Student Affairs

staff throughout their participation. Each student is assigned to a co-op advisor who will

guide them through a structured placement process before monitoring/evaluating their

experience for learning outcomes and professional development. Cooperative Education, as

the term implies, represents a collaborative effort between the university and participating

companies.

Students may qualify for the Co-op Program after satisfactorily completing 30 credit hours

of coursework and declaring their major. Transfer students may qualify after one semester

of coursework at Clemson. Students normally enter the program as sophomores or juniors

and complete two to five rotations in a co-op assignment. Engineering majors must complete

a minimum of three rotations (two regular semesters and one summer) to complete the

program and receive a certificate. All other majors may complete the program with two

rotations. Some majors may require students to complete the Co-op Program as part of the

curriculum. Departments requiring participation in the program will refer students to the

program office. Students should enter the program and begin the matching process in the

semester prior to the one in which they want to do their first rotation.

Off-Campus and International Internships

An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates classroom knowledge with

career-related work experience. Internships can be a vital link between college majors and

the exploration of professional opportunities. Students are able to participate in a domestic

internship on or off campus, as well as internationally. Specific requirements will vary

depending on the type of internship and the student’s major. Internships are typically offered

for a specific period of time during the spring or fall semester (14-16 weeks) or during the

summer (10-14 weeks). Students are strongly advised to begin their search at least four to six

months in advance. Students are also advised to attend a workshop, contact their department

or visit with a career counselor at the beginning of each semester.

The CCPD offers a variety of services for students to find internships. In addition to providing

counseling and resources that aid in the internship search process, part-time and full-time,

zero-to-three credit hour internship courses, which are denoted on students’ academic

transcripts, are also available through the CCPD. The full-time INT courses also allow

students to maintain their university enrollment status while interning. Students enrolled

in the programmust register for the appropriate course number (e.g. INT 1010, 1020, 3010,

etc.) for each rotation to receive a grade of Pass or No Pass. Students pay a course fee each

academic term that coincides with an internship rotation.