As a co-op student, you'll either be studying full time or working full time in a job related to your program.
In the school term before your first co-op term, you'll take a professional development course to help guide you through Waterloo's co-op process and to start developing key skills for your career. You'll gain valuable tips for success and start applying to jobs and going to interviews with employers while throughout your school term.
After that, you'll typically alternate every four months between school and work terms, and may sometimes have two school or work terms back to back. However, there are many variations of co-op work/study sequences.
Example 1: Co-op starts in first year
Engineering and some Math students will have co-op work terms in January or May of first year.
| |
September to December |
January to April |
May to August |
|---|
| First year |
School |
School |
Work term |
|---|
| Second year |
School |
Work term |
School |
|---|
| Third year |
Work term |
School |
Work term |
|---|
| Fourth year |
School |
Work term |
School |
|---|
| Final year |
Work term |
School |
Graduation |
|---|
|
School = Four-month school term, Work term = Four-month co-op work term
|
|---|
Example 2: Co-op starts in second year
Some students have their first work term halfway through second year.
| |
September to December |
January to April |
May to August |
|---|
| First year |
School |
School |
Off |
|---|
| Second year |
School |
Work term |
School |
|---|
| Third year |
Work term |
School |
Work term |
|---|
| Fourth year |
School |
Work term |
School |
|---|
| Final year |
Work term |
School |
Graduation |
|---|
|
School = Four-month school term, Work term = Four-month co-op work term
Off = Make your own plans (work, travel, vacation, etc.)
|
|---|
When will your first co-op work term be?
If you're not sure which faculty offers your program of interest, view our programs grouped by faculty. The dates are for students starting in September 2021.
Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
Faculty of Arts
- All Honours Arts and Business co-op majors
- Halfway through second year (January to April 2023)
- All Honours Arts co-op majors, except English*
- After second year (May to August 2023)
- English majors in Honours Arts: halfway through second year (January to April 2023)
Faculty of Engineering, including Architecture
- Architecture
- Halfway through second year (January to April 2023)
- Architectural, Environmental, Geological, Systems Design
- Halfway through first year (January to April 2022)
- Biomedical, Civil, Management, Nanotechnology, Software
- At the end of first year (May to August 2022)
- Chemical, Computer, Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics
- Halfway through first year (January to April 2022) or after first year (May to August 2022)
Faculty of Environment
- Environment programs other than Planning
- Halfway through second year (January to April 2023)
- Planning
- After you complete second year (May to August 2023)
Faculty of Mathematics
- Business Administration and Computer Science (Double Degree), Business Administration and Mathematics (Double Degree), Computing and Financial Management, Mathematical Physics
- After first year (May to August 2022)
- Mathematics/Teaching, Pure Mathematics/Teaching
- After first year (May to August 2022) or halfway through second year (which can be September to December 2022 or January to April 2023)
- Mathematics/Chartered Professional Accountancy
- Halfway through second year (January to April 2023)
- All other Math majors, including Computer Science, Mathematics, Mathematics/Business Administration, Mathematics/Financial Analysis and Risk Management
- After first year (May to August 2022) or halfway through second year (which can be September to December 2022 or January to April 2023)
Faculty of Science
- Science programs other than Psychology
- Halfway through second year (January to April 2023)
- Psychology
- After you complete second year (May to August 2023)
More about co-op
