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Co-operative Education

Work term challenges

If you've completed work experience before joining the co-op program, you may be able to use that experience to challenge a work term and get credit toward a co-op designation.

You'll apply for your work term challenge before you apply for your first co-op job through the program.

Does the position qualify for a work term challenge?

In order for you to apply for a Work Term Challenge, you must:

  • be an undergraduate student currently registered in the co-op program (not the work experience program)
  • not be in your graduating term

To be considered for a co-op work term credit by challenge, the work experience in question must have:

  • been completed before you joined the co-op program (work experience program is not eligible)
  • helped you establish and work towards your career goals
  • been supervised
  • been paid
  • been at least 420 hours in length

If your challenge is approved, you'll pay the co-op tuition fee for a work term challenge. Normally, students can only qualify for one work term challenge.

How to apply

  1. Complete the form found in your co-op course in Brightspace.
  2. Two to four weeks after this deadline, you'll receive an email to let you know whether or not your application package is complete and meets the criteria.
  3. If you've met the criteria, your co-op program will let you know and you'll follow instructions in Brightspace to complete two additional pieces:
    1. Employer confirmation letter: your employer must send this letter to your co-op coordinator by the deadline listed in Brightspace. They'll outline your job title, wage and number of hours worked. You'll find a template for this letter in Brightspace.
    2. Work term challenge report: You'll find the deadline and instructions on how to write this report in Brightspace.
  4. If these items are received by deadline and determined to meet the criteria, you'll normally be registered for the co-op term in the following academic term. The fee and grade ("COM") for the work term challenge will be applied to your account and student record. You'll receive an email to let you know that your challenge report has been marked as satisfactory.

When to apply

You can apply to challenge a work term when you take the Introduction to Professional Practice (IPP) course, which is usually during your first academic term in the co-op program.

Visit your IPP page in Brightspace for your program's specific deadline.

Get support

 Contact your co-op program office if you have questions.