Co-op, or co-operative education, allows you to apply what you've learned in class to actual and meaningful work. Co-op is designed to help you decide what kinds of jobs and companies you like before you even graduate — and lets you pay for studies along the way. You'll gain up to two years of paid work experience before you graduate with five to six four-month co-op opportunities.
Computing and Financial Management studies have the skills and know-how to work in the Financial Technology (FinTech), finance, and/or technology industry. Our students like to explore these different industries throughout their studies.
Co-op sequence
CFM students are assigned a specific work-study schedule, or co-op sequence, to satisfy their degree and co-op requirements. It is designed with availability and course progression in mind.
It is possible to change this co-op sequence, but it may delay graduation. Contact the academic advisor to make changes.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | W | S | F | W | S | F | W | S | F | W | S | F | W |
| 1A | 1B | WT1 | 2A | WT2 | 2B | WT3 | 3A | WT4 | 3B | WT5 | 4A | WT6 | 4B |
| F = Fall term (September - December); W = Winter term (January - April); S = Spring term (May - August); WT = Work term | |||||||||||||
Preparing for co-op
The co-op program at Waterloo is designed to simulate the full-time application and employment experience. You will actively be involved in the job search process. Starting in your 1B term, you'll participate in professional development (PD) courses to learn how to design your resume, apply to jobs using our Waterloo Works, job database system, and participate in interviews. Through the CFM program, you'll be invited to attend our Co-op Prep Session event in the fall to learn from other CFM students on how to be successful in finding work. You'll begin to apply to jobs as early as January for spring term.
How co-op works
The co-op program at UWaterloo will actively involve you in the co-op search process. The skills you'll learn from this experience will prepare you for your future full-time job opportunities — and give you an edge over the competition.
| STEP 1 | Prepare a professional résumé (with the help of many co-op supports). | |
|---|---|---|
| STEP 2 | Take your first professional development course — PD 1. | |
| STEP 3 |
Search job postings on WaterlooWorks, the University's job database system, and apply to positions of interest — make sure to customize your resume for each application. |
|
| STEP 4 | Attend interview(s) with employers that have selected you. Interviews may take place in person at the Tatham Centre (TC), UWaterloo's Co-op Centre, or online. Some travel may be required. | |
| STEP 5 | Rank the interview(s) you had in order of personal preference. | |
| STEP 6 |
Arrange your co-op experience with your hiring company (discuss your working hours, salary, dress code, office environment, training dates, etc.) OR continue with the application process. |
The Computing and Financial Management students we’ve hired from the University of Waterloo provide a fantastic fit, a great blend of technical, analytical and business skills – ideal for driving the transformation to a mobile-first, cloud-first world at Microsoft Canada.
Most common jobs and companies
Our students typically work as Business Technology Analysts, Data Analysts, Developers, Full Stack Developers, Investment Analysts, QA (Quality Assurance) Analysts, Software Developers, Software Engineers, Technical Systems Analysts, Web Analysts, and Web Developers.
They are mostly employed at the Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, CPP Investment Board, DBRS Limited, Deloitte, Facebook, Morgan Stanley, National Bank Financial, NexJ Systems Inc., OMERS, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, RBC Financial Group, Scotiabank, TD Bank Group, and the University of Waterloo.
Sample CFM co-op jobs
The benefit of the CFM program is that you can explore a variety of co-op positions in the computer science, finance, or business world as you'll have the relevant skills for these kinds of roles.
- C#-Java-Scala Developer, Bank of America
- Asset Management Intern, City of Vaughn
- Test Automation Intern, Ford Motor Company of Canada Limited
- Finance Co-op Student, Mattamy Homes
- Software Engineering, Cloud Security, RBC Financial Group
- Solutions Developer (Data), Shore Consulting Group
Co-op requirements
To graduate with a Bachelor of Computing and Financial Management (BCFM) degree, you will need to satisfy three requirements for co-op.
- 5–6 co-op work terms
- 5 PD (professional development) courses
- PD1 — taking in your 1B term
- PD11 — taken in your first co-op
- 3 more PD courses of your choosing — taken in your next subsequent co-op terms
- 60% minimum overall average each term to maintain co-op eligibility
Professional development (PD)
Professional Development (PD) courses will help you to learn or enhance new skills to improve your success in the workplace. These courses will allow you to make connections between your workplace, academics and career.
You can choose your remaining three courses from the PD course catalogue. CFM students are not required to take PD 10 - Professional Responsibility in Computing.
Enterprise Co-op (E-Co-op)
If you are interested in growing your own ideas and business, you can receive co-op credit while building your company through E-Coop offered by the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business. E-Co-op is open to all students with any type of business concept.
If you are interested in growing a business but are still looking to develop your ideas, you can seek mentorship and guidance through Velocity and the Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre. You may also take entrepreneurship classes or pursue the Minor in Entreprenurship in your studies.