16.10 CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION AND INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS

The Faculty of Science offers programs in co-operative university education in Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics. Students spend alternate four-month periods taking university courses and working in fully-salaried jobs, related to their discipline, with participating employers.

These Co-op programs use a full trimester year (three 4-month semesters) and thus allow completion of a 4-year degree and 12-20 months of practical experience in a total of five years, with the advantage of a job during the time the student is not taking courses. Once admitted to Co-op, students are either in school or at work.

The Faculty of Science also offers an internship program in Actuarial Science which requires at least one year of internship. The internship is a salaried position where one can obtain practical experience.

There are many benefits to being in the Co-op or Internship program such as improved motivation and performance, practical work experience that may aid the student in choosing future areas of interest, financial gain, and an excellent chance of full-time employment upon graduation.

Refer to §8.1.1, and to the departmental entries below, for details of these programs.

16.10.1 CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM IN BIOLOGY

Entrance criteria - at the time of application for admission to the placement cycle, a student:

• must have completed at least 33 credit hours, but not more than 60 credit hours, towards a BSc degree in Biology;

• must include BIOL 100, BIOL 101, CHEM 104, one of CHEM 105 or CHEM 140, and at least two 200-level Biology courses in the courses they have taken;

• must be registered for at least two additional 200-level BIOL courses for the next academic term, with a total course load of at least 12 credit hours;

• must have achieved a minimum GPA of 70% overall and in courses required for the major

Four work terms must be completed to obtain the "Co-operative Education" designation with the normal sequencing as follows (where A1 stands for Academic term 1, H stands for free term, and W1 stands for Work term 1):

For further details, contact Co-operative Education Office or visit its website: www.uregina.ca/coop, or contact the Head of the Department of Biology.

To continue in the Co-op option, a student must maintain a GPA of at least 70% overall and in courses required for the major and must enrol in at least 12 credit hours in academic terms between work terms.

16.10.2 CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM IN CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY

Entrance criteria - at the time of application for admission to the placement cycle, a student:

• must have completed at least 21 credit hours toward a BSc degree, including CHEM 104 and one additional course in chemistry;

• must have completed no more than 60 credit hours toward the BSc;

• must have achieved a minimum GPA of 72.5% in courses required for the major and overall;

• must be enrolled in a program to complete at least 3 bio-chemistry/chemistry courses beyond CHEM 104, prior to commencement of the first work term.

Successful completion of four work terms is required for the Co-op designation. Students follow a schedule of work/academic terms similar to that shown for Computer Science. To continue in the Co-op option, a student must maintain a GPA of 72.5% and must enrol in at least 12 credit hours in academic terms between work terms. One of the first two work terms must be in a fall or winter semester (i.e. both may not be in summer semesters).

For further details, contact the Co-operative Education Office or the Head of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

16.10.3 CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND SOFTWARE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT

www.cs.uregina.ca/Academic/workstudy.html

Co-operative education (Co-op) is available with all Computer Science and Software Systems Development degree programs. Students participate in the Co-op Program under the direction of the Department’s Co-op Coordinator. To receive the Co-op designation upon graduation students must successfully complete 3 work terms, with fourth and fifth work terms being optional. It is strongly recommended that a student’s final term be an academic one.

Sequencing of the program will depend on the registration and academic credit of the student. Students are encouraged to meet with an academic advisor or the Co-op coordinator to discuss the appropriate alternating of 4-month work and academic terms. Permission to complete 2 consecutive work terms will only be granted once to a student during their program. The remaining work term(s) must be preceded and followed by an academic term.

16.10.3.1 Entrance criteria

Students must:

• have and maintain a GPA of 65%;

• be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester;

• be registered in or have completed CS 115 or both CS 110 and CS 270 or CS 280;

• complete either MATH 105 or MATH 110;

• complete a minimum of 30 credit hours;

For further details, contact the Co-operative Education Office or visit its website: www.uregina.ca/coop, or contact the Department of Computer Science.

16.10.4 CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN GEOLOGY

The goal of the Co-op programme is to provide hands-on employment experience for students enrolled in the BSc. Geology or BSc. (Honours) Geology programmes. The BSc. or BSc. (Hons.) degrees with Co-op designation includes 120 credit hours of courses and three work terms (each of four months duration, with the option to pursue a fourth work term at the student’s request). The Co-op work terms may occur at private businesses, research institutions, government laboratories or universities, and may or may not include a fieldwork component. Each work term is graded on a pass / fail basis. Students must obtain a passing grade for each work term, in order for this to count towards the Co-op designation.

