Co-op Students are presented with the opportunity to expand their learning potential beyond the classroom. Taking what you've learned in the classroom and applying it hands-on to a real world setting illustrates this potential. Thus, the learning cycle works both ways because what you learn at the worksite enhances your understanding of what you learn in the classroom.
Co-op Students can earn competitive wages while gaining relevant work experience toward their field of study. This is an important distinction between an internship and Co-op Internships. With an internship you may or may not get paid, but with Co-op Internships you are guaranteed to be paid.
Co-op Students are able to gain a competitive edge in a global market economy because they can market their work experience when they graduate. In addition, students can clearly define their respective career goals by determining if they have chosen the right field of study. The opportunities created for Co-op students provide an environment conducive for networking with professionals and establish job references for future employment. The facts speak for themselves. Fifty percent of UALR's Co-op graduates accepted full-time positions with their Co-op employers.
The UALR Co-op Office has partnered with faculty so that Co-op students may earn academic credit in their major. Currently, there are 55 Co-op courses at UALR.