in the following document.  This program is similar to the current Cooperative Education Program, but it requires three consecutive work sessions.  This action is now submitted to the Engineering Faculty with a recommendation for approval.

______________________________________9 February 2005

Robert M. Stwalley III, Ph.D., P.E.

Director Cooperative Education Program and

Chairman Cooperative Engineering Education Committee

UNIVERSITY – INDUSTRY CONCENTRATED COOPERATIVE EDUCATION

CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

            There are several advantages to offering students and employers a certificate program of a continuous single year.  Students have time to progress beyond orientation and initial training and complete a significant meaningful project.  Student housing difficulties are minimized both on and off-campus.  Employers are given a reduced administrative workload and have the ability to ‘preview’ the student over a significant year of professional growth.  Additionally, since the program has negligible impact on academic course sequencing or planning, it has strong internal administrative and faculty support.  The following Concentrated Cooperative Education Program (CCEP) described in the balance of this document is designed to provide an academic foundation for the continuous practical experience of sufficient duration that an increasing progression of technical responsibilities can occur.

            This program is designed to be a faculty and Board of Trustees approved, certificate granting program, similar to the present five session Cooperative Education Program.  The central office will qualify work session programs for the various interested employers and coordinate student recruitment procedures.  CCEP students would spend all three consecutive school term sessions with a single employer, like five session Co-Op students, and the central office would only qualify employers that pay students during their work sessions.  Students work for the same employer throughout the continuous year long session.  Local departmental Faculty Co-Op Coordinators will also handle CCEP students.  These students would be recruited during their junior year, and they would pay work experience fees for each academic term while on the job, similar to Co-Op students.  The CCEP program would accept those students that maintain an upper 2/3 class rank within their home departments.  Students could begin participation at any time following their junior year.  Figure 1 illustrates some of the various possible alternative schedules.  Individual Faculty Coordinators will advise students regarding the choice of potential schedules within their particular discipline.  Individual Faculty Coordinators shall have the authority to make exceptions to the recommended schedules for compelling academic reasons.  Comprehensive work experience reports and employer and student evaluations would be required.  No academic credit would be given for participation in this program, but completion would lead to a certificate upon graduation titled “University – Industry Concentrated Cooperative Education Program in Engineering”.  The certificate will identify the student’s employer, and this information will be transcript recorded.  Additionally, CCEP students who complete at least three months of work experience overseas during the overall program shall have an ‘International Experience’ endorsement added to their certificate.

Figure 1 – Potential Concentrated Cooperative Education Program Schedules.

            To handle the issue of registration and certificate progress, it is recommended that the faculty approve the following variable title courses:

PPE 331  Professional Practice for Concentrated Cooperative Education I

Sem. 1, Sem. 2, and SS.   Cr. (0)

For Concentrated Cooperative Education Students Only.

Must have junior standing.

Professional practice with qualified employers within industry, government, or small business.

PPE 332  Professional Practice for Concentrated Cooperative Education II

Sem. 1, Sem. 2, and SS.   Cr. (0)

For Concentrated Cooperative Education Students Only.

Must be preceded by PPE 331.

Professional practice with qualified employers within industry, government, or small business.

PPE 333  Professional Practice for Concentrated Cooperative Education III

Sem. 1, Sem. 2, and SS.   Cr. (0)

For Concentrated Cooperative Education Students Only.

Must be preceded by PPE 332.

Professional practice with qualified employers within industry, government, or small business.

PPE 334  Professional Practice for Concentrated Cooperative Education IV

Sem. 1, Sem. 2, and SS.   Cr. (0)

For Concentrated Cooperative Education Students Only.

Must be preceded by PPE 333.

Professional practice with qualified employers within industry, government, or small business.