Cooperative Education
‘Working for Success’ through cooperative education
In the Business Technologies Division, all students must earn eight to 10 credit hours in cooperative education, depending on program requirements, except for those in the Dietetic Technician program.
Through the Cincinnati State Working for Success Experience, the Business Technologies Division offers a series of practice-oriented courses designed to assure student success in preparing for and achieving career goals. Students participate in a wide variety of learning experiences that prepare them for success academically and professionally. The student, employer, and community all gain from this practical approach to education. You, the student, benefit in many ways. Cooperative education reinforces classroom learning, and helps you identify the career track that’s right for you. It also enables you to track your personal growth and professional accomplishment in the workplace. At the same time, you earn as you learn, which helps finance your education.
Co-op: In Our Vision
The document “Co-op: In our Vision” describes the traits, skills, and capabilities that Cincinnati State envisions for every successful Business Technologies graduate. Co-operative education is an important tool in helping students evolve and mature personally and professionally to fulfill that vision. Click here to access “Co-op: In Our Vision”
Eligibility requirements
In order to be eligible to participate, a student must:
- Be a matriculated student
- Maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher, and complete any required program technical courses; a list is available from the co-op coordinator
- Attend a co-op orientation session and complete a “petition to co-op” packet. It must be returned to the program co-op coordinator before consideration for placement
- Agree to follow curriculum and meet all program requirements as specified
- Agree not to seek full-time employment with his or her co-op employer until after graduation
- Understand that co-op students are not eligible for unemployment benefits for co-op positions, and as such, agree not to apply for them
Any student wishing to drop out of the co-op program must have prior coordinator approval and complete the remainder of his/her co-op requirements by taking the co-op seminar courses. Once a student leaves the co-op program, he or she will not be eligible to re-enter without approval of their co-op coordinator.
Students may complete the required co-op experience on either an alternating or parallel track, depending on the availability of positions. Students should meet with their co-op coordinator to complete their co-op plan as soon as possible after admittance to their academic program.
The Business Technologies Division will assist students in completing their cooperative education work experiences. Although the division’s co-op coordinators are generally successful in finding interview opportunities for co-op students, there is no employment guarantee. In these cases, the co-op coordinator will work with the student on alternatives to fulfill the cooperative education requirement.
For more information about cooperative education in the Business Technologies Division, please contact us via email.

