Co-op Program

The Bachelor of Technology, Degree Completion Program s a mandatory co-op program. Students from the Bachelor of Technology, Degree Completion Program are required to complete a minimum of 8 months of work experience prior to graduation. Students can complete a work term any time during their program before their final academic term.

The program requires students to complete the following two co-op courses:

• ENGTECH 2ET0 FOUR MONTH CO-OP EXPERIENCE I
• ENGTECH 3ET0 FOUR MONTH CO-OP EXPERIENCE II

How to receive credit for these courses?

Option 1 - Admission Co-op Credit Successful completion of co-op work term experience using transfer credit from relevant co-op completed in a college program. This will be assessed upon admission to your McMaster degree program and listed in your admissions letter.

Option 2 - Prior Learning Assessment: Current or previous program-specific employment experience completion of a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) to recognize significant work experience in a related field. Credit can be given towards your co-op requirements for this experience. All documents are online and will be submitted via your student OSCARplus account.

• To activate: Go to https://www.oscarplusmcmaster.ca/home.htm and log in under the Student/ Alumni Login using your McMaster Student ID and Password
• Under the Dashboard tab, select the tab Select a Form
• Under Category, select Engineering Co-op
• Under Sub-Category, select the DCP PLA Form. Once the form appears fill out the required information and upload any required documents. Once you have completed the form, press Save. When submitted your application will be reviewed and we will contact you with any further steps.

Related Costs: $100 University administration fee per 4-month approval. *8 months, total cost $200

Option 3 - Co-op Option Completion of the co-op work terms while registered in the Degree Completion Program at McMaster University. Engineering Co-op and Career Services will provide access to co-op job postings available in length from 4 to 16 months. You must complete a minimum of 8 months of co-op work experience to graduate. You are eligible to apply and work in co-op jobs longer than 8 months. Students electing to go on co-op must start co-op before you have 9 units or fewer remaining in your DCP program requirements. While on co-op, you may take up to 2 DCP courses, with approval from the Manager of Engineering Co-op.

For questions 

Students who have previous work experience may be eligible to count up to 8 months of this experience towards the co-op requirement. Please visit here for more information. 

The Bachelor of Engineering, Computer Sciences and Integrated Biomedical Engineering & Health Sciences programs are a non-mandatory co-op program. Students can complete anywhere from 4-months to 24-months of verified co-op experience. The fee breakdown for these programs include:

• $300.00 fee - per 4 month co-op term (eg. 12 month co-op = $900.00), charged at the time of securing a co-op

• $100.00 fee - per academic year, charged every September

Total fees charged:

The amount of co-op fees charged are dependent on the number of years of study, as well as the amount of co-op experience a student pursues. Some common examples include:

Four year programs:

 $1,300.00 - Total for a student who completes 12-months of co-op experience over 4-years of academic studies.

 $1,600.00 - Total for a student who completes 16-months of co-op experience over 4-years of academic studies.

 $2,200.00 - Total for a student who completes 24-months of co-op experience over 4-years of academic studies.

Five year programs:

 $1,400.00 - Total for a student who completes 12-months of co-op experience over 5-years of academic studies.

 $1,700.00 - Total for a student who completes 16-months of co-op experience over 5-years of academic studies.

 $2,300.00 - Total for a student who completes 24-months of co-op experience over 5-years of academic studies.

The Bachelor of Technology program is a mandatory program that allows students to gain engineering and technology work experience prior to graduation. Students are required to complete a minimum of 12-months of work experience prior to graduation. The fee breakdown for these programs include:

$600.00 fee - per 4 month co-op term (eg. 12 month co-op = $1800.00), charged at the time of securing a co-op.

Any additional co-op terms above 12-months of experience are charged a $0 fee.

Total fees charged:

 $1,800.00 - Total for a student who completes at least 12-months of co-op experience over 5-years of academic studies.

The  Bachelor of Technology, Degree Completion Program is a mandatory program that allows students to gain engineering and technology work experience prior to graduation. Students are required to complete a minimum of 8-months of work experience prior to graduation. The fee breakdown for these programs include:

$600.00 fee - per 4 month co-op term (eg. 8-month co-op = $1200.00), charged at the time of securing a co-op. 

Any additional co-op terms above 8-months of experience are charged a $0 fee. 

Total fees charged:

$1,200.00 - Total for a student who completes at least 8-months of co-op experience over 2-years of academic studies.

The Graduate co-op program is a optional program that allows students to gain engineering work experience prior to graduation. Masters students are required to complete 8-months of co-op work experience, and Ph.D. students are required to complete 12-months of co-op work experience prior to graduation. The fee breakdown for these programs include:

$1,200.00 fee - charged at the time a student secures a co-op opportunity 

Total fees charged:

$1,200.00 - For a Masters student. Required to complete 8-months of co-op experience over 2-years of academic studies. 

