MDSAI Co-op Requirements

Student interviewing

As per the MDSAI (Co-op) Academic Calendar, students in the MDSAI full-time co-op program must complete one work term, which is expected to take place in their third term. They are then expected to return to campus for a final study term. Any exceptions to this standard sequence requires additional approval. Students may also apply for a one-term (4 month) extension of their work term with the same employer. To complete the work report, students must have had a work placement and receive at least a satisfactory evaluation for their co-operative education term. 

Guidelines

MDSAI Co-op FAQ

  • What is WIL 601 and why do I need to take it?  
    • WIL 601 is a professional development course designed for graduate students that addresses specific career development and pre-recruitment needs. Details of the course and learning outcomes can be found on the course website. 
  • How do I enroll in WIL 601?  
    • If you are a current Waterloo graduate student, you can enroll in WIL 601 usingQuest(student information system). The process is like the one used for enrolling in other academic courses. Students in all faculties except Engineering shouldcontact uswith questions or issues regarding registration. Engineering students with questions or issues regarding registration should contact theiracademic program advisor. 
  • How much are co-op fees?  
  • How much will I make in my co-op job?  
  • How many positions can I apply to in WaterlooWorks each interview cycle?  
  • Can I complete my co-op work term internationally?  
    • Yes, you are welcomed to internationalize their Work-Integrated Learning opportunities and are supported in securing work outside of Canada. Please review Co-op’s working abroad section for additional information.   
  • Can I go through the WaterlooWorks recruitment process and try to self-arrange a work term at the same time?  
    • Yes, you are encouraged to seek co-op opportunities through WaterlooWorks, external sources, personal networking and any other pathway open to you.However it is important to communicate your actions and intentions with your graduate co-op advisor to ensure you are navigating your roles and responsibilities as a student. 
  • Can I self-arrange my co-op work term?  
    • Yes, you are encouraged to arrange your on jobs. Please consult your graduate co-op advisor to review criteria of co-op credit worthy options before proceeding. 
  • What are the requirements for a position to be considered acceptable for co-op work term credit?  
    • Graduate co-op students are required to access Standard Work Term Requirements as outlined on the Co-op roles and responsibilities webpage. 
    • Between 12-16 weeks of full time, paid work, that is linked to your program or career goals. You may not be supervised by a direct family member.   
  • Who is my co-op advisor?  
    • Graduate students are assigned a graduate co-op advisor upon the start of the program, through to graduation. Contact details for your graduate co-op advisor are found on your WaterlooWorks dashboard. 
  • I need to change the term I go on co-op; how do I do that?  
    • Sequence changes must be processed in consultation with your program. Please contact Data Science Grad Admin 
  • I want to update my co-op from a 4-month co-op to 8-month co-op how do I do that?  
    • Master of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (MDSAI) permits students to extend their work term from 4 to 8 months with a single employer. This will require you to request a Sequence Change. Sequence changes must be processed in consultation with your program. Please contact Data Science Grad Admin. 
  • Can I do an 8-month co-op instead of 4-month co-op?  
    • Master of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (MDSAI) permits students to extend their work term from 4 to 8 months with a single employer. This will require you to request a Sequence Change. Sequence changes must be processed in consultation with your program. Please contact Data Science Grad Admin. You may not extend your sequence before you have an offer of employment that spans two terms. However, you are permitted to extend your co-op experience during your work term. Please consult DS grad admin or your grad co-op advisor for support. 
  • What assistance do I get in the co-op process?  
    • We suggest starting with WIL 601 to addresses specific career development and pre-recruitment needs.  
    • Your grad co-op advisor also offers one-to-one coaching in your pre-recruitment term and will provide support throughout your entire co-op journey.  
    • Virtual weekly peer-to-peer sessions offer an opportunity to network and connect with peers while learning about themed topics.  
  • What are other tools and resources are there to support me in finding a co-op job?  
    • The Centre for Career Development (CCD) offers appointment or drop-in appointments with career advisors to help with résumés or job search. Also, career advisors are available to discuss how you can responsibly use Generative AI (Gen AI) technologies like Microsoft Copilot (available through your UWaterloo account) to boost your job search and career development efforts.  
    • CCD also offers CareerHub, an online resource available to the University of Waterloo community. It contains information and activities designed to provide opportunities for you to reflect on and prepare for your career. 
    • Co-op also offers employer information sessions and workshops to network with employers, learn from professionals and grow your skills. 

Arrange Your Own Co-op Job

  • There are lots of different ways to find a co-op job! You can apply for jobs on the WaterlooWorks Co-op job board and also search for opportunities outside this portal at any time during the co-op employment process. This is what is called "arranging your own job" (AOJ).

  • Just like when searching for jobs on WaterlooWorks, there are certain guidelines that you must follow in order to receive co-op credit. To be eligible for credit, all AOJs are assessed on a case-by-case basis that must be related to data science.

  • If you receive an offer from an employer outside WaterlooWorks and you think the job meets our requirements, follow the steps below to arrange your own job for co-op credit.

Work Report Requirements

  • Students must complete and submit a MDSAI Co-op work report form (.docx)  through the Work Report Dropbox within 1 month after completion of one work term (or an extended 8-month work term with the same employer) on an approved job OR 2 months prior to completing their degree requirements (whichever is sooner). Therefore, if a student has been approved to end on a co-op term, they must submit their work report 2 months before the last day of final exams.
  • Your co-op work report should not include any material that is deemed confidential by your employer. It does not have to discuss original research or relate to a new technical discovery. You can do one of the following:
    • Choose a topic, discuss the underlying problem encountered on your co-op term, your approach to solving the problem, and the progress you made in solving it. You should identify an analytic component, compare and evaluate several methods or techniques. You can discuss advantages and disadvantages of different approaches in the report.
    • Reflect on specific ways that your co-op working experience has helped you in becoming a better data scientist. What new understanding about which specific aspects of the data science have you gained through your work experience? How has the work experience changed your views on data science? How has the work experience changed your assessment of your skills to work in the data science industry? What are some skills that you need to improve most and why? Connect your reflection to specific experiences and events encountered on your co-op term.
  • In addition, in concrete terms, describe how the courses you have taken so far in the MDSAI program at the University of Waterloo relate to your work. The topic and reflection should be based on your co-op job experience.
  • A report is unacceptable if it is simply a users’ guide or other documentation, or if you simply summarize your work term tasks. Your report should contain conclusions, which summarize key points derived from the work experience. 
  • As a guideline, your report should be approximately 10 pages, with a maximum of 15 pages. Reports must be at least 6 pages to be considered acceptable. If your report falls below the required page count, please revise and update it before submitting.