Co-op Model

Cooperative Education

Cooperative Education is a distinctive form of experiential education. Students at Northeastern University earn experiential learning credit when they satisfactorily complete the following components of the cooperative education learning process: Preparation, Activity and Reflection.

PREPARATION

Active Participation in structured preparation

Activities through group and/or individual interactions with Cooperative Education Faculty that are intended to develop:

• Job Success Skills
• Goal Setting
• Decision-Making Skills
• Self-Assessment
• Career Exploration

The preparation phase results in an individualized learning agreement that addresses personal and professional goals.

REFLECTION

The interplay of action and reflection on experience is central to cooperative education.
Opportunities exist for conscious reflection and critical analysis with reference to the student's individualized learning agreement. The Co-op faculty will help the students identify opportunities that may include:

• Journals
• Structured discussion among students
• Conversations with supervisors and/or clients
• Faculty conferences with students
• Assessments by students, co-op faculty, and/or employer
• Debriefing sessions, individual an/or group
• Analysis papers
• Public presentations
• Group projects
• Creative artistic expression

ACTIVITY

An activity approved by Cooperative Education Faculty for a defined time period, which meets the individualized learning agreement. Such activities may include:

• Work
• Research
• Travel/Cultural Exploration
• Job Search

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The Cooperative Education Faculty will evaluate whether students have satisfactorily completed each co-op learning process cycle. The successful completion of one six-month co-op experience, encompassing the elements of the Cooperative Education Learning Model, is equivalent to the successful completion of a semester-long course.

Click here to download the coooperative education learning model.