Penn State Erie, The Behrend College

School of Engineering and Engineering Technology

Electrical Engineering Technology

Co-op Program Guidelines

Co-operative education (or co-op) is an integrated approach to higher education which enables bright, highly motivated students to obtain relevant work experience while completing an academic program. Participation in the co-op program provides students with practical knowledge and experience related to their academic interests and enables them to test their aptitudes and professional competence through on-the-job training. It also enables them to develop skills in working with people and, of course, provides financial assistance in meeting educational expenses. An additional benefit is improved permanent employment opportunities, since many potential employers look at relevant industrial experience as a critical factor in making hiring decisions.

Sponsoring organizations also gain from student co-ops, as they are offered a chance to observe employment prospects on a relatively long-term basis and can accomplish projects that might not be otherwise possible at existing staff levels.

Students in the co-op program are required to complete the academic baccalaureate degree requirements in electrical engineering technology (EET). In addition, they complete three work semesters, i.e., periods of approximately 16 weeks during which a student is employed by a business or industry. Typically, students alternate semesters between work and school until completion of the third work semester. Both the employer and the EET program evaluate a student's performance for each work semester. The Penn State Behrend Career Development Center (CDC) is responsible for securing employers to participate in the co-op program and will assist in arrangements between prospective co-op students and employers.

A successful co-op program requires the cooperation of four individuals, each with specific responsibilities. They are:

1. Co-op Student – The co-op is a currently enrolled student who is eligible to engage in a university-approved co-op opportunity. Student eligibility is determined according to school criteria, such as minimum semester standing, GPA or completed course work.
2. Faculty Supervisor – The faculty supervisor is an official university representative who has faculty status and is responsible for the academic oversight of the student.
3. Site Supervisor – The site supervisor is the officially recognized professional at the approved sponsoring organization who is responsible for the on-site supervision and evaluation of the co-op student.
4. Co-op Coordinator – The staff of the CDC serves as the link between the academic and engineering communities.

The CDC co-op coordinator is responsible for maintaining lists of engineering contacts and potential co-op positions. Every effort will be made to provide positions for all interested students. When a request for a co-op is made by an engineering organization, the CDC will forward a copy of the position description to the EET in-charge faculty for review. If the in-charge determines the position is viable, it shall be made available to students interested in obtaining a position, and the CDC will act as the initial point of contact between the student and the organization.

The student is responsible for making the initial inquiry into obtaining a co-op position and for meeting all departmental and university requirements in terms of eligibility for the co-op program. The student is also responsible for filing all appropriate paperwork.

After getting departmental approval to begin the co-op, the student will sign up for 1 credit of EETBD 495 (internship) at the beginning of each co-op semester. The grade for this course will be determined at the conclusion of the semester, and will be based upon the evaluation of the site supervisor as well as the term paper documenting the co-op experience (see below). Upon satisfactory completion of three semesters of co-op experience, the three credits of EETBD 495 which have been accrued will be used to satisfy one 400-level technical elective in the EETBD program.

Co-op students will conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. This includes the development of respectful and cooperative relationships with the site supervisor and other employees at the sponsoring organization. The student will establish and maintain regular and punctual working hours, and will conduct himself/herself in an ethical manner, conforming to the sponsoring organization’s policies and procedures while executing the specific duties and responsibilities of the co-op position. Failure to comply with the sponsoring organization’s policies may result in termination of the co-op position.

The student will also ensure that the site supervisor completes an evaluation of the student. Both the student and supervisor need to sign this evaluation.

The in-charge faculty must approve all potential co-op positions as worthy of academic credit. Such determination shall be made based on the type of work to be performed, and by the contribution the co-op will make to the student’s learning experience.

The faculty supervisor is responsible for monitoring the student’s activities during the duration of the co-op semester. The faculty supervisor will contact the site supervisor to check on the progress of the student midway through the co-op semester. Additional student meetings, consultations with the site supervisor, or on-site visits may be arranged by agreement among the parties. At the conclusion of each co-op semester, the faculty supervisor will assign the grade for the co-op student in accordance with departmental guidelines. The faculty supervisor will then forward a summary evaluation of the co-op sponsor/experience to the CDC for quality control purposes.

The sponsoring organization agrees to provide a supervised, relevant learning experience for the co-op student. The exact nature of this experience will vary from discipline to discipline, and from student to student. Requests for co-ops will be reviewed by the CDC and EET in-charge faculty prior to any assignment of co-op students.

The sponsor will appoint a site supervisor who will assume primary responsibility for the direction and on-site supervision of the co-op student. The sponsor will ensure that the student is aware of all relevant company policies and procedures. At regular intervals, the site supervisor will apprise the student concerning the quality of his/her work. If the quality of the student’s work is considered poor or marginal, the site supervisor will notify the supervising faculty member in order to develop appropriate corrective procedures.

