Spotlight: Drexel Universiy
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Drexel University, is widely recognized as one of this nation’s premier educational institutions with cooperative educational opportunities. Accordingly, it seems highly appropriate to examine its program as a starting point for a future USciences cooperative education program.
For almost a century the Drexel co-op program has redefined the undergraduate experience and developed into the cornerstone of the universities educational experience. As such the entire structure of the Drexel University academic calendar has been built around this program. Instead of the near universal semester academic calendar which this school uses, Drexel uses a full year quadmester calendar. This calender allows Drexel to educate its students year round, alternating between standard terms and co-op terms. Under Drexel’s scheme students are provided with three co-op program options to suit their individual needs and future goals.
The first, three co-op option is the most recommended and widely used. This option provides students with 18 months of hands-on work experience within leading organizations in their major’s industry. As a result, students graduate with invaluable work experience, a stellar resume, and increased chances of employment. According to Drexel, one third of its graduates—the majority of whom chose this option—will gain post-graduation employment with their co-op employer. Also, because the extra educational year is filled with co-op employment that pays students, the student is not increasing their educational debt. Rather they have an opportunity to decrease it. For those students who desire a standard 4-year education, a one co-op opportunity. A no-co-op education are also available.
For almost a century the Drexel co-op program has redefined the undergraduate experience and developed into the cornerstone of the universities educational experience. As such the entire structure of the Drexel University academic calendar has been built around this program. Instead of the near universal semester academic calendar which this school uses, Drexel uses a full year quadmester calendar. This calender allows Drexel to educate its students year round, alternating between standard terms and co-op terms. Under Drexel’s scheme students are provided with three co-op program options to suit their individual needs and future goals.
The first, three co-op option is the most recommended and widely used. This option provides students with 18 months of hands-on work experience within leading organizations in their major’s industry. As a result, students graduate with invaluable work experience, a stellar resume, and increased chances of employment. According to Drexel, one third of its graduates—the majority of whom chose this option—will gain post-graduation employment with their co-op employer. Also, because the extra educational year is filled with co-op employment that pays students, the student is not increasing their educational debt. Rather they have an opportunity to decrease it. For those students who desire a standard 4-year education, a one co-op opportunity. A no-co-op education are also available.
New Suggestions
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Many here at the University of the Sciences may resist an effort to dramatically restructure our academic calendar. If this is the case, we propose utilizing the summer as a cooperative education term. At a secondary education level, many students use summer vacation less as free time and more as an opportunity to pursue internships and other employment opportunities. As such, during the summertime it would be appropriate for the university to provide co-op employment options to students who would seek employment anyways, while leaving a no co-op option available for those who would not. Here is what a potential USciences Co-op Program might look like:
Under this unique USciences scheme, freshman year remains very much as it is currently. They retain their summer vacation because often, freshmen are forced to repeat classes or choose to take upper level coursework during this crucial summer. However, instead of offering major specific freshman introductory courses, we propose eliminating these for students who choose a co-op education. Instead they should take a Co-op 101 course similar to that of Drexel’s, which will introduce students to the program and provide them the basic skills and resources they need to pursue co-op employment offered by the school, and then subsequently succeed at them.
Under this unique USciences scheme, freshman year remains very much as it is currently. They retain their summer vacation because often, freshmen are forced to repeat classes or choose to take upper level coursework during this crucial summer. However, instead of offering major specific freshman introductory courses, we propose eliminating these for students who choose a co-op education. Instead they should take a Co-op 101 course similar to that of Drexel’s, which will introduce students to the program and provide them the basic skills and resources they need to pursue co-op employment offered by the school, and then subsequently succeed at them.