Co-op program information
The co-operative work terms provide additional practical experience for those strongly oriented towards careers as professional planners and enables them to enter the professional practice directly. However, students may choose to pursue graduate work in planning-related fields such as environmental planning, land use planning, or social policy planning, to mention a few. Students may also be attracted to study in other disciplines such as law, business administration, transport engineering, or landscape architecture.
Planning students are strongly encouraged to participate in at least one out-of-province work experience.
| Planning - co-op stream | Fall term September - December | Winter term January - April | Spring term May-August | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year one | Context | 1A term | 1B term | Off |
| Year two | Systems, analysis and method | 2A term | 2B term | Work term one |
| Year three | Planning methods and electives | 3A term | Work term two | 3B term |
| Year four | Professional practice | Work term three | 4A term | Work term four |
| Year five | Work term five | 4B term | Graduate | |
The co-op stream is composed of 13 terms, of which five are four month work terms. Work terms four and five can be combined as an eight month work term with the same employer. Students must complete a minimum of four work terms and submit a work term report at the completion of each work term: four overall (a work report is not necessary to complete after work term five). The first work term occurs in the Spring after 2B and the last work term occurs in the Fall term of 4th year. Normally, students must complete the five work terms as scheduled above.
Co-op students in the Faculty of Environment are required to complete a minimum of four Professional Development (PD) courses, including an introductory course, (PD1) that must be taken prior to the first work term. PD12 requires a work term report to be written, which will be considered one of the four required work term reports. Other than PD1, these courses are normally taken during co-op work terms. Students are encouraged to take a PD course each work term until the requirement is met.
To be considered in good standing in Honours Co-op Planning, students must obtain a minimum cumulative overall average of 65%, and 75% in their major average (PLAN and ENVS courses) throughout their academic plan. In addition to maintaining the required minimum cumulative averages, students must complete and submit satisfactory Co-op work reports at the completion of their first four work terms. Work reports are due ten days after the first official day of lectures of the academic term in which the report is required. If your report is graded unsatisfactory, revisions must be made and submitted by the 30th day of classes of the current term. Should a student fail to submit a work term report, the student will be placed on conditional standing, and (if reports remain outstanding) may be required to withdraw from the program.
Note: Future program assessments of our undergraduate course offerings may very well indicate that some adjustment to the current curriculum will be necessary in view of both emerging needs in the field and experience with the co-op stream.
If a student wishes to participate in an exchange, it may be possible to do so by forfeiting a work term. An exchange cannot be taken during a scheduled academic term due to the course offerings. Contact the School's undergraduate advisor to explore the possibilities.