16.10.4.1 Admission criteria:

• At time of application, students must have completed at least 33 credit hours but not more than 65 credit hours, including their current semester of study, towards a BSc / BSc (Hons.) degree in Geology. Further, students must have completed Geol 201, Geol 210 and Geol 220 to be qualified for the Co-op program.
• Students must achieve a GPA of at least 70% overall and in all courses required for the major.
• Student must be full-time in the semester prior to starting a work-term.

16.10.4.2 To continue in the Co-op programme, students must:

• Maintain a GPA of at least 70% overall and in courses required for the major.
• Enrol in at least 12 credit hours in each academic semester between work terms.

16.10.4.3 Time to completion of a BSc/BSc (Hons.) degree in Geology with Co-op

Depending on the timing of the work terms (Spring / Summer, Fall, Winter) the Co-op program will take one or two semesters longer than a typical BSc or BSc (Hons.) program, assuming that students take 15 credit hours of courses during all academic semesters (including the Spring/Summer).

16.10.4.4 Course requirements and planning your degree

It is unusual, if not impossible, to be able to complete all work terms during Spring/Summer semesters exclusively. Therefore, it is very important that students plan carefully. Students must be prepared to take courses during at least one Spring / Summer semester. A maximum of two summer work terms is permitted.

16.10.4.5 Work Terms

Work terms are arranged with assistance from the University of Regina Career Centre (http://www.uregina.ca/coop/). Jobs are posted, students apply for job postings, and there is a system of interviews and “matching” between employers and students. The Career Centre also offers workshops for students on topics including resume writing, interview preparation, and job searching tools and techniques. With permission, double work terms (of eight months duration) may be arranged. Students will typically take 3 work terms, with an option to take a fourth with the permission of the Geology Department’s Co-op coordinator.

16.10.4.6 Work term report

All students must submit a work term report within two weeks of completing a work term. Work term reports must receive a grade of Satisfactory or better for the work term to receive a grade of Pass. Reports with a grade of Fail will not be re-written, and students will not receive a Pass for the associated work term.

16.10.5 CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics operates two 4-year degree programs in Co-operative university education. Each requires students to complete three work terms to earn the Co-op designation. A fourth work term is optional with the mutual agreement of the student, the Faculty, the Co-op Office, and an employer.

16.10.5.1 Entrance Criteria - Co-op Mathematics Program

Students must:

• have and maintain a GPA of 65%;

• be enrolled in 12 credit hours to be a full-time Co-op student;

• complete three full semesters of study including successful completion of MATH 110, 111, 122, 213, 217, CS 110, and STAT 160, before engaging in their first work term.

16.10.5.2 Entrance Criteria - Co-op Statistics Program

Students must:

• have and maintain a GPA of 65%;

• be enrolled in 12 credit hours to be a full-time Co-op student;

• complete three full semesters of study including successful completion of MATH 110, 111, 122, STAT 160, STAT 251, and CS 110 before engaging in their first work term.

For further details contact the Co-operative Education Office or the Head of the Mathematics and Statistics Department.

16.10.6 CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM IN PHYSICS

www.phys.uregina.ca/info/undergrad/coop

Students must meet the criteria for admission to Co-op as approved by the Faculty of Science (see §8.1.1). Students must have a CGPA of 70% to be admitted to, and must maintain a CGPA of 70% to continue in Physics Co-op Programs. At the time of graduation, a student who has not met the 70% requirement, but who has a minimum CGPA of 65% and a PGPA of 65%, will be awarded a BSC in Physics without the Co-op designation.

The Co-operative Education Program in Physics offers students a choice of four or five work terms. Sequencing is the same as in the Co-operative Education Program in Computer Science.

For further details, contact the Co-operative Education Office or the Physics Co-op Coordinator.

16.10.7 INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IN ACTUARIAL SCIENCE

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics offers to students in the Actuarial Science program the possibility of participating in an internship year between years three and four of their academic study. The internship is 12 to 16 months in duration, with each four month employment period worth one academic credit towards the degree. For further information, contact the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

16.10.7.1 Entrance criteria

Students must have an overall average of at least 75%.

Students must plan to complete an actuarial exam before or during the internship placement.

At the time of application to the internship program, students must be enrolled full-time in the Actuarial Science program, and be enrolled in, or have completed ACSC 317.

At the time of placement into an internship position, students must have completed ACSC 317 and ACSC 318.

Before going out on the internship, students must have completed 72 credit hours towards the Actuarial Science degree.