Faculty of Arts typical co-op jobs

Faculty of Arts students secure competitive co-op jobs in industries across the world. 

Co-op is an opportunity to study a discipline you are interested in while trying different jobs. Regardless of academic program or major, every student’s co-op experience is different and most careers are non-linear.  

Students in the Faculty of Arts learn to persuade, to communicate and to understand other points of view. They analyze human behaviour to understand the needs of others. These transferable skills are valued by employers from all industries.  

This list of sample co-op jobs is organized by degree and includes descriptions based on real co-op work term positions held by Waterloo students. We have not included employer names to maintain employer confidentiality. This list is intended to help you understand what your co-op pathway may look like based on your program. However, you should explore diverse employment opportunities throughout your co-op work terms to find out where you want to take your career post-graduation. 

View "Faculty of Arts Pathways" on YouTube

Sample co-op jobs by program

Honours Arts

Business

Human resources assistant

Handle administrative tasks such as maintaining employee records, processing paperwork and coordinating HR projects. Communicate with team members about schedules and tasks while assisting with recruiting and onboarding, managing files, billings and reports.

Creative

Gallery programs assistant

Create marketing and social media campaigns for events, exhibitions and programming. Seek out sponsorship opportunities, conduct community outreach and manage membership relations. Assist with grant applications, fundraising planning and events.

Helping

Teaching assistant

Provide responses to student questions through email, discussion boards, one-on-one meetings and when giving feedback on assignments. Develop oral presentations to suggest and implement project improvements in a team setting using creativity and problem-solving skills.

Government

Policy analyst

Assist in organizational and stakeholder meetings by creating briefing material, presentations and summaries of relevant policies. Research and monitor both federal and provincial funding program policies and participate in status meetings by providing recommendations.

Honours Arts and Business

Business

Business and finance analyst

Implement quality assurance tests and inspections to identify product issues and recommend solutions. Assist with company operations, financial projections and identify future hiring needs for company expansion. Support technical content writing and coordinate client meetings.

Creative

Communications and events associate

Develop visuals for social media. Provide event support, assist with training and manage volunteers. Connect with audiences and communicate with visitors when providing front desk support.

Helping

Small business digital advisor

Support and provide guidance to small businesses by assisting them in grant applications, website updates, establishing e-commerce websites, social media marketing and SEO best practices. Respond to customer inquiries.

Government

Legislative learner

Assist in organizing documentation, witnesses, committee staff and facilitating committee meetings. Collaborate with policy analysts to provide research and analysis to legislative committee members by reviewing literature, completing analysis and summarizing results.

Global Business and Digital Arts

Business

Social media assistant

Manage company social media pages, create online advertisements and respond to customer inquiries on social media. Conduct environmental scans and competitive analyses to measure campaigns' design impact and make recommendations.

Creative

Graphic designer

Collaborate with branding and other teams to gather content and create visually appealing designs that align with business objectives. Communicate effectively with team members on projects by sending status reports, reminders and meeting arrangements.

Helping

Product designer

Identify problems and create user-centered company solutions while working cross-functionally with stakeholders to produce the best design strategies. Collect and analyze user behaviour by interviewing customers and managing surveys to support project objectives.

Government

UX/UI assistant

Strategize and facilitate various design activities, ensuring user-centric solutions that meet the needs of end-users. Create wireframes, prototypes and design documentation to shape exceptional user experience by advocating for users.

Accounting and Financial Management

Junior

Staff accountant

Communicate with clients to prepare tax returns, HST calculations, dividends and bonus planning. Assist in the development of business materials to communicate key considerations to clients. Ensure that projects maintain an appropriate scope, budget and timeline.

Intermediate

Intermediate tax accountant

Lead and manage tax-related projects to ensure compliance with tax laws and regulations. Train junior accountants on tax laws, regulations and strategy development. Problem solve alongside a collaborative team of highly trained accountants.

Senior

Funding analyst

Assist with the intake of applications, assist staff in the assessment and review submitted applications. Lead and manage financial analysis projects to support funding decisions and prepare weekly regular reports. Conduct market research and evaluate funding options.

Recent Arts co-op experiences

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