CoOp is a formal and academically accredited element of your degree programme. Your CoOp grade is decided by an Academic member of staff on a pass-fail basis. This grade is based on your employer's evaluation of your performance and your CoOp report.
If you are doing CoOp in Ireland, you can expect to be contacted by an Academic to arrange an evaluation visit. You will be contacted in advance of the visit and you must be available on the day. The purpose of the visit is to review your progress with the employer and to get your feedback on your placement to date. On the basis of their discussion with you and your employer, the Academic returns an evaluation form to the CoOp Division for review. A final assessment of your placement is completed by your employer towards the end of your placement. This assesses your performance across a number of categories including basic work habits, teamwork, skills, communication skills, willingness to learn etc.
(Civil Engineering students returning from CoOp or having completed the Alternative Programme (modules or project) in the Spring semester, will be required to make a formal presentation on their experience and lessons learned etc).
For students doing international placements, we try to arrange academic visits where practical. If this isn't possible, an academic member of staff will contact you by telephone. In the event of your not being visited, your CoOp will be graded on the basis of your final employer evaluation and your report.
Academic visits are allocated by your academic department. Once visitors are allocated, you will receive an email from the CoOp Division advising you that the name of your academic visitor can be viewed on the student portal. You should contact your assigned visitor directly with any queries relating to your visit.
The Cooperative Education Award recognises exceptional student performance on Cooperative Education placement. Each college makes one award every year and the award is presented to the successful students on graduation day.
Nominations for the award are accepted from both employers and academics involved in any stage of the assessment viz. CoOp visits, discussions with the employer, grading of CoOp reports. The final selection for the awards is made by the Cooperative Education Sub-Committee to Academic Council, which is made up of representatives of college faculty and the Cooperative Education & Careers Division - view the CoOp Award Winners.