How It Works

Participating in co-op is much like any rewarding life experience: to gain from it, students must be truly invested in it.  

Successful co-op students possess a combination of academic strength, a robust work ethic, a commitment to an alternative path of study, flexibility, resilience, and a drive to succeed. Co-op students must also be proactive, engaged, receptive to feedback, and adaptive to the time management and developmental demands of the co-op job search process. Finally, co-op students must meet and maintain the following requirements to register for and continue to participate in co-op.

• Be a full-time, undergraduate day student in the Haub School of Business.
• Be a United States veteran enrolled in the Haub School of Business (Co-op is an excellent option for United States veterans who are enrolled in the Haub Degree Completion Program. The program helps veterans translate their military experience for civilian work, offers them veteran-specific job search skill development, and helps with transitioning effectively from the military to a corporate workplace).
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.  
• Complete the first semester of the sophomore year before starting the first co-op.
• Complete the junior year before starting the second co-op.
• Attend the co-op summer semesters to remain on track for four-year graduation (unless AP or transfer credits allow for a reduced summer course load or the elimination of a summer semester).
• Be a freshman or a sophomore.
• Have access to transportation for commuting. Note: while a car isn’t required, it significantly increases employment options and eases commuting obligations, which students are responsible for arranging and managing.

Students must complete an application to join the co-op program by November 1. Applications are available in the co-op office and will be sent by email to all incoming business majors (declared and undecided).  

Co-op program enrollment is aligned to match employer needs, and students will be admitted to the program accordingly. Each year, the co-op program will note the number of students from each business major that the program can host; if the number of student applicants in a given major exceeds the number of anticipated co-op roles for that major, students in the over-represented major will be selected for entry into the program based upon highest cumulative GPAs.  

Searching for a co-op job can feel intimidating, especially for students who are new to the process. The co-op program is designed to guide students through every phase of the job search, helping them develop the skills needed to succeed while providing strong mentorship and support. From meeting corporate representatives and interviewing professionally to demonstrating workplace etiquette and crafting a strong resume, co-op helps students navigate these challenges. In keeping with Saint Joseph’s Jesuit mission, the program meets students where they are and supports their growth.

The co-op job search is a real-world hiring process. The program does not place students in roles nor does it guarantee employment; the interview process is competitive, and students must perform strongly to secure job offers. Employers make independent hiring decisions, selecting candidates based on their interview performance, background, fit for the company and role, and potential for success.

To equip co-op students with the skills and confidence they need, the co-op program provides:  

• A formal, comprehensive co-op program orientation.
• Individual resume meetings with the Co-Op Program Director.
• Mock interviews with corporate employers.
• Information sessions presented by select co-op employers.
• Social and career networking with junior and senior co-op students.
• Substantial individual support from the Co-Op Program Director.

Interested in seeing the four-year academic program for co-op students? The link below will reveal course sequence forms for each business major that co-op supports. These forms illustrate the rotation across traditional semesters of study, semesters of work, and summer semesters. Scroll down to the Haub School of Business section and click on the down arrow for any business major to reveal the co-op course sequence sheet for that major.

See Co-op Course Sequences

Campus Involvement: Participating in co-op does not mean pausing or eliminating campus involvement. Co-op students routinely remain an integral part of campus life while working; they participate in student organizations and leadership opportunities just as non-co-op students do. Any extracurricular activities that meet during the evenings and on weekends are fully available to co-op students during work terms. See below for additional points of consideration for co-op students.

Student Status: During co-op work terms, students are considered full-time students.

Tuition: Co-op students pay the same eight semesters of tuition as non-co-op students; co-op students pay summer semester tuition in lieu of paying tuition during the co-op work terms, so tuition payments occur at different times for co-op students.

Financial Aid: Co-op rarely impacts financial aid packages negatively, but all co-op students are required to meet with a Financial Aid Counselor to discuss their specific financial aid situation as it relates to co-op enrollment.

Housing: Co-op students can reside in campus housing during co-op work terms. Students can be released from their housing agreements to commute from their permanent address or from the housing location provided by the co-op employer, at no charge, during co-op work terms for co-op jobs that are not proximate to campus, as determined by the co-op program and the Office of Residence Life.