The Cooperative Education / Internship program is a learning approach that combines academic studies with a work experience related to your major. A Cooperative Education work experience is a paid position with a minimum work requirement of 300 hours. An Internship experience is an unpaid experience with a minimum work requirement of 150 hours.
Through the work experience you develop a personal learning plan to realistically assess your career goals and to improve your skills. Together with your faculty co-op/intern advisor and your employer you will establish learning objectives for the work semester. You will be evaluated by your faculty co-op/intern advisor and your employer supervisor at the end of the semester as to how well you met these objectives and your grade(s) will be assigned accordingly. The credits earned will be applied to your degree and the related work experience will make you more attractive to employers after graduation.
Eligibility
Full-time and part-time students at County College of Morris who are matriculated in majors offering co-op or internships and have at least a 2.0 GPA may be eligible.
Participation is limited to students who have finished the majority of the course work in their majors and are nearing completion of their CCM degrees. A co-op/internship is required in some majors and optional in others and is offered for three or four credits, depending on the curriculum. Check with your department or the Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education to explore your options.
The majors offering Cooperative Education and/or Internships (majors with * also offer internships)
Biotechnology
Business
Chemical Technology
Computer Information Systems
Communications*
Dance
Digital Media Technology*
Early Childhood Development/Education
Electronics Engineering Technology
Graphic Design*
Hospitality Management
Landscape and Horticultural Technology
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Media Studies/Broadcasting*
Media Studies/Journalism*
Photography Technology
Telecommunications Systems Technology
The Process
STEP 1: Application (The Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education)
STEP 2: Approval for participation in cooperative education/internship (Faculty Co-op/Intern Advisor or Department Chairperson)
STEP 3: Resume assistance, referrals and interviews (The Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education)
STEP 4: Registration for co-op/intern credits (The Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education)
STEP 5: Meet with advisor (Faculty Co-op/Intern Advisor )
STEP 6: Begin the work experience
How Can I Benefit from a Co-op/Intern Experience?
Participation in co-op/internship presents the opportunity to expand your learning beyond the classroom. Through such a work experience you will have a chance to make more informed career decisions, apply new skills and experiences to classroom instruction, gain academic credit toward graduation, earn a salary to help defray educational expenses (co-op), enhance your resume, references and work experience, develop professional, technical, and human relations skills, use specialized facilities and equipment on the job, and gain self confidence, maturity and judgment.
The many benefits offered by co-op/intern experiences also provide you with an all-important competitive edge in the job market. National statistics indicate that 80% of students who participate in such work experiences are offered permanent employment by their co-op/intern employers upon graduation; former CCM co-op students/interns report similar placement success.