Information for New Students
If you’re a new student (freshman or undergraduate transfer) in the College of Computer and Information Science, welcome! When you begin depends on several factors including your year/rank in school and your major. Because the Co-op Program must accommodate several hundred students per year, the program is rigorous and structured.
Course and Seminar Links
Graduate Co-op Seminar, Co-op Preparation, Overview 2 Class
General Criteria You should begin by familiarizing yourself with basic information about co-op policies and procedures by reading the CCIS Co-op Manual and General Northeastern University Co-op Student Handbook.
Each student must be in good academic standing in order to begin the co-op job search. This means you:
- Cannot be on academic probation or dismissal.
- Must have a 2.0 GPA or higher.
- Must complete a co-op preparation course.
- Must be enrolled in classes at the time you begin seeking a co-op position.
- Must be a full-time student.
In addition, you must be “cleared” by your co-op coordinator before you can accept or begin working a co-op position. For more information about the clearance process, see the CCIS Co-op Manual.
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All freshmen are required to take CS 1200 in the Fall semester and CS 1210 in the Spring semester (Computer Science Overview 1 and 2) during their freshman year. In most cases, you will be automatically assigned to these during registration,
The Overview courses are designed to help you acclimate to life at Northeastern University and to introduce you to the cooperative education program. By the end of CS 1210, you should have completed most of the necessary steps for co-op clearance. Overview 2 is an in-depth introduction to co-op and many of your questions regarding the co-op process will be answered in the class.
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If you’re transferring into CCIS from another college at Northeastern or another institution, you must first be fully accepted into the program before you can participate in the CCIS Co-op Program. Speak with a CCIS advisor about transfer requirements and procedures. Students who are “provisionally” admitted to CCIS cannot participate in co-op.
A minimum of two semesters must be completed in the College of Computer and Information Science before you can go on co-op. This allows us to verify that you can handle the rigorous CCIS academic curriculum and it gives you time to complete the freshman CS/IS coursework. Exceptions can sometimes be made if you have extenuating circumstances (e.g., if you’ve already taken Fundamentals of Computer Science 1 and 2 and earned a C or better in both).
International students on an F1 visa must attend school full-time for one academic year before going out on co-op.
If you have already been on co-op in your previous major, the co-op prep course credit you earned there will transfer into CCIS. Speak with your previous coordinator and your CCIS coordinator to make sure your co-op files are transferred.
Once you are accepted:
- Immediately come in to see your new CCIS Co-op Faculty Coordinator. Your coordinator will need to assess your readiness for co-op, help you plan when you’ll go on co-op, and assign you to a pattern of attendance.
- Take the CCIS co-op preparation course (CS1210 or CS1220), if you haven’t taken one in your previous college.
- Complete co-op clearance during the semester before you wish to begin working.
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