Students participating in the Penn State Co-op Program are NOT eligible for financial aid assistance for the semesters they are on co-op assignment. This includes state and federal financial aid, as well as grants and scholarships. Because all financial aid packages are tailored to the student, we strongly encourage all students to contact the Penn State Behrend Office of Financial Aid. In addition, students with grants and/or scholarships should also contact their granting agency.

• All students on co-op are able to continue to defer student loan repayment. Any student who receives notification of repayment while on co-op should contact the Co-op Office immediately so we can resolve the situation.
• In most cases, financial aid allocations will be applied to future, full-time, semesters. Note: A Pell Grant is the only type of federal aid available to students taking less than six credits. Private financial aid (bank loans) is still available in some cases.
• All co-op students apply for financial aid at the same time as they normally would. Students are responsible for acquiring and completing their financial aid applications.
• A minimum of six credits, including co-op, must be taken to qualify for a portion of your financial aid package during a co-op semester. This can be helpful for those students who wish take a class or two at a nearby campus.
• In some cases, scholarship students have been allocated their funds while on co-op. This is totally dependent on the type of scholarship and the discretion of the awarding agency. Students should contact their granting agency for specifics.
• Wages earned while on co-op assignment will be applied as additional family income when determining a student’s future financial aid packages. Please note that this may lower future financial aid disbursements.
• While on co-op assignment, students have the opportunity to earn substantial income as well as enhance their engineering education. Many co-op students allocate a portion of their earned income to future educational expenses.

Financial Aid Checklist

To help you understand the annual calendar for financial aid, especially in regards to co-op students, here is a checklist to help you out:

March/October:                    Register for EETBD 395/495 for the next co-op semester.

May/August/December:      Return your bill to complete your registration process for the next co-op semester.

January:                                 Complete the Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA) with actual tax info.

April:                                       Make corrections to your Student Aid Report (SAR) if necessary.

July:                                         Complete verification if requested.

December:                               If you are currently receiving financial aid, you should receive a renewal FAFSA.

Back to the Top

As a co-op student, you are only required to pay for the number of credits and the associated fees for which you will be registered for your co-op class and any other PSU class you may be taking while on co-op. You do not need to pay full-tuition if you are taking less than 12 credits during your co-op semester. Typically students take just one credit per co-op.

During the fall and spring semesters, you will receive a bill for full-tuition, this is how Penn State normally processes bills. Once you receive your bill, you cannot ignore it. PSU will NOT send you a modified bill reflecting only what is owed due to co-op. What you need to do:

1. Calculate the amount owed for the co-op credits and any other class(es) you may be taking.
2. Calculate the associated fees. Contact the Bursar’s and Financial Aid office to calculate these fees.
3. Add the credit cost and the fees together to get your total bill.
4. Send a check or money order for this amount, along with the return form on your original bill and a note letting the bursar know you are registered for co-op.

During the summer semester you will receive a bill that reflects the per-credit amount for the co-op class you are taking, so just pay this bill as you normally would.

Back to the Top

Residence Halls at Penn State

• The Co-op Office can assist you with canceling your room contract for the semester(s) you will be out on co-op assignment. It is your responsibility to initiate this process with the CDC. Your contract will only be canceled the semesters in which you are on co-op assignment. Upon your return, the Housing Office will make every effort to house you in the same area, however, roommates and the same room are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to request a room contract for the following year.

Relocation and Housing

• You may have to relocate to a new city for your co-op assignment. Employers may pay for car mileage, meals, or motel costs depending on the distance.
• Employer assistance varies widely concerning relocation for Co-op students.  Some companies may supply housing or provide housing stipends, but most often you will be responsible for finding and paying for your housing.  Most employers are very helpful with at least pointing you in the right direction, or supplying a realtor to assist in your search.  Remember, ask the employer for assistance to help you get started with your housing search prior to relocation.

If the company does not supply housing there are several steps you may take in your search:

• Contact current and past students who have previously worked with the company.
• Ask the company if there are any employees who have apartments for rent.
• Check the local newspapers.
• Contact local real estate agencies.
• If there is a local university or commonwealth campus, you may live in Penn State housing or check for a sublet.

Back to the Top

A recommended sequence of classes is provided in the attachments to enable students to complete their three semesters of co-op experience and graduate within five years. This sequence allows for the first co-op semester to begin in either the fourth semester (spring semester sophomore year) or during the summer following the fourth semester. In addition, students have the option of supplementing their baccalaureate degree in EET with a minor in MIS. This minor requires the student to take one additional class over the course of four semesters. Details of the MIS minor for EET students are provided in the attachment as well.

