Georgia Tech believes that obtaining relevant, academically related experience outside of the classroom is an integral part of the educational process. The Career Center offers opportunities to obtain such experience through cooperative education and internships.

The Undergraduate Cooperative Plan (Co-op) has been offered at Georgia Tech since 1912. It offers students the opportunity to integrate practical experience with theory learned in the classroom. Many students participate each semester, working full time during alternating semesters, for a total of three semesters, for employers throughout the United States and the world. Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Cooperative Education, it is the largest optional co-op program in the country and one of the highest-ranked programs among public universities.

The Undergraduate Co-op Plan is available for students in all majors. Co-op students remain enrolled in school while on work terms by registering for the appropriate co-op courses.

The work experience received is a valuable asset to graduates starting out in their chosen professions. Neither college laboratory experience nor employment during vacations can take the place of organized co-op experience. The plan provides, to a substantial degree, the experience most companies require of their employees before promoting them to positions of higher responsibility. Work experience may also assist students who are undecided about their future career goals by determining early in their college careers whether they wish to continue in a particular field.

The daily contact with diverse groups among their fellow employees offers students practical insight into sociology, psychology, economics, and ethics that no textbook can supply. Finally, students receive compensation for their services from the employer. Typically, co-op students can save enough from their earnings to pay for a substantial part of their school expenses.

Internships provide practical experience for students who choose not to follow the Undergraduate Co-op Plan. Internships, the majority of which are paid positions, are an extremely viable way to obtain out-of-classroom experience. Similar to cooperative education, the jobs and the students' performance are monitored by the Career Center to ensure maximum benefit by all parties.

Students in all majors may participate in the internship program and may work any term during the academic year. There are also part-time internships available for those who wish to work while attending classes.

Program Eligibility for Co-ops and Internships:
• GPA of 2.0 or above
• Good academic standing
• Co-op students must have three or more academic semesters remaining at the start of the first work term
• Experiential Learning Application must be completed in CareerBuzz

Students are required to register their co-op terms with the Career Center and are enrolled in the CO-OP (tuition-free) 12 audit hour course. Students securing internships are also strongly encouraged to register these opportunities with the Career Center. Students will be registered in the INTN audit hours course based on the number of total work hours per week, as follows:

10-19 hours per week = 3-hour audit course
20-29 hours per week = 6-hour audit course
30-35 hours per week = 9-hour audit course
36+ hours per week = 12-hour audit course

Benefits of CO-OP and INTN Course Enrollment:

• Audit hours are recorded on the official transcript
• Earnings do not affect FAFSA status
• Maintain active student status during work terms
• Cancelation of housing without penalty if working 25 miles or more from campus
• Support from the Career Center during your work terms
• Eligibility for co-op scholarships
• Eligibility for membership in the Briaerean Honors Society
• Co-op designation on the graduation diploma at the completion of the 3 work terms with the same employer

For more information on co-ops and internships, visit our website, email us at careercenter@gatech.edu or call the Career Center at 404-894-3320.