What is “Cooperative Education”?

 

Cooperative Education (MGT 4945) is designed for students majoring in Management - Commerce concentration. It combines formal academic study with periods of practical work experiences in business organizations. It offers students with defined career objectives the forum to develop expertise and sharpen skill-sets in their management field of study. For students who have not made a career choice, cooperative education provides an opportunity to explore various options. For employers, it produces an opportunity to observe prospective future employees.

 

The process of course selection has been carefully done with an aim to develop proper business skills.  Also, to enhance a real business practice and its environment, students have an opportunity to join a cooperative education program for the period of four months or the whole semester.  During such time, at a well-recognized company, each student must prove themselves by working with the real business people including operative personnel and executive officers to complete a business project as assigned and closely monitored by the company’s mentor and the school’s advisors.  Furthermore, the students will have a chance to exercise their presentation skill by presenting the completed work directly to the CEO or the company’s owner together with executive officers.  In addition to rigorous courses of study through the entire program, internationally accepted course requirements, and hands-on business experience from highly respected companies, this program has incorporated ethics and corporate social responsibility as its core theme of all courses offered.  Since they are so imperative to gain consumers’ acceptance and earn public trust to ensure today’s business sustainability in the long run.

 

Cooperative Education’s Objectives

Upon the completion of MGT4945 Cooperative Education, students will:

• Learn both in the class and on the job, through significant experiences and they will get an opportunity to apply principles learned in and outside the classroom.

• Be able to develop a greater sense of responsibility and dependability. 

• Obtain an understanding of employment opportunities and responsibilities through direct on-the-job experience. 

• Get first-hand experience in the real world of work while earning university credit.   

• Acquire attitudes, skills, and knowledge necessary for success in their chosen career. 

• Develop employability skills, which cannot be taught in the classroom. 

• Learn and develop work habits necessary for individual maturity and job competence. 

• Obtain on-the-job training, which can lead to full-time employment after their graduation from the university. 

• Engage in exploratory activities, which contribute to the adjustment to the workplace. 

• Gain self-confidence, maturity, and the ability to “handle” themselves in business world.

• Develop positive attitudes toward work and co-workers and improve interpersonal skills as a result of on-the-job training with experienced workers. 

• Find their course work more meaningful and interesting. 

• Develop understanding, appreciation, and respect for work and co-workers. 

• Get an opportunity to develop and master specific skills such as research skills, writing skills, technical skills, and presentation skills.  

 

Training Duration 

Students, who take cooperative education, must work at the training site for at least 16 weeks consecutively which equivalent to one semester of their fourth year. 

 

Pre-requisite for Cooperative Education (MGT 4945)

Students who qualify to take MGT 4945 Cooperative Education must meet the following criteria:

• Exclusively for Management Major – Plan A (ACC School of Commerce) Concentration, and 

• Senior standing with at least 109 credits earned, and 

• Accumulative GPA of at least 2.00, and 

• Completion of MGT 3940 Business Research Methodology, and 

• Meet at least 90% attendance for ACCSC – related activities such as Learn@Site and Alumni’s Talk, and 

• Attend cooperative education orientations and seminars provided, and 

• Must be able to represent AU in professional manner at all time. 

                                                                                                                                                                  Reference : accsc.au.edu