Graduate studies co-op program

The University of Waterloo's celebrated cooperative education program - very popular with undergraduates - is also available for master's graduate students in Management Sciences coursework (MMSc) or thesis (MASc) programs. In the cooperative education program, students combine traditional academic terms with paying work term jobs in industry or government.

Eligibility for the co-operative program is available only to full time graduate students registered in their first term (1.0) in the Management Sciences Department.

Each applicant must be approved by the the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies in the Department of Management Sciences. MASc students also require their supervisor's approval.

Transfer students from other graduate programs in the University of Waterloo are not eligible to apply for the Management Sciences graduate studies co-op program. 

*The GDDA courses do not schedule around the co-op program. Students enrolled in the co-op program may not be able to complete the GDDA courses when they are available.

Fall 2022 MSCI Graduate COOP slides

Fall 2022 Co-Operative Education Slides

2023 Application deadline: NOVEMBER 1st

Minimum application requirements

Application must be submitted in your first term of graduate study in the Management Sciences Department - Contact MMSc Graduate Studies Administrator.

Eligible students must have:

• Successfully completed all three core courses in their first fall term (MSCI 603, MSCI 605, & MSCI 609)
• a minimum 85% average in the fall term (first graduate studies term in Management Sciences)
• Students cannot have any outstanding English Language Proficiency requirements as part of their conditions of admission for their graduate studies program.

The department may request an interview with students before they are recommended to Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) for approval.

Meeting the minimum application requirements does not guarantee admission to the co-op program.

Application:

• MSCICOOP Application Package - due November 1st 

MMSC applicants: ​Please submit your coop application via the drop box in the MMSC forum in learn.
MASC applicants: Please submt your coop application directly to your Graduate Administrator.

Note: the timeline for co-op extends the time in the program to allow for two full work terms. See the sequence table below for expected program sequencing and duration.

Co-op degree requirements

Co-op students are responsible for following the regulations and procedures of Co-operative  and Experiential Education.

The co-operative placements must relate to the program of study.

There must be two (2) work terms completed during the Master's studies.

A co-op student must finish their program on an academic term.

A co-op student must maintain full-time status until degree completion.

Students accepted to the MSCI Graduate COOP program are automatically enrolled in and encouraged to complete COOP 601 Career Success Strategies in the academic term prior to the first work term.

Coop Sequence Change Form & Instruction

Co-op work term reports

Students are required to submit a work term report after completion of each co-op term.

Work term reports are evaluated by the work term report coordinator.

You will be expected to submit one work term report for each work term you complete (total of two full work term reports). The department will not accept duplicate reports. Each report must be separate and complete.

If you are on a double work term at the same company, you may submit your work term reports in two parts, on the same subject.  They must clearly be two separate reports for each work term. The first work report (part 'A') will be due after your first work term. The second work report (part 'B') will be due after your second work term. You cannot submit both at the end of your double work term.

Work term reports are run through Turnitin; make sure you cite your work properly. If you have an issue (confidentiality, etc.) with plagiarism software you will be expected to submit a fully annotated bibliography with your work term report submission (both hard and soft copy).

The department has provided a guideline for all work term reports submitted. It includes detailed information of what is expected from you*. It is expected that you read the guideline thoroughly.

MSCI Coop Work Report Guidelines

Graduate co-op fees

A fee in the amount of $745.00 per four-month work-term will be charged to students using the services of Co-operative Education.

Health coverage while on a work term

Co-op Students are not assessed dental, supplemental health, or GSA fees. Students should remember to enrol through the GSA office. 

International co-op students are charged for UHIP, but must self-enrol for dental and supplemental health coverage. 

Please see the student fee schedules for more detailed information (you will find co-op fees listed under the undergraduate fee schedules).

Work term sequence for graduate students in Management Sciences

Page last updated: October 2022 KD