Changes to Enrollment Options During Co-op

This message was sent to all students, faculty and staff by the Provost, the Senior Vice President for Student Success and the Vice President for Cooperative Education and Career Development on August 26, 2022.

Dear Students and Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a wide variety of changes in the workplace and continues to shape how the professional world operates. Recognizing this, our University has evaluated the tenets of our cooperative education program to ensure that it not only remains reflective and responsive to the industries and markets in which it operates, but also continues to meet the needs of our students and position them to succeed.

You may be aware that there have been discussions about changing enrollment options for students during their co-op cycle. A new policy has been adopted beginning with the upcoming fall/winter co-op cycle that supports students’ continued progress toward degree completion. We want to make you aware of the background behind this policy and the impact it is intended to have on the academic experience.

Background

At its core, Drexel’s Co-op program is focused on long-term student success. Historically, students have had the option to continue to seek employment during the entirety of their co-op cycle while taking professional development modules. While many students reported tremendous growth and confidence in their professional development while taking the modules, the modules did not provide the academic outcomes nor the experience the co-op program was designed to provide.

During the pandemic, students who were unable to find co-op employment were, for the first time, encouraged to return to full-time classes. The benefits were clear: Going back to class full-time (or part-time) allowed students unable to secure co-op employment to continue with their academic plan and earn credits required for their degree program, with the option to complete their co-op requirements in later terms, depending on their academic program. The changes in our policy recognize this benefit to students.

Key Changes

• To keep students on track to satisfy their requirements for degree completion, all students will need to register for at least 12 credits of classes or have secured a co-op opportunity by the end of the add/drop period for each term to maintain full-time enrollment status.
• The professional development modules have been discontinued as alternatives to a co-op experience.
• Students who do not register for a co-op position or at least 12 credits by the end of each term’s add/drop period will be required to take a leave of absence or register part-time, which could have a significant impact on their financial aid package and billing schedule.

You can find more information about the Course and Co-op Enrollment policy on the Provost’s website.

We recognize that these changes affect those on co-op during the upcoming fall/winter cycle and may represent a significant shift in the University's co-op policies. We believe this policy will provide significant benefits to students: improving the co-op experience while keeping students on track toward degree completion. Thank you to our colleagues who will lead and support students through this transition.

Sincerely,

Paul E. Jensen
Executive Vice President
Nina Henderson Provost

Subir Sahu
Senior Vice President for Student Success

Ian Sladen
Vice President for Cooperative Education and Career Development