Students can choose to complete work placements in a variety of settings and timeframes.
Selecting which might be the right choice for you depends on a number of factors, including individual program goals, costs, planned graduation date (and how rigid this is), the amount of career preparation experience you're gaining outside of school, and the willingness (or lack thereof) to travel in order to fulfill a field placement.
Why choose to do a placement or co-op?
Very few entry-level jobs are truly "entry" level. Most require some kind of experience beyond completion of a degree. Placements provide greater opportunity to network with potential employers and experts in the field, to try out different types of jobs--including ones you've never thought to do, and demonstrate that you have the 'soft' skills (punctuality, teamwork, critical thinking, etc.) sought after by employers.
| Internship | Practicum | Cooperative Education | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time commitment | 8-12 weeks in one semester | 80-120 hours in one semester | Full-time 35 hrs/wk, semester long |
| Ability to do more than one? | Yes. Depends on funding, availability of faculty supervision | Yes. Depends on availability of faculty supervision | Yes. Students in Bachelor-level program should plan to commit to 3 placements (1 year's experience). Student can complete up to 6 placements. |
| Cost | Tuition for 6 credits. Placements outside the region will also require funds for travel, lodging, supervision, etc. These can be substantial, but subsidies may be available. | Tuition for 4 credits. Most practicums are local, and have no additional fees. Placements outside the region will entail more costs. | Co-op fee of between $525 and $560 for domestic students and $1300 for international students. Check with Cooperative Education for most recent fee information. |
| Location | Varies. Local, out-of-province, and international placements available. | Primarily local, although students may arrange for a placement outside of region. | Varies, with most Cooperative Education placements located in the Lower Mainland (often closer to or in Vancouver) or elsewhere in Canada. |
| Credits earned per placement | 6 | 4 | 6
Up to 12 credits can be applied to the Bachelor of Arts. |
| Courses | GEOG/ GDS/ SOC 396 (local) or GEOG/GDS/ SOC 398 (international). | GEOG 412 (environmental) or GEOG 460 (planning) | COOP 110, COOP 120, COOP 130, COOP 140, COOP 150, COOP 160 |
| Compensation for work completed | Generally, none, although a stipend may be available by employer. Students are also encouraged to seek out paid internships. | Generally, none, although a stipend may be available by employer. | Employers must commit to providing 12 weeks of full-time employment. Hourly wage varies between $12 to $30, depending on position and experience. |
| Field placement identification | Faculty often oversee internship programs, and may have regular positions available. Students are also encouraged to seek out potential placements on their own, but should do so after consulting with a potential faculty advisor first. | Generally, students will find their own placements. However, some faculty may have some practicum placements already arranged. Students should consult with potential faculty supervisor before seeking out a placement. | Managed through the Cooperative Education program, in the UFV Centre for Experiential and Career Education. Most students choose to apply to one of the Co-op positions available through UFV's Co-op program, but opportunities exist to seek out Co-op employment postings outside program. Consult with Co-op as part of your search process. |
| Credential | None. Course listed on transcript. | None. Course listed on transcript. | Students completing three terms of Co-op will have earned a Cooperative Education designation on their transcript. |
| Application | See potential faculty supervisor for details. | See potential faculty supervisor of GATE Department Assistant for details. | Application to Cooperative Education program. View eligibility and deadlines. |
| Contact | geoginfo@ufv.ca | geoginfo@ufv.ca | cece@ufv.ca |