Co-op Program for Employers

The UHCL Cooperative Education Program (Co-op) is a planned learning process that integrates classroom studies with supervised work experience. Co-op students are enrolled in a graded course, offered for credit, which requires them to work in a paid position related to their current field of study. This program is available to UHCL domestic and international (F-1) students.

How to Participate in Co-op at UHCL

1. Post job openings with Career Services in Jobs4Hawks.
   A Co-op job must be a paid position with job duties directly related to student’s major for a minimum 3-month commitment at 16 - 40 hours per week.
2. Hire students who are eligible for Co-op.
   The Co-op Coordinator is the primary point of contact for employers who wish to hire academically approved students to participate in the Co-op program. In addition to serving as a liaison between students and employers for the Co-op job search, the Coordinator maintains contact with enrolled Co-op students and their employers/supervisors through site visits and calls each semester.
3. Submit the Job Approval Form to the Co-op Coordinator.
4. Submit the Co-op Employer Evaluation of Student Form at the end of the term.

Majors Available

College of Business

• Accounting (B.S., M.S.)
• M.B.A.
• Environmental Management (B.S., M.S.)
• Management (B.B.A.)
• Finance (B.S., M.S.)
• Management Information Systems (B.S., M.S.)
• General Business (B.B.A.)
• Marketing (B.B.A.)
• Healthcare Administration (B.S., M.H.A, M.B.A.)
• Management Information Systems (B.S., M.S.)
• Human Resource Management (M.A.)
• Political Science (B.S.)
• Legal Studies (B.S.)
• Professional Accounting (B.S./M.S.)

College of Science and Engineering

• Biological Sciences (B.A., B.S., M.S.)
• Mathematical Sciences (B.A., B.S., M.S.)
• Chemistry (B.A., B.S., M.S.)
• Physical Sciences (B.S.)
• Computer Engineering (M.S.)
• Physics (M.S.)
• Computer Information Systems (B.S., M.S.)
• Software Engineering (M.S.)
• Computer Science (B.S., M.S.)
• Statistics (M.S.)
• Computer Systems Engineering (B.S.)
• Systems Engineering (M.S.)

Work Plan Options

Domestic Students

1. Parallel Plan: 16 - 31 hours/week while taking classes
   Undergraduates must take 9-12 hours and graduate students 6-9 hours. In summer, Co-op participants may enroll in 3-6 additional credit hours.
2. Alternate Plan: 32 - 40 hours/week alternating with a semester of no work
   During the work semester, students may take 6 class hours in addition to the Co-op course credit. When not working in a Co-op job, students must be enrolled full-time.
3. Full-time Plan: 32 - 40 hours/week continuously for two or more semesters
   Students must take 6 additional credit hours per semester for each semester in Co-op, except during the semester of their graduation and summer semester.

International Students - CPT

UHCL sponsors international students who participate in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) through the Co-op program and handles any paperwork with CPT for Co-op. Employers do not complete any additional paper work or sponsor international students in the Co-op program.

1. Part-time: 16 - 20 hours/week
   Undergraduates must be enrolled 12 hours and graduate students enrolled in 9 hours.
2. Full-time: 21 - 40 hours/week
   Undergraduates must be enrolled 9 hours and graduate students enrolled in 6 hours.
3. Summer and Graduating Semesters
   Work plans vary in summer and the semester in which the student is graduating.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When should I submit my job posting?
   Post jobs at least three months prior to the anticipated start date to allow time for the hiring process. Keep in mind that students begin their Co-op experience at the start of each semester (January, May, August). Ideally, if your anticipated start date is in May, then it is best to post the job as early as January. However, jobs may be posted at any time.
2. How much do I have to pay Co-op students?
   Compensation is negotiable between you and each student, and varies based on students’ experience and education, as well as your company’s needs and resources.
3. How much credit do students get for Co-op per semester?
   Students in the School of Computer Science and Engineering receive one credit hour per semester, while those of the School of Business choose between one and three credits per semester.
4. How long can a Co-op student work for my company/organization?
   Co-op students work with you from at least three months to three semesters at most (12 months) as allowed by their degree plan. Discuss the duration of employment with each student during the interview.
5. Can students change employers in the middle of the semester?
   No. Students are not allowed to changes employers during the semester. Please contact the Co-op Coordinator if any such change occurs.
6. How are students graded?
   Students are graded based on their technical report and their supervisor’s evaluation of their work for each term. Course grade requirements (submitted by students) are due before finals each semester.

Benefits

• Conduct an extended evaluation of a potential employee.
• Acquire labor source for peak work periods or seasonal projects.
• Eliminate or reduce new employee training by employing former co-op student.

Employer Forms for Co-op

• Job Approval Form
• Employer Evaluation of Student Form