$1,200.00 - For a Ph.D. student. Required to complete 12-months of co-op experience over 4-years of academic studies.

The McMaster Engineering Co-op Program provides students with the opportunity to gain valuable engineering work experiences before they graduate. Co-op gives students an opportunity to apply academic knowledge outside the classroom, enhance their academic experience through paid employment, and gain a competitive edge for the workforce.

The co-op program combines academic study with flexible paid work terms of durations from 4 to 16-months in length. Our co-op structure means you can complete work terms when and where it makes sense for you.

Co-op work experience gives you a competitive advantage over all other new graduates. You have the ability to stay you already have a minimum of 1 year or more total paid work experience in your field. You can also count this co-op experience towards your PEO certification, if you meet the qualifications. 

The most obvious distinction is that you will graduate with a co-op designation on your degree and all the work you have done (even if you do not meet the 12-months of co-op requirement) will be recorded on your transcript. However, there are many other benefits to doing co-op. 

With a co-op degree, you will gain valuable work experience and technical skills that can boost your resume, which will aid your future career development. Your experiences will also create a job network that will be useful once you are looking for full-time permanent positions in the future. 

The co-op program for Bachelor of Engineering, Integrated Biomedical Engineering & Health Sciences, and Computer Science students has two options. The first option is you choose to complete co-op work terms. In order to graduate with the co-op designation on your degree program, you are required to complete a minimum of 12-months of co-op experience before graduation. The second option, if you do not complete 12-months of co-op, it will not affect your ability to graduate.

The Bachelor of Technology program has only one option and is a mandatory co-op program. You must complete a minimum of 12-months of co-op experience prior to graduation.

The Bachelor of Technology, Degree Completion Program is a mandatory co-op program. You must complete a minimum of 8-months of co-op experience prior to graduation. If you have previous work experience prior to starting this program, you can count this experience towards the co-op requirement.

The Graduate Student Co-op is optional. Once enrolled, Master’s and PhD students are given the option to complete 4 to 12 months of co-op experience.

Students are never “placed” into positions automatically. It is the student's responsibility to apply and interview for co-op positions. However, there are many supports available to prepare you for co-op opportunities through the McMaster Engineering Co-op and Career Services office - including LinkedIn and resume workshops, networking events, 1:1 meetings, employer events, and much, much more!

In addition, there is a Faculty of Engineering exclusive job board where over 4,000+ jobs are posted each year, but we also direct students to relevant external job boards (recognizing some employers prefer to post on their own sites) and will work with you if you find a job externally as well!

Depending on when and how long your placements are for, the time is takes to complete your program may vary. When students are in co-op placements, they are not registered for school. They are however permitted to take one course per semester if they choose to do so.

Our co-op program is highly flexible and customizable with many different options based on when you want to work. Depending on your program, you have the option of working a verified co-op experience from as short as 4-months to as long as 16-months in duration. For more information click here and scroll down to “When Can I Work?” for examples of the combination of academic and work terms students can take (you are not limited to this order).  

The difference between co-op and internship is the length of the work experience. 

Co-op positions are usually considered to be 4-12 months in length. Internships are long term co-op positions that are 16-months in length. Internships may also be referred to as "long-term co-ops" or "Professional Experience Year (PEY)".  

Absolutely! Co-op is available for all our programs, including our specialized 5-year Engineering options like & Management and & Society. 

Of course, you would just need to ensure you have planned your academic course requirements and co-op placements accordingly. You can take one course per term while on co-op, which can help contribute towards a minor. 

McMaster Engineering saw a decrease in co-op jobs for Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 that mirrored that of other Engineering programs across the country. However, we've seen an increase for Summer  2021 and Fall 2021, which we hope means that we're slowly returning to better economic times. Some roles were moved to remote work, others remained in person, dependent on the role requirements and sector. 

All co-op students are required to complete an online co-op preparation course before they can have access to co-op job boards or be approved for a co-op job. These courses explain the co-op process and expectations, as well as provide advice and resources to help you succeed in your job search and your co-op positions. 

BEng, IBEHS, CompSci AND BTech students are required to complete ENGINEER 1EE0. BTech DCP students are required to complete ENGTECH 1ET0.  

It is the student's responsibility to apply and interview for co-op positions, but there are many supports available for you through the Engineering Co-op and Career Services office - including LinkedIn and resume workshops, networking events, 1:1 meetings, employer events, and much, much more!  

Want to learn how to land that dream job? Check out this handy timeline and learn how Engineering Co-op & Career Services can help you every step of the way. 

If you are looking for a 4-month co-op in the summer after your first year, you would apply in first year! If you are looking for a longer-term co-op in 3rd year and after, then you would apply later in your program.

