Drexel Co-op

Apply your knowledge, earn hands-on experience

Student Victoria Wible, Sociology '22, presented energy policy research conducted during her co-op at the Mid-Atlantic Undergraduate Conference.

Alumna Victoria Wible, Sociology ’22, conducted energy policy research during co-op and presented at the Mid-Atlantic Undergraduate Conference.

For more than 100 years, Drexel University has equipped students for the transition from school to work with its renowned cooperative education program. Since 1919, professional work experience and skill development has been central to Drexel’s academic model and curricula in the form of our cooperative education program, Drexel Co-op.

Co-op allows our College of Arts and Sciences students to explore career options and acquire skills while building an impressive résumé before graduation. Students can also explore specialized options such as research, entrepreneurship, or international co-ops. While co-op roles can be both paid and unpaid, students who participate in the program typically receive higher starting salaries post-graduation than graduates of other schools.

The Steinbright Career Development Center fully supports students throughout the co-op process as they apply to, prepare for, and interview for placements.

What Is Co-Op? How It Works The Drexel Difference Fact Sheet (PDF)

Co-op is NOT an internship

No summers of coffee runs or mindless filing here!

Drexel students embark on six-month periods of full-time employment in practical, discipline-specific jobs aligned with their interests and abilities. Depending on their chosen program, students can participate in up to three different co-op positions —that’s 18 months of hands-on work experience— during their time at Drexel. Co-op students are entrusted with projects vital to the day-to-day functioning of the workplace and they get to see how the knowledge they've gained in the classroom is applied in the field.

Facts and Figures

An important way to measure the value of a Drexel co-op placement is by the success of our students and graduates.

97%

of College of Arts and Sciences students participate in Drexel co-op.

37%

of College of Arts and Sciences students working full-time received a job offer from a former co-op employer.

$19,760

The median paid six-month co-op salary is $19,760; more than 80% of co-ops are paid.

1,650

Drexel has forged 1,650 partnerships with unique employers that hired co-ops. Students can also explore specialized options such as research, entrepreneurship, or international co-ops.

Visit the Steinbright Career Development Center

Meet Our Co-ops

Emma Hirt at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Bringing History to New Audiences

Senior global studies major Emma Hirt spent the spring and summer as a Programs Assistant Co-op at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, where she used social media to introduce the organization's work to a younger audience—and went viral in the process.

Biological Sciences Major Carlie Relyea Contributes to Vaccine Trials Through Co-op

During her co-op, Carlie Relyea assisted with the Pfizer pediatric and adolescent vaccination trial at the Pediatric Clinical Research Center in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. The experience helped clarify her dream of being a pediatric doctor.

A Passion for Research: Meet History and Art History Major Jamie Clifford

From the small class sizes and personal attention from professors to the research opportunities, co-op and flexibility in course selection, studying history at Drexel has been a great experience for Jamie Clifford. Learn how these experiences have prepared Clifford for a future in graduate school and museum curation.

Biological Sciences Major Nick Sookhoo is on the Path to Medical School

From his research experience to co-op, biological sciences student Nick Sookhoo is gaining the skills he will need to be successful in medical school and achieve his longtime dream of becoming a doctor.

Global Studies Major Serena Hermitt Discovers Passion for Community Work

After arriving at Drexel for her first year undecided on a major, Serena Hermitt found the perfect major that fit all of her interests due to its interdisciplinary nature: Global Studies. Now, with a transformative course abroad experience and two co-ops under her belt, Hermitt has discovered her passion for working in the community.

Writing Her Own Journey: Meet English Major Madison Betts

Drexel’s 10-week term format allowed Madison Betts to discover her true passion of writing. On the five-year, three co-op plan, Betts is gaining experience in publishing while looking forward to graduate school and one day publishing her own book.

From Co-op to Law School, Avery Maudlin Credits Philosophy Major for Defining his Path

Avery completed three co-ops and is currently a fellow at the Kline & Specter law firm, where he is currently working on a mass tort class action case, serving as a liaison between incoming clients and attorneys. He views the skills learned in his philosophy classes—the ability to intake information and make your own knowledge—as extremely important in the legal field.

Research Co-op Leads to Innovative Breakthrough for Math and Physics Major Omesh Dhar Dwivedi

Drexel undergraduate Omesh Dhar Dwivedi was part of a team of researchers at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory who have proposed a step-by-step chemical pathway to creating boron nitride nanotubes. The math and physics major from Lucknow, India, discusses the work he did during his co-op.

Philosophy, Politics & Economics Major August Modiga Finds Co-op Success

As a global alliances intern at SAP, August Modiga was part of a team that presented SAP’s business solutions and products to potential customers. The philosophy, politics and economics major shares her experience and the skills she developed that she will carry with her throughout her career.

Library shelves featuring grey archival boxes

History Co-ops Dive Deep into Drexel Archives

Over the spring and summer Teaching Professor of History Lloyd Ackert, PhD, mentored a diverse group of co-op students in research projects centered on three Drexel archives and special collections. Exploring the archives of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Legacy Center and the Schramm Inc. Collection at University Libraries, the twenty-two co-op students investigated their own unique and individualized research projects based on their background, interests and career plans.