Research Outline

STEM Co-ops

Goals

To provide data analysis on the number of universities in the United States that offer co-op programs in the STEM field as well as information on the structure of the co-op programs offered.

Early Findings

Sample List of Universities/Colleges That Have Co-Op Programs

Northeastern University

  • Northeastern University's co-op program has been in existence for more than 100 years. About 90% of students participate in the program.
  • "Through the program, students alternate semesters of academic study with semesters of full-time employment in positions related to their academic or career interests. Because of this, most students are at Northeastern for five years, gaining up to 18 months of professional work experience while still in college."
  • The program is available in several fields, including IT, engineering, and health sciences. Students have also held co-op positions in organizations like the American Red Cross, Reebok, General Electric, and Pfizer.

University of Cincinnati

  • The University of Cincinnati co-op program was introduced in 1906. The program is available to students during their second year of study.
  • The program is open to students in the College of Engineering and Applied Science and College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning.
  • Students are required to pay a co-op fee, which is considerably less than tuition fees. "Most of UC’s co-ops are paid, with many students earning an average of $1,700 to $2,500 per month during their assignments."
  • About 60% of co-op jobs are offered outside the Cincinnati region, allowing students to work in new cities.

Kettering University

  • Also known as Kettering Co-op, the program enables students to gain up to 2.5 years of work experience. The program is open to all students, including science and engineering students.
  • Students also get to earn between $45,000 to $70,000 at the end of the program.
  • The program has helped students at the institution increase their earning potential. According to PayScale, Bachelor of Science graduates from Kettering University earn the highest salaries in Michigan.

Summary

    • During our initial hour of research, we were able to locate three universities that offer co-op programs in the STEM field. We have also provided an overview of each institution's co-op structure.
    • We did not locate sources that provided data analysis on the number of universities in the United States that offer co-ops in the STEM field. We, however, found sources that listed Universities with co-op programs. We then sampled a few to identify the ones with co-op programs in the field of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
    • Further research is required to provide additional universities/colleges in the United States that offer co-op programs in the STEM field.
    • Please select one or more of the options provided in the proposed scoping section below.