Co-op is a component of a student's academic studies. In order to participate in the co-op program, you must be a full-time undergraduate student, and in good academic standing in the Faculty of Engineering. Changes to student status may result in termination from the co-op program, at the discretion of ECCS. (“In good standing” does not include reinstatement, academic and/or program probation).

Both are important, but soft skills are critical, especially for early co-ops (i.e. summer after first year) when your technical/academic skills may still be growing. Never underestimate the value of extracurricular activities on your resume! They show drive, teamwork, leadership, time management skills, and so much more. Generally, students that are very involved also perform well inside the classroom because they have a built-in support network and are surrounded by similarly motivated individuals. 

Congratulations for securing your co-op work term! Before you can begin working, there are a few things you need to complete - more info here!

Engineering Co-op & Career Services is here to support students in all of their experiential education choices and needs. We offer a wide variety of co-op and career development such as: 

• 1:1 career advising 
• Job Search Strategies 
• Resume & Cover Letter Critiques 
• Interview Skills (panel, phone, skype) 
• Summer Research Opportunities 
• Portfolio Development 
• Career Fair Preparation 
• How to Network 
• How to Negotiate an Offer 
• How to improve my Communication Skills 
• How to Develop Business Acumen 
• Employer Panels 
• And more! 

Yes, all placements are paid positions! The average annual salary is $50k (or $23/hour).

All co-ops are relevant in that you will gain experience working on teams, managing projects, balancing your time, etc. Some co-ops can be more "engineering" heavy than others. 

We have the 2nd largest engineering co-op program in Ontario! In 2019/20, our students participated in over 3,500 4-month co-op work terms across the globe.  

ANYWHERE!* Both domestic and international students can complete co-op placements locally or internationally.  

*In a typical year, may vary due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Absolutely! International students must have a valid co-op work permit to work full-time in Canada. Learn more here.

Co-ops outside of North America are not often posted through OscarPlus (our internal job board), but our co-op office can advise on search strategies, interview prep/skills, etc. for co-op positions around the world. 

OSCARplus is only one resource that students are expected to use in their co-op job search and is not the only resource that students must use. Job postings on OSCARplus have been pre-approved by our staff before advertising them to you. As long as a position meets the minimum requirements for co-op approval, it can be submitted to our office for approval by one of our Career Development & Relationship Managers, who will ensure that this will be a valuable work experience for you. 

Yes! If your position meets the minimum number of hours/week (35 hours/week) and the minimum number of week (12 weeks), it will count as co-op credit. Find out more here! 

If you have an employer that is accommodating of your training schedule, or perhaps choosing co-op terms that work around your competition schedule makes more sense, there should not be any concerns. Your coaches and academic/co-op advisors can help guide you. 

The services and support available to you are exactly the same. Most of the jobs you would be applying to are the same too! Some employers will specifically post jobs for certain BTech or Engineering disciplines depending on the role. 

Many of the roles would be quite similar and the available work term lengths are the same for both programs (4, 8, 12, or 16 months). Computer Science students could have a bit of a head start on a technical side, because they do not have a common first year and start learning Computer Science content right away. On the other hand, engineering students, especially those completing a 5 year program - & Management or & Society, could have space/time to accrue more work terms over the course of their program with progressively higher levels of responsibility. 

View specific co-op sheets for a list of top employers and a sample of job titles by program:

• Automation Engineering Technology
• Automotive Engineering Technology
• Biotechnology
• Chemical Engineering
• Chemical & Bioengineering
• Civil Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Engineering Physics
• Integrated Biomedical Engineering & Health Sciences
• Materials Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Mechatronics Engineering
• Software Engineering

Aside from your co-op fees, you would only pay tuition for any courses you enroll in while doing a co-op placement (up to one per term while on co-op).  

McMaster University Engineering Co-op has one of the lowest co-op fee structures in Canada compared to other Canadian universities. More info here!

You will not be doing full-time school and co-op at the same time! You are allowed to take one academic course per 4-month co-op work term without permission, but anything more than that you would need approval. You are welcome to continue to participate in various clubs and teams at McMaster while you are in co-op. 

Yes, if your work qualifies for PEO Pre-Graduate Experience, you can count it towards the requirements for obtaining your P. Eng license. Please visit the PEO website to view the requirements to count your co-op work experience towards your certification.

It is typically the student’s responsibility to secure their housing situation should they need to relocate. However, some employers may have intern residences available or provide a living stipend as part of the student’s salary – it all depends on the company.

Yes! If you receive OSAP loans and are participating on co-op, you must ensure that your co-op is fully registered with ECCS in order to maintain interest free status on your loans. If you do not notify ECCS, you will be contacted by National Student Loan Service Centre to begin repayment on your loans.  

Once you fully registered you co-op with ECCS, you must contact the Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships directly to complete the appropriate paperwork.