• EET 101 – Circuits I
• EET 109 – Circuits I Laboratory
• EET 114 – Circuits II
• EET 117 – Digital Electronics
• EET 118 – Circuits II Laboratory
• EET 120 – Digital Electronics Laboratory
• EET 205 – Semiconductor Devices Laboratory
• EET 210 – Semiconductor Devices
• EET 211 – Microprocessors (includes laboratory component)
• EET 213 – Electrical Machines (includes laboratory component)
• ENGL 015 – Rhetoric and Composition
• MATH 083 – Introduction to Calculus

• Register for academic credit (EETBD 395 or EETBD 495) in the semester during which the co-op is performed (including summer semester).
• Fill out and return to the School of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SEET) office the yellow Undergraduate Independent Study/Internship/Research Project Information Form. This form is available in the SEET office.
• Submit the term paper to the faculty supervisor by the Friday before finals week of the co-op semester.
• Ensure that the site supervisor has submitted an evaluation of the student’s performance to the faculty supervisor by the Friday before finals week of the co-op semester.

• Before you start your first day, make sure you know the dress code of the work place. You do not want to be overdressed or underdressed, you want to feel comfortable.
• Make sure you have time the drive to work during rush hour traffic. You do not want to show up late the first day.
• Know what time and where you are expected to report.
• Know what documents you need to bring with you. Typically you will need your drivers license, social security card and possibly a birth certificate. These are to process your paperwork through your employer's Human Resource Office.

• You will probably start your first day in Human Resources completing the necessary paperwork for employment.
• Your next stop may be to Medical Services for a drug screen and/or hearing or sight test.
• Finally, you will go to your workspace. Depending on the company, you may have a desk, phone, computer, etc. for your use. Remember that these are not toys. These are for work.
• Make sure you are introduced and shown around the facility. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with your new surroundings, such as restrooms, cafeteria, copy and fax machines, and any meeting rooms you may need. etc.
• If you have to get safety shoes or glasses, try to initiate that immediately.
• If you need to get linked into any systems or get some type of user ID for the computer system, make sure you initiate this immediately.

• Don’t be surprised if some of the first projects you are assigned are simple projects. Usually companies like to familiarize you with the company and see how you can perform on the initial stuff to determine your ability for future projects.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. This does not mean you should bug someone constantly! This means that if you are stuck and need some guidance, or you want someone to review your work to make you feel more confident about it, don’t be afraid to ask. Better to have a correction made before it could cause a problem.
• You may want to get some kind of computer calendar, or some type of date book. You will have to keep track of projects and meetings. There is nothing worse than showing up late or being unprepared for a meeting.
• There may be some "lull" times in your work schedule. Do not be afraid to ask for additional work, or try to come up with some projects of your own.
• Remember there is a chain of command in the office. If you are having problems, follow the chain of command. First talk to a co-worker, then maybe your supervisor, then perhaps their supervisor or a human resources representative.
• If you have any problems, and you want guidance, or you just need to talk, please call the faculty supervisor. The faculty supervisor will be happy to call you back. Do not ever hesitate to call. No problem is too small to call about.
• Don’t feel entitled to things that other employees may have. You must remember that you are a co-op student.
• Your co-op experience should be career related. If for any reason you do not believe this to be the case, please call the faculty supervisor immediately to discuss.
• Penn State Behrend will never contact a company based on a conversation with a student unless the student agrees to this course of action.

If you have access to a computer that supports POP mail (such as a Windows-based PC) you can use standard POP mail readers like Eudora or the mail tool with Netscape Navigator.  When setting up the software, you need to put <userid>@email.psu.edu in the POP account field and smtp.psu.edu in the SMTP field.  You can now read your PSU email as you normally would.

If your company gives you an e-mail address…you can forward your PSU e-mail by going to the web page http://www.works.psu.edu. 

From there:

Occasionally we do have students who have problems, such as lack of work, assignments not matching their major field of study, conflicts with other employees, etc.

• Please do not hesitate to call or e-mail the faculty supervisor to talk over the problems and get advice.
• The faculty supervisor and CDC would like the students to try to work the problem out on their own first. We will provide guidance and recommend several other courses of action.
• The faculty supervisor and CDC will only intervene when the student requests it. We will happily call our human resources contact and work through any problems, or talk with a supervisor.
• Do not let the problem continue until the end of your assignment, and just decide that you do not want to return to the company. Make every effort to resolve the problem from the beginning. It is not fair to the company to lose a good student because they were not made aware of a problem with their program.

If any student experiences sexual harassment, we strongly recommend you call the CDC (814) 868-6164 immediately. The CDC will direct you to the appropriate contact to handle the situation. We will confidentially assist you in every way. This includes removing you from the situation.

Provide us with your address and phone number where you will be living, your work phone number, and your supervisor contact information.

Once your report and evaluation is received, your faculty supervisor will review and grade each report.

If your report is within one week late, your grade will be reduced by one letter grade, if your report is one to two weeks late, it will be reduced by two letter grades, if your report is more than two weeks late, you will get an unsatisfactory grade.