1	“Designing and Integrating a Successful Graduate Cooperative Education Program in a Research Focused Environment” Mel Simms, Ed.D and John Spadaccini, M.S. College of Computer and Information Science Department of Cooperative Education Northeastern University, Boston, MA
2	Session Overview Overview of who we are Overview of our graduate program Goals of our graduate co-op program Structure of graduate co-op in CCIS Assessment Group discussion
3	Who We Are Northeastern University, Boston, MA 18,000 undergraduates (full and part-time) 4,000 graduate students (full and part-time) CCIS: 120 Masters and 56+ PHD 600 Undergraduate students in CCIS 2 year graduate program Optional for master’s students Required for undergraduates
4	Factors to Consider Institutional commitment Co-op vs. internship Responsiveness to international students Recruiting students The application process Preparing students Developing Assignments Integrating the co-op program into a research environment
5	Institutional Commitment The institution of NU has a commitment to cooperative education at the undergraduate level. CCIS was committed to the undergraduate program. 1992 the Dean of Computer Science decided that the a co-op option should be offered to Masters student.
6	Institutional Commitment Resources A focus on students, job development, and integrating the program. Dean of Computer and Information Science and the Vice President for Cooperative Education have agreed to allocate time to the workload.
7	History of the CCIS Graduate Co-op Program From 1992 – 2001, the program was offered but not advertised. Fall 92 - 10 students Sp 93 - 17 students Since 2001 approximately 52 students were working at 38 companies 2005 CCIS began making a formal commitment to advertising the program in order to increase the numbers. Current Grad Co-op Seminar has 34 students
8	Co-op in a Research Environment Provides and alternative to many students Research faculty and administration acknowledge this component is important to students.
9	Cooperative Education A strategy of applied learning which is a structured program developed and supervised by an educational institution in collaboration with one or more employing organizations, whereby relevant and productive work is an integral part of a student’s regular academic program. An academic period normally commences and terminates such a program, and the work experience component should involve productive work and comprise a reasonable proportion of the total program.
10	Internship Internship: Often a term for a variety of off-campus Volunteer or paid learning experiences. Internship work can be done at any point in a student’s college career. A period of apprenticeship when students work off-campus, under supervision, in a school, factory, hospital, business, laboratory, or government agency or program. It also allows students to learn practical applications of classroom material. Work in a company or agency related to a student’s degree program and career plans, -usually for academic credit and often also for payment.
11	Structure of Our Program Based on the Northeastern University Cooperative Education Learning Model
12	Cooperative Education Learning Model
13	Cooperative Education Learning Model
14	Cooperative Education Learning Model
15	Structure of Our Program All students attend a set of seminars consisting of 10 sessions. 6 class seminars Submit a letter of application along with a resume. First formal interview Once accepted, must attend a seminar tilted: Seeking a new assignment.
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17	Cooperative Education Learning Model
18	Cooperative Education Learning Model
19	Cooperative Education Learning Model
20	Cooperative Education Learning Model
21	Cooperative Education Learning Model
22	Graduate CCIS Co-op Plans
23	Responsiveness to ….?
24	Responsiveness to Students Uniqueness of their concerns Interviewing expectation differences How to interview How to write a professional resume
25	Responsiveness to International Students Uniqueness of their concerns How to interview in the US How to write a resume for US companies Cultural differences in work expectations Permission to work clearance Curriculum Practical Training vs. Occupational Practical Training (OPT) Pre-OPT
26	ISSI Connection International Student and Scholar Institute (ISSI) a primary resource to international students ISSI provides international clearance and the link with U.S. Homeland Security. We work extremely closely with this office in providing work term dates and verification for appropriate U.S. employment clearance.
27	Responsiveness to the College Working with the college and the university: We provide regular updates to the graduate school dean. College provides course registration blocks during co-op periods.
28	Recruiting Students The past Reputation of the institution Hear say of other students Presentations to new students to the college orientations The present All of the above Official link to a graduate co-op website Articles in college graduate publications The future All of the above Graduate co-op brochures will be included in all graduate college recruitment materials
29	Application Process Apply during the first semester of their graduate program. Submit a cover letter and resume. Must attend seven required preparation Graduate Co-op Seminars.
30	Developing Assignments Previous connections with undergraduate employers. Employer Relations Coordinator Follow up with companies where students have developed their own assignments. Recommendations and/or leads from faculty
31	Responsiveness to Employers Working with employers: We keep regular contact with existing and new employers. Employers provide us with complete descriptions of their student needs.
32	Emerging Fields Constant job development Monitor changes in industry Student interests
33	Real jobs in the real world
34	Focus on Skill Sets and Quality Assignments We assess both skill sets and quality of the assignments
35	Assessment Student assessment instrument Employer assessment instrument
36	Skill Level Compared to Expected Skill Level
37	Co-op Quality Definition A Challenging assignment with positive supervision and mentoring which attempts to match the student’s technical, developmental & professional abilities and allows the student to excel in one or more of the above.
38	Quality Definition: Academics A quality assignment would reflect curriculum outcomes: outcomes which measure level of success in accomplishing pre-specified programmatic goals and objectives; having benchmarks and measures of success.
39	How would you rate the quality level of the assignment?
40	How would you rate the quality level of the assignment?
41	How well did your employer meet your expectations?
42	How well did this student meet your expectations?
43	Summary Commitment Organizationally Students Employers Support Financially Desire, will to forge ahead facing all obstacles.
44	Group Discussion How do you handle students who choose to continue working for the company beyond the co-op: Loss of a possible position for a future co-op student? How does CPT, Pre-OPT and OPT interface with your program: Curricula Practical Training Pre-Occupational Training Occupational Practice Training?
45	Links of Interest http://www.ccs.neu.edu/ http://www.ccs.neu.edu/graduate/index.html http://www.ccs.neu.edu/coop/grad.html http://www.issi.neu.edu/
46	Comments & Questions