Work rotations are flexible based on employer needs. Students can begin co-op work rotations in the spring semester of the sophomore year. At least one work rotation must be in the fall or spring semester. See below for example rotation options:

	1st year			2nd year			3rd year
	Spring	Summer	Fall	Spring	Summer	Fall	Spring	Summer	Fall
Plan A
Plan B

Spring-summer-fall (year-long work rotation)

Students must be on-campus for the fall and spring of senior year. The duration of each work rotation is determined by the employer. Some employers use the semester as the work rotation period (fall rotation would run August through December; spring rotation would run from January through May).

There are set criteria that a student must meet to be eligible to participate in the Co-op Program. Some criteria can be appealed. Email engrcareers@vcu.edu for more information.

• Student enrolled at the VCU College of Engineering
• Successful completion of ENGR 395 Professional Development
• A VCU GPA of 2.7 or higher is recommended
• Have completed at least 12 credit hours at VCU

If you’d like to pursue a co-op, carefully follow the process below on "How to Participate in the Engineering Co-op Program."

1. Enroll in and complete ENGR 395 Professional Development 1-credit course.
2. Find your co-op. Many students find co-op opportunities on their own, based on their own interests. You can also find co-ops on Handshake. Ensure it will provide the following experiences:
   • Application of engineering principles
   • Team participation
   • Problem-solving
3. As you consider a co-op offer from an employer:
   • • Make an appointment with your career adviser, Ms. Sharpe, to make a plan for your co-op experience, and to discuss important signed documents needed by Engineering Career Services.
     • Make an appointment with your academic advisor to discuss rescheduling your courses and how the co-op might affect your graduation date.
     • Visit the VCU Office of Financial Aid to determine what impact co-op might have on your funding.
4. Submit your co-op for approval on Handshake. Only approved experiences will satisfy the graduation requirement. All experiences must be submitted and approved before going on co-op. There are no exceptions!
5. Check the status of your co-op approval by your department chair.
6. During co-op, all majors must enroll in ENGR 398 during each work rotation. This online, zero credit course ensures that the co-op is a learning experience, with oversight & support provided by VCU. Passing ENGR 398 each rotation is a requirement for participating in the co-op program.
7. Once you’ve completed ENGR 395, your co-op work rotations, and ENGR 398 with each rotation, all majors must enroll in ENGR 498. This online, zero credit course validates that you’ve completed the requirements for co-op. If on the co-op track, it is required for graduation for ME, MNE, and CLSE majors.
8. New in 2025: Alternatively, if you’ve completed a summer co-op work rotation, you may choose to take ENGR 494 course, “Intern or Co-op for Credit” rather than ENGR 498. The ENGR 494 course provides 3 academic credits. Please see your academic advisor for more details on how this might fit into your curriculum.

Internships and co-ops are both great ways for you to gain real-world engineering experience as a student. Internships are typically full-time during the summer or part-time during the school year, scheduled around your classes. A co-op position, however, is a full-time opportunity during the school year. To participate in a co-op, you will work full-time instead of taking classes for a rotation.

Many employers require co-op students to participate in rotations; meaning you will alternate between attending classes as a full-time student one semester and working as a full-time employee the next semester.

Frankly, it depends. Some students are able to complete a co-op and still graduate in four years, however, many other students take longer to graduate. It all depends on how many rotations are required by the employer and your particular academic schedule. Engineering Career Services is here to help you think through your particular situation.

You can start a co-op the summer after your freshman year, but sophomore year is recommended. Or if you are a transfer student, you can start working after one semester at VCU.

Co-ops are located both locally and nationally. Many companies located outside of the Richmond area provide housing or housing assistance. Check out where some of our co-op students have worked!

Your co-op may affect your scholarship and/or financial aid. You must meet with the Financial Aid Office and the awarders of your scholarship to discuss how your co-op may affect your benefits.

Engineering Career Services provides several opportunities throughout the year, including two engineering career fairs, to connect with employers looking for co-op students. Make sure to visit our website, egr.vcu.edu/careerservices, for our full list of career events. Also, search VCU’s online job board, Handshake, and other online career resources to view available co-op opportunities.

You will graduate with professional engineering experience, potentially less student loan debt, and improved employment opportunities.