If you're searching for a co-op or internship, Career Services offers many tools and resources to help you get started and find the right fit.
Visit Career Services to access these resources, explore upcoming events, or schedule an appointment for one-on-one support.
Before beginning your search, take time to reflect on:
If you’re still exploring majors or career paths, Career Services can help. We offer career assessments and one-on-one advising appointments to help you identify your strengths and connect them to potential careers.
Once you feel confident in your direction and are ready to take the next step, schedule an appointment with a Career Advisor for personalized help with your co-op or internship search.
Your timeline and deadline depends on how many credits you plan to earn and how many hours you work each week. The final submission deadline is always 5 weeks before the last day of class, and all approvals must be completed no later than 4 weeks before the end of the semester (see specific semester dates below).
Use this formula to plan ahead:
Examples:
Be sure to submit your Handshake forms early—it can take 1–2 weeks for all approvals to be completed.
REMINDER: The final submission deadline is always 5 weeks before the last day of class, and all approvals must be completed no later than 4 weeks before the end of the semester. If your hours calculation shows you need to start earlier than that, be sure to submit your forms before the posted deadline to stay on track.
To earn co-op credit for any semester, your Handshake forms must be submitted and fully approved by the deadlines listed below:
Spring 2026:
Summer 2026:
Fall 2026:
*IMPORTANT:
More information about eligibility, timelines, and expectations is available in the Co-op Handbook (required reading).
Students in most majors can take CEP 300 for co-op credit. Graduate students may also enroll for CEP 600. To find details on every step of the enrollment process, please click the link associated with your college, below.
Co-op Guide for CEP 300/CEP 600, click HERE
Here are copies of the agreements within Handshake:
and FilesFiles
Additional Resources
"I think that interning has made everything I learned in classes a lot easier to understand. It's easier to put things together when you see it in person."
"I think that my co-op opportunity was a very important part of my learning experience at Northern Kentucky University. The co-op opportunity has helped me gain experience in the construction industry. I feel confident that I have more knowledge to better prepare myself for full-time employment as a project manager."
"This was a great experience and I am very glad that I had the opportunity to be a part of it and to be a part of this organization."
"[Our co-op student] has exceeded our expectations as a co-op especially considering that this was her first real-world work experience in her chosen field of study. She always presents herself in a professional manner and she is always on time. She is able to adapt to changes in deadlines and scope of tasks given to her quickly. I look forward to working with her this summer full time so that I can challenge her with more complex projects and give her complete ownership of processes that she currently participates in, but cannot own completely due to her part-time availability. She is a great addition to our team!"
"[This student] has been a trusted and valuable member of our financial services team. His work ethic, energy, and willingness to participate in any task has made him a sought after resource in our department. We look forward to having more of his time over the upcoming summer. If he continues to hone his skills within the financial disciplines of accounting and finance he will have a successful future in business."
