Work‑Integrated Learning & Co‑operative Education

Work Terms

Work term duration

A co-op work term or field placement must fall within an academic term.

 

Co-op work terms consist of:

  • Full-time, paid work experience
  • Typically 35-40 hours per week
  • 14-16 week total duration
  • A minimum of 490 total work hours

Field placements consist of:

  • 8 hours/week, unpaid work experience (in some cases students may be paid a wage)
  • A minimum of 10 weeks total duration

Any variation to the above must be approved by the WIL Co-op office and faculty.

 

Students Offered Extended Work Terms and Back to Back Work Term

 Students are required to complete their scheduled work terms. Those who are offered extended work terms and/or are scheduled to complete back-to-back work terms are subject to the following conditions which are designed to ensure that all students and employers are treated equitably and consistently across all programs.  Please note, if the following does not fit into your standard sequence, you must seek approval from your Faculty Co-op Advisor and your Student Development Coordinator prior to applying for a position. Your request may not be approved.   

  1. Understand that in accepting any co-op position and it is subsequently extended to the following work term or for any other future work terms, you must seek approval, register for, complete the academic requirements, and pay the co-op program fees for all work terms. 
  2. Understand that in accepting a 4 month position and it is extended for another 4 months (8 months consecutively), you must seek approval, register for, complete the academic requirements, and pay the co-op program fees for all work terms. 
  3. Understand that you must seek approval if you wish to accept a co-op position in a scheduled off term.  Additionally, you must submit a work term sequence change form to change that off term into work term 2, 3 or 4, register for, complete the academic requirements, and pay the co-op program fees for all work terms.    
  4. Understand that if your program allows for an 8, 12, or 16 work term and you accept a work term that is 8, 12, or 16 months, then you must seek approval, register for, complete the academic requirements, and pay the co-op program fees for all 4 work terms.
  5. Understand that when you accept a 12-month co-op position which is extended for another 4 months, you must seek approval register for, complete the academic requirements, and pay the co-op program fee for all 4 work terms. 

Work term credits

Each work term is recorded as their program’s associated Work Integrated Learning or Co-operative Education course on the student's transcript and assigned a grade a letter grade or a pass/ fail grade depending on the program. For some programs, work terms will not be applied towards graduation requirements and do not replace academic courses.  Please check with your program to verify how your work term will be counted.

Undergraduate students completing a 3-4 work term co-op program, must successfully complete all scheduled terms to receive Co-operative Education degree designation upon graduation. Graduation must occur following an academic semester.

Work term requirements

During a typical work term, students will:

  • Participate in a work term monitoring exercise which may include a Worksite Visit (in-person/ virtual, by phone or via survey) by a Student Development  Coordinator.
  • Complete work term assignment(s) and/or expectations through Brightspace.
  • Ensure their supervisor submits an Employer Performance Appraisal form near the end of the work term.

There are other discipline-specific assignments and current work term students should consult their online Work Term Course in Brightspace for details.

To successfully pass a work term, the following is required:

  • Obtain a rating of needs improvement, satisfactory, or better, on all supervisor performance appraisal evaluations. *Students who receive two needs improvement evaluations from their employers may not be able to continue in the program.
  • Obtain the passing assessment mark for all assignments as outlined in the course syllabus.

Work term check-ins

To ensure high-quality WIL learning experiences, all members of the WIL Co-op Office conducts work term monitoring through the modes listed below.  Undergraduate first work terms and work terms with new employers will receive a mandatory in-person or virtual work site visit request from a member of the WIL Co-op office for them to meet with the student and employer.  Students in their second year will be called by a WIL Co-op office team member and the employer will be sent a mid-term employer check in survey.  Students in their third and or 4th work term will be sent a survey, and their employers will be sent the mid-term employer check in survey.

 

  • In- Person/Virtual
  • Check in call/ Employer Check in Survey
  • Survey/ Employer Check in Survey
  • Self-Directed 

If any concerns or problems arise during a work term, students should contact the WIL Co-op office for assistance immediately instead of waiting until check-in.

Supervisor evaluation of co-op students (End of Term Performance Appraisal)

Supervisors must complete the End of Term Performance Appraisal to assess their co-op student’s job performance. Near the end of the term, supervisors receive an email containing a secure link to access their student’s End of Term Performance Appraisal, which is completed and submitted through myCareer.

In addition to being part of the student's confidential WIL Co-op record, the End of Term Performance Appraisal is a tool for personal and professional growth and development through constructive feedback on performance. Supervisors are encouraged to review the performance appraisal with the student, who may add comments.

A performance appraisal rating of at least a 'needs improvement' must be earned. Anything less can result in dismissal from their WIL Co-op program. Please note if a student receives two needs improvements, they made not be eligible to continue in their WIL Coop program.

Work Term Assignments

Students must submit all of their assignment work and/or meet expectations for each work term course by the assigned deadline in their syllabus the Brightspace work term course for their program.

Students are responsible to understand all course requirements through their Brightspace course.  

Please ensure you understand the grading and expectations for your assignments and engagement with the course.

Continued work term eligibility

For continued eligibility for Work Integrated Learning and Co-operative Education programs and the supports and services that includes, students must:

  • Meet the minimum CGPA for their program (please see program pages for specifics)
  • Have completed all required credentials, courses and or pre-requisites for their program (this can include entry to program and continued eligibility) 
  • Be eligible to work in Canada (international students with a valid study permit must apply for a co-op work permit)
  • Have registered their work term on Dal Online
  • Complete and pass the previous work term and any associated pre- requisites outlined by the  program.