Co-op Frequently Asked Questions

Possibly.  If you currently have a position that is related to your major or minor, you can probably turn it into a co-op.  You’ll need to discuss your position with the faculty coordinator for the academic discipline.

Your supervisor (at the internship/co-op site) and Faculty Coordinator will approve your co-op position.

Your co-op faculty coordinator is a designated faculty member from the academic department (your major or minor) where you're pursuing co-op credit.  Your faculty coordinator must approve your position (using the job description) and learning objectives in order for you to earn academic credit.  The faculty coordinator then serves as your instructor for the course and will communicate with you throughout the experience, collect your assignments and evaluations, and assign you a final grade.

See How to Register for Co-op Credit for the list of Faculty Coordinators by major.

Not necessarily. If you have had a co-op before, you can simply stop by Career Services to pick up the paperwork/instructions.  If this is your first co-op but you already have your position lined up, you should read the Co-op Handbook, which outlines all steps involved in the co-op process, and contact Career Services if you have any questions.  If you need assistance searching for a co-op position, you should attend one of the Co-op/Internship & Job Search Strategies workshops or call Career Services (859-572-5680) to make an appointment with a Career Advisor.

A student can earn 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 academic credits in one semester based on the total number of hours worked.  You may earn a maximum of 12 academic credits total for cooperative education.

Academic credit hours	Hours worked per week	Hours worked per semester
1	3.5	50
2	7	100
3	10	150
4	13.5	200
5	17	250
6	20 or more	300 or more

Yes, co-op credit incurs tuition at your normal tuition rate. In some cases, students taking 12 credits of other courses may add 3 credits of CEP 300 without an additional charge because the cost of 12 and 15 credits may be the same. Tuition varies based on residency and other factors. For details on tuition, please contact Student Account Services. Graduate students pay graduate tuition for any class, including CEP 600. There are no special fees associated with CEP 300 or CEP 600.

CEP 300: Cooperative Education and CEP 600: Graduate Co-op are both graded Pass/Fail.  According to the University Catalog, a grade of P represents satisfactory performance, or “passing,” in those courses graded pass/fail. Only the grade of C- or better is considered passing on the pass/fail system.

Grades of P do not affect the GPA; a grade of F does affect it.

Most international students can work in co-op positions by using their authorization for Curricular Practical Training.  Please visit NKU's International Student and Scholar Services to ensure you are educated on your visa status.  

There is a bit of additional paperwork to secure authorization to work in the United States.  You should allow extra time to complete the paperwork and for ISSS to submit authorization paperwork to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly Immigration and Naturalization Services).  A variety of resources and contact information for ISSS can be found on their website.

That’s no problem! Career Services can help you gather information about relocating to a new area, but you’ll also want to contact your employer for ideas on living arrangements, transportation, etc.  You should allow extra time for the co-op paperwork to be completed long-distance and translated for your employer, if applicable.

Graduate students may enroll for CEP 600: Graduate Co-op Experience.  This course does incur graduate tuition, just like any other graduate class.  The course does not typically replace a requirement of the graduate program but can be a highly educational experience that supplements the student’s transcript and resume.