EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTERU n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o D e n v e r

… Serving as a Trusted Resource Bridging Academic Learning with

Professional Experience

Turn Speakers On** Speaker notes can be viewed on the left-hand

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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTER

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTERU n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o D e n v e r

BY THE END OF

THIS PRESENTATION . . .

You will better understand:• Whether you want an Internship or a Co-op• Eligibility requirements• Available resources • Next steps …

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTERU n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o D e n v e r

BENEFITS OF INTERNSHIPS & CO-OPS

• Improve your marketability upon graduation• Develop new professional skills and abilities

Improve your knowledge of career choices and working environments

• Build valuable connections for networking• Prepare for transition to the working world

or graduate school

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTERU n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o D e n v e r

INTERNSHIPS AND COOPERATIVE

EDUCATION (CO-OP) EXPERIENCES

An Internship is an academic experience• Takes place in a professional setting• Student ALWAYS earns academic credit• May be paid or unpaid• Minimum GPA of 2.75• Minimum of 10 weeks

A Co-op is a UCD sponsored education-related work experience

• Takes place in a professional setting• Student NEVER earns academic credit• Is always PAID• Minimum GPA of 2.0

BOTH Internships and Co-ops are:• Coordinated through the Experiential Learning Center (The ELC)• Must have a UCD approved Learning Agreement in place before you

begin working

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTERU n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o D e n v e r

INTERNSHIPS

Carefully designed and monitored– 1 semester (10 week minimum) work & learning experience– Either paid or unpaid (determined by employer)– Documented learning objectives– Site Supervisor & Faculty Sponsor– Performance evaluation and grade

Educational experience – Related to your field of study

Integrate classroom knowledge with practical work experience

– Hands-on, real-life work experiences– Exposure to professional environment

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTERU n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o D e n v e r

REGISTERING YOUR INTERNSHIP

Once you secure an internship, contact your Internship and Co-op Advisor to go over the

Learning Agreement.

** Internships must be added before the semester

Drop/Add deadline **

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTERU n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o D e n v e r

CO-OPS

• Education-related, work experience program where students integrate academic coursework with relevant work experience in a professional environment

• Requires a UCD approved Learning Agreement before you begin working

• Not listed on transcripts and do NOT earn academic credit

• Always PAID work experience and can last multiple semesters

• Require a performance evaluation at the end of each semester

• Available in all fields, especially Engineering & Business

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTERU n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o D e n v e r

REGISTERING YOUR CO-OP

Once you secure an co-op, contact your Internship and Co-op Advisor to go over the Learning Agreement.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTERU n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o D e n v e r

SEARCHING FOR AN

INTERNSHIP/CO-OP

Experiential Learning Center Resources– InternLink– Over 600 registered employers– Your Internship and Co-op Advisor– Your Personal Network– Professional Associations/Student Chapters– Attend Job Fairs– Create A Targeted Employer List– Conduct Informational Interviews

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTERU n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o D e n v e r

SITE VISITS: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SEE YOU IN ACTION!

Arapahoe County Coroner Health and

Safety Live Nation

Bentley Lab - Biochemistry and

Molecular Genetics Department of Environmental

Bessie’s Hope UCD Virology Lab The Integer Group

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTERU n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o D e n v e r

READY, SET, GO! …

• Register on InternLink• Schedule an appointment with your

Internship and Co-op Advisor: define your goals

• Update & Review your resume

• Upload resume and other documents to InternLink

• Apply for internships/co-ops

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTERU n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o D e n v e r

QUESTIONS?

International students must view another presentation

to see their additional responsibilities.

Register for InternLink

International Students

The Experiential Learning Center

303.556.6656Tivoli 260