The Engineering Cooperative (co-op) Education and Internship program at The University of Iowa supports students as they explore and develop their careers through periods of professional practice. These are professional, engineering-related experiences in business, industry, education, or government that are recognized by the College of Engineering. Experiences range from ten-week summer internships to multi-term co-ops. Students find co-ops and internships in several ways including career fairs, job search sites, applying directly through the company's web site, networking, personal connections, and Handshake (the University of Iowa’s primary online recruiting system). 

To stand out from the competition when applying for engineering positions, a co-op or internship experience before graduation can make a big difference. Students are encouraged to begin their search early so that they may acquire a co-op or internship experience starting the summer after their first or second year. Iowa engineering students complete co-ops and internships at many companies around the country and world.

Registering your Experience with the College of Engineering:

After a student has accepted a co-op or internship position, they need to register their experience with the college for it to be noted on their transcript and documented as an experience related to their curriculum. Students' academic records, and the details of the work experience, are reviewed before giving them special permission to register for a 0-semester hour course needed to maintain student status during semester-long positions. To register your co-op or internship please complete this form.

Benefits of Co-ops and Internships:

  • Career Development: Develop professional and career skills through experience and application
  • Career Exploration:  Experience and evaluate a variety of positions and organizations
  • Competitive Edge:  Increase competitiveness and salary for full-time positions
  • Documentation:  Receive transcript verification for qualified work experience while retaining student status. *Engineering internships and co-ops that are documented on your transcript can count towards your Professional Engineering (PE) License.

0-Credit Internship and Co-op Course Details & Expectations:

The 0-credit course is taken as a pass-fail option where students are asked to complete all assignments to pass.  The course does not have any costs associated with it and the class does not meet.  Course requirements include three one-page papers, a workplace culture assessment, a photo “on the job,” and an end-of-experience evaluation.

Retroactively Adding an Internship or Co-op to your College of Engineering Transcript:

The ability to get a Professional Engineering (PE) License earlier in your career typically results in added benefits.  With this in mind, the College of Engineering has made it possible for you to retroactively add your experience(s) to your transcript.  PE licensure requires four years of professional work experience and internships/co-ops qualify at half-time.

To retroactively add a previous internship or co-op, you must:

  1. Complete the three documents provided in this packet and email them to travis-greenlee@uiowa.edu as one file (PDF or. docs).

  1. Complete the workflow survey “Retroactive Internship and Co-op Registration.”


For more information, contact:
Travis Greenlee
Director, Engineering Career Services
The University of Iowa, College of Engineering
3612 Seamans Center for the Engineering Arts & Sciences
Iowa City, IA 52242
travis-greenlee@uiowa.edu
319-335-6280