Find answers to questions you may have about the Professional Development (PD) courses. If you are looking for information about a specific course or PD courses generally, contact us at centreforwil@uwaterloo.ca or review our staff directory for specific contact information.
General
How many PD courses do I need to take?
The number of PD courses you need to take as part of the co-op program depends on your faculty.
| Faculty | Required number of courses |
|---|---|
| Arts, Environment, Health and Science | Four PD courses |
| Engineering and Math | Five PD courses |
For more information about your PD course requirements, visit our courses page or your faculty’s Undergraduate Calendar.
Do I still need to take a PD course if I don’t have a job?
Yes. As part of the co-op program, you need to complete a PD course during each work term until your PD requirements have been fulfilled, even if you haven’t found employment that term. It’s still possible to complete all the assessments in each PD course without employment. You can reflect on your academic experience or volunteer work in lieu of referencing time in the workplace.
If you’re worried or have a question about something in your PD course related to employment, contact your course team for assistance.
How do I access PD courses?
You’ll access PD courses through LEARN, Waterloo’s online learning management system (LMS). Log into LEARN using your WatIAM user ID and password. You’ll need consistent internet access to use LEARN, and it’s compatible with both desktop and mobile devices.
If you have any questions about your system’s compatibility with LEARN or issues accessing your PD course, contact your course team or visit the LEARN help resources.
How are PD courses graded?
The individual assignments and quizzes within each PD course are numerically graded, but the PD courses themselves are graded on a credit/no-credit (CR/NCR) basis. Check the specific course page for more grading details. When you look at PD courses on your transcript, you’ll see a CR (credit) or NCR (no credit) appear in the grade column instead of a number. If you see a CR there, feel free to celebrate — you’ve passed the course!
Should I work on my PD course during work hours?
No. You shouldn’t be asking your supervisor for time to complete your PD course during the work day. If you’re having trouble completing your assessments on time or struggling with an exceptional workload, contact your course team for assistance.
Logistical
How do I register for PD courses?
If you’re following your program’s sequencing, as outlined in its section of the Undergraduate Calendar, you should be automatically enrolled in your first two PD courses the first time you take said courses. Students in Math and Science should be automatically enrolled in PD1 and PD11 when appropriate; Arts, Environment, and Health students should be enrolled in PD1 and PD12; Engineering students should be enrolled in PD19 and PD20.
Auto-enrolment mostly takes place during open add/drop periods, but may also occur during during Course Selection.
Once you complete your compulsory PD courses, you must start enrolling yourself in elective courses. You can pick and sign up for elective PD courses using Quest, and the process is like the one used for enrolling in other academic courses. You’ll also need to enrol yourself using Quest if you need to repeat any of the compulsary PD courses (i.e., PD1, PD11, PD12, PD19 and/or PD20).
Students in all faculties except Engineering should contact us with questions or issues regarding registration. Engineering students with questions or issues regarding registration should contact their academic program advisor.
Do I have to take PD courses in a certain order?
The answer depends on your faculty.
|
Faculty |
Order of PD courses |
|---|---|
|
Math |
Please note: PD10: Professional Responsibility in Computing is required for Computer Science and Software Engineering students, and takes the place of one of the three PD electives. |
|
Science |
|
|
Arts, Environment and Health |
|
|
Engineering |
|
Students in some programs must take an additional compulsory PD course. For more information contact Centre for WIL staff or consult your faculty’s undergraduate calendar.
Why am I receiving an error when I try to enrol in a PD course?
There may be several reasons why you're receiving an error when trying to enrol in a PD course. These are the two most common:
-
You are attempting to enrol in the incorrect section of a course. Each PD course section is associated with particular reserves, and you'll receive an error if you try to enrol in a section that doesn't apply to you or has closed. You can see the reserves and check the open/closed status of each section by searching the Schedule of Classes.
-
You have a fee hold and/or academic hold on your account. If you have a fee or academic hold, you won't be able to enrol in any classes. You can view your hold status by logging into your Quest account. To inquire about a fee hold, contact Student Financial Services; to inquire about an academic hold, contact your academic advisor.
If you're receiving an error that isn't related to the issues above and you're enrolling during a valid enrolment period, please contact us and provide your full name, ID number, and a detailed inquiry. We'll do our best to investigate your issue.
Do I have to pay to take PD courses?
No, you don’t have to pay any additional costs. The Centre for WIL is not funded through your co-op fees or any other non-tuition fee. PD courses are an academic component included in your existing tuition fees. For a breakdown of how your co-op fee is allocated, check out the Co-operative Education website.
Can I take more than one PD course during a single work term?
You’re typically allowed to take only one PD course per term. However, there are a few situations in which exceptions are granted. Students in all faculties except Engineering are permitted to take more than one course in a term if they’re repeating a previously failed PD course.
Students in all faculties except Engineering can request permission to take an additional PD course by contacting their academic program advisor. Engineering students requesting permission to take an additional PD course (even previously failed courses) should contact their academic program advisor.
What happens if I fail a PD course?
If you fail a compulsory PD course, you must repeat the course during a subsequent term. You must take PD1 during a future academic term, and you must take all other compulsory courses (PD11, PD12, PD19, and PD20) during a future work term.
If you fail an elective PD course, you must earn the missed credit by either repeating the failed course or choosing a different elective PD course to make up the credit. Failed PD courses will appear on your transcript and they remain there even if you pass the course during a subsequent work term.
Engineering students who fail a PD course should contact their academic program advisor to discuss the course’s impact on their failure count.
I’m considering changing my stream/sequence. How will that affect my PD requirements?
The answer depends on your faculty. Students in all faculties except Engineering should contact the Centre for WIL to determine if and/or how changing stream/sequence will affect their PD credits and requirements. Making a change could impact your ability to fulfill your PD requirements, so we highly recommend getting in touch with us.
Engineering students considering a stream/sequence change should contact their academic program advisor to develop a plan regarding their PD requirements.
Course specific
Why is PD1 completed during an academic term instead of during a work term?
PD1: Career Fundamentals is focused on the development of core career skills like résumé writing and interview preparation. These skills are essential parts of the co-op process, and they’re best practiced and refined while students are looking for work and preparing for their co-op terms. Students take PD1 during the term immediately preceding their first work term so they can carry these skills into any future job hunts, both on campus and beyond.
Why is PD10 a compulsory course for students in some programs?
While most students who work through PD courses only need to take two compulsory PD courses, students in Computer Science and Software Engineering must also complete PD10: Professional Responsibility in Computing as one of their elective PD courses.
Because Computer Science and Software Engineering are accredited professional programs, their graduates must leave Waterloo with certain skills and attributes that are necessary for successful careers. The departments ask their students to take PD10 because the course satisfies some accreditation requirements that aren’t typically addressed through their normal academic study.
Learn more about PD10 and its connection to Software Engineering and Computer Science.
Why do Engineering students take different compulsory PD courses than students in other faculties?
Engineering students take different compulsory PD courses than students in other faculties because the nature of their program is somewhat different. Instead of participating in the "normal" program of PD courses, Engineering students complete the WatPD-Engineering program, a subset of the Faculty of Engineering with its own Academic Director and Curriculum Committee. The Centre for Work-Integrated Learning runs the WatPD-Engineering program on behalf of the faculty. While many aspects of the programs overlap, the compulsory courses that make up WatPD-Engineering are designed to satisfy the unique demands placed upon Engineering students and programs.
Do I still need to write a work report if I've completed a PD course?
If you are in the co-op program, you may be required to submit a work report separate from your PD course requirements. Please contact your faculty academic advisor with any work report inquiries.