Cooperative Education

Valpo’s Cooperative Education Program enriches students’ total education through off-campus experiences that are closely integrated with their academic studies.

Qualified physics students may obtain cooperative education experiences in a variety of employment situations, including research laboratories and industrial and engineering companies. Such students combine semesters of paid basic or applied research at a professional work site with other semesters of traditional academic studies on campus.

Participating in cooperative education usually extends the participating student’s college education beyond four years; however, the students are financially compensated by the cooperating employer and receive credit toward the physics major.

Students are considered to be continuing full-time students of the University while on co-op assignment.

Academic Credit

Students gain academic credit for their work through the following courses:

PHYS 481	Cooperative Education in Physics I	0.5-3 credits
PHYS 482	Cooperative Education in Physics II	0.5-3 credits
PHYS 483	Cooperative Education in Physics III	0.5-3 credits

Students must write a midterm and final report for each semester and can only re-enroll for a subsequent semester if they have received a satisfactory employer evaluation.

The courses may be repeated beyond PHYS 483 for additional credit, but no more than four credits earned in cooperative education may be applied toward the minimum 28 credit hours needed for a physics major. With departmental approval, cooperative education courses may be substituted for PHYS 445, Senior Research in Physics.

Enrollment and Eligibility

Enrollment in this program is limited by the availability of positions offered by suitable cooperating companies. Eligible students are junior or senior physics majors who have completed PHYS 245, Experimental Physics III, and achieved a cumulative grade point average of 2.50. Students must also receive approval from the chair of the department.