English Co-op

Intro

At Waterloo, co-op students alternate study terms with co-op work terms and graduate with relevant, paid work experience. This means learning how to navigate the hiring process, applying your skills to real-life problems and learning about yourself along the way.

In Arts, co-op is available in English through Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business.

• Learn how co-op works
• Learn if co-op is right for you
• Learn about your roles and responsibilities as a co-op student

The English co-op program gives students the ability to earn income and gain experience in the workplace. You may take any Honours English degree in either the regular mode or the co-op mode. 

The academic requirements of Honours English degree plans are identical whether you are a regular or a co-op student.

You should apply for co-op when you apply for entry into your Honours English program at the end of 1B term or the beginning of 2A term. You will then complete six further terms of study on campus (2A/B, 3A/B, 4A/B) and at least four work terms with participating employers in fields such as education, media, business, government, industry, and the non-profit sector.

Co-op eligibility

Co-op is only available to students in Honours academic plans.

• Honours Englishstudents require a minimum 70% major average
• Honours Arts and Business, Honours English students require a minimum 70% major average and a minimum 70% average in their Honours Arts and Business courses.

As an Arts student, in most cases you will be assessed for co-op eligibility when you declare your major. If you are eligible, you will be admitted to co-op prior to starting your second year Fall term (academic level 2A). Learn more about Arts co-op eligibility and speak with an English advisor if you have any questions.

Co-op sequences

You will have five work term opportunities in your sequence and you need to complete a minimum of four work terms. The sequence you follow is determined by when you start your studies and your academic plan(s). For example, students in Honours Arts and Business follow a different sequence than students in Honours Arts.

Learn more about which sequence you follow as an English major.

If you are requesting a sequence change, please see:

• Reasons for a sequence change request
• Co-operative Education request for academic/work term sequence change form

Co-op fees

Co-op at Waterloo is predominantly funded by a student-paid co-op fee. Similar to tuition, this fee is associated with being enrolled in a co-op program and is paid in instalments throughout your time at Waterloo. To learn more about these fees and what they cover, visit the Co-operative Education’s fee page.

Work term reports and Professional Development (PD) courses

Co-op students in Arts must successfully complete four work terms, as well as professional development (PD) courses from the WatPD program and work reports/reflections for each work term. The number of PD courses and work reports/reflections you’ll complete is determined by the academic calendar year you joined the co-op program in the Faculty of Arts. Learn more about the Arts work term report and PD requirements.

Effective Winter 2022, work reports will no longer be required for co-op students in the Faculty of Arts. From Winter 2022 onward, Arts co-op students will instead complete embedded reflections within the required Professional Development (PD) courses.

Fall 2021: This is the last term that work reports will be required. If you are scheduled for a Fall 2021 work term, you are still required to complete a work report (e.g. WKRPT 200, WKRPT 300, WKRPT 400), following the normal submission process. If you are enrolled in PD 12, you will not submit a work report, as you already have an embedded reflection within this PD course.

Winter 2022 and onward: If you are scheduled for any work terms(s) in Winter 2022 and onward, you are not required to complete a separate work report. The WKRPT 200, WKRPT 300, WKRPT 400 courses will no longer be added to your record in Quest.

For further information, please see the Faculty of Arts Co-op work report guidelines.

Co-op supports

As a co-op student, you will have a team of support. Learn how to connect with your team.

All students (co-op and regular streams) have access to Centre for Career Action resources and supports at any point during their time at Waterloo.

You can also reach out to an English Advisor if you have questions about your co-op plan.

Co-op student jobs

The English co-op placement rate is consistently at 95-100%. English students in all streams find good jobs in a variety of sectors because their strong communication and critical thinking skills are highly valued by employers. Some recent positions include the following: