Experiential Learning Opportunities

Cooperative Education Experiences

Criteria for Cooperative Education Experiences

• Cooperative education experiences are set at one (1) to twelve (12) semester hours during the fall/spring or summer terms. (Honor students may complete one (1) to three (3) semester hours of this course)
• Zero (0) semester hour experiences (if available in major) are offered in summer only.
• A cooperative education experience is one in which the student is an official employee of the participating organization for a significant length of time. 
• In any given semester, students may register for fewer cooperative education semester hours than they are eligible to receive.  
• Students may earn up to thirty (30) semester hours of course work in cooperative education, internship, practicum, or student teaching experiences toward a bachelor’s degree program. 
• International students may only participate in cooperative education coursework if it is a required component of their declared major and have completed the approval process with the Designated School Official.  

Contact Hour Requirement

• Work outside of the classroom must involve a minimum of forty (40) contact hours of immersive work experience for each semester hour awarded.
  • Example: 12-semester hour cooperative education experience X 40 contact hours = at least 480 hours. 
• Dates of the cooperative experience should match the term the work experience will occur. If work occurs in a new term, a new request is made in Handshake.
  • Start and end work dates must not cross into date spans of a prior or subsequent academic term. As a result,
    • For 7-week sessions, a student may register for no more than nine (9) semester hours of cooperative education experiences. 
    • For 12-week or 15-week sessions, a student may register for no more than twelve (12) semester hours of cooperative education experiences. 
  • A student must complete a minimum ¾ of the cooperative experience work hours within the session they are completing the work experience.
  • Zero-semester-hour cooperative education experiences require employment of at least twenty-five (25) hours per week during the summer term.  
  • For SEVIS reporting purposes, international students are considered full-time employees if they log more than twenty (20) hours in a single work week at an employer, regardless of the length of term. 
    • Students should be aware of the limitations of full-time employment.
  • Note: If a cooperative educational experience has work hour expectations that differ from the standard definitions above, the course must clearly identify the work hour expectation in its description.
    • A student’s participation status may also differ if a non-standard working hour expectation is part of the course.

Eligibility Requirements for Students

• Satisfactory completion of any prerequisite course(s) or conditions to the cooperative education course, including EXP 100 - Professional Protocol (1 semester hour)  and program specific prerequisite courses; may include review by the Cooperative Education & Career Readiness Office.
• Enrollment at Lakeland is required at the time a student applies for cooperative education experience.
• Academic Advisor and/or faculty supervisor must review students’ academic performance to date to confirm that student is ready for the opportunity.

Process for Obtaining a Cooperative Education Experience Approval

• Discuss cooperative education experiences with academic advisor, supervising faculty member and the Cooperative Education & Career Readiness Office.
• Identify and apply to cooperative education experience. 
  • Complete hiring process required by employer.
• Complete hire process in Handshake, to acquire necessary approvals from site and faculty supervisor, careers staff. Once the approval process is complete, enrollment processing moves students into the cooperative education course for credit.
• International Students have the following additional requirements:
  • Visit the Office of the Registrar to receive a new I-20 for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization. Students may not begin the CPT/cooperative education placement without a SEVIS I-20 authorizing the cooperative placement.
• Any student pursuing a cooperative education experience enrollment, must complete the applicable processes by the end of the add/drop deadline date for the semester in which the cooperative education experience is to occur in order to achieve final enrollment status.

Financial Aid Eligibility  

• Students completing full-time cooperative education experiences at Lakeland University may remain eligible for full financial aid support.
• Students should consult with financial staff regarding eligibility criteria and level of support. 

Field Experience, Internships and Student Teaching

Criteria for Internship Courses/Sites

• Internships are set at one (1) to twelve (12) semester hours per term. An internship spanning the academic year is set in a two-semester sequence, with one (1) to twelve (12) semester hours of enrollment per term. Dates of internship should match the term the work experience will occur. If work occurs in a new term, a new request is made in Handshake.
• All education majors who seek teacher certification are required to complete a three-week long field experience course in their junior year and a more than a semester long student teaching experience in their final semester of coursework.
  • Note:
    • Field Experience requires a full-day, three-week commitment of time following the calendar of the cooperating school, which runs past the end of Lakeland’s academic term.
    • Student teaching requires a full-day, full-semester commitment of time (approximately 18 weeks of student teaching) following the calendar of the cooperating school, which runs past the end of Lakeland’s academic term.
      • Students complete specific course prerequisites. Faculty/academic advisors within the Education program secure school placement sites.
      • Both Field Experience and Student Teaching students are able to reside in campus housing by submitting a summer housing application. The Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, Housing Director and Billing Office will work with students to collect appropriate paperwork and set-up payment of housing, service, and meal plan fees upon enrollment to these specific education courses.
      • For more information, contact the Director of the Center for Teacher Excellence.
• Students may earn up to thirty (30) semester hours of coursework in cooperative education, internship, practicum, or student teaching experiences toward a bachelor’s degree program.

Contact Hour Requirement

• Work outside the classroom must involve a minimum of fifty (50) contact hours of educational activity for each semester hour awarded.
  • Example: 12-semester hour internship X 50 = 600 total hours. 600 hours/15 weeks = 40 hours or internship work per week.
  • A 12-semester hour internship requires 40 hours of internship work per week for 15 weeks in order to complete 600 total hours.
• Start and end work dates must not cross into date spans of a prior or subsequent academic term. As a result, students may register for no more than twelve (12) semester hours of internship during a 12-week or 15-week session. Students enrolled in a 7-week session may register for no more than 6 semester hours of internship.
• A student must complete a minimum ¾ of the internship contact hours within the session they are completing the work experience.

Eligibility Requirements for Students

• Completion of any prerequisite course(s) or conditions (test scores, grades) to the internship course.
• Cumulative Lakeland GPA of at least 2.50, or GPA standard set for entry to the specific internship course (which may be higher).
• Students must have completed two full-time semesters or have accumulated at least twenty-four (24) total semester hours prior to enrollment in internship.
• Enrollment at Lakeland is required at the point of application for internship opportunities.

Process for Obtaining an Internship Approval

• Discuss internship opportunities with Academic Advisor and/or the Cooperative Education & Career Readiness Office.
• Identify and discuss internship opportunities with site supervisor.
• Once placement is secure, utilize the Handshake platform to complete the application process for the internship site.
• Four approvals are necessary: the supervising faculty member, internship site supervisor, the Cooperative Education & Career Readiness Office and Registrar’s office.
• Once the approval process is complete, enrollment processing moves students into the internship course.
• International Students have the following additional requirements:
  • Obtain a job offer verification completed and signed by the student and the site supervisor.
  • Visit the Office of the Registrar to receive a new I-20 for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization. Students may not begin the CPT/internship without a SEVIS I-20 authorizing the internship.
• Any student pursuing an internship must complete the applicable processes by the end of the add/drop deadline date for the semester in which the internship is to occur in order to achieve final enrollment status.

Financial Aid Eligibility

• Students completing full-time (12-semester hour) internships at Lakeland University may remain eligible for full financial aid support.
• Students enrolled in internships that are not full-time may be eligible for aid, but eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis.
• Students should consult with staff in the Office of Financial Aid and Educational Funding regarding eligibility criteria and level of support.

Any exceptions to policy may occur on a case-by-case basis and must have the written sponsorship of a member of the Lakeland University faculty. Submit requests for exceptions to the Vice President for Academic Affairs Office for review.