Program Overview

Co-op Programs

The Co-op Programs at the University of Ottawa offer students the opportunity to gain practical work experience in their field of study.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for the Co-op Program, students must:

• Be registered full-time in the Honours BA in Communication program or the Honours with Major in Communication and maintain a full-time status during all study terms, including the one after the last work term
• Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 6 in courses taken at the University of Ottawa
• Have completed all first-year course requirements and be registered in mandatory second-year fall and winter courses in order to follow the approved work-study sequence

Work/Study Sequences

The work/study sequence for the Co-op Program is as follows: | Year of Study | Fall | Winter | Summer | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Study | Study | - | | 2 | Study | Study | Work 1 | | 3 | Study | Work 2 | Study | | 4 | Work 3 | Study | Work 4 | | 5 | Study | - | - |

Co-op Fees

Co-op students pay co-op fees for the session before their first work term and then for every work term, up to and including their last one.

Employers

Some of the employers that have participated in the Co-op Program include:

• Canadian Heritage
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research
• Environment and Climate Change Canada
• Global Affairs Canada
• Health Canada
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
• Invest Ottawa
• Montfort Hospital
• National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces
• Natural Research Council Canada (NRC)
• Natural Resources Canada
• Parks Canada
• Public Health Agency of Canada
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police
• University of Ottawa

Tasks at Work

Co-op students may be involved in a variety of tasks, including:

• Analyzing media coverage
• Designing, realizing, and implementing communication and public relations campaigns
• Designing promotional materials for the media and the public
• Designing public opinion surveys
• Designing web pages
• Drafting articles and backgrounders
• Event promotions
• Helping to create scripts for radio and television
• Organizing conferences and special events
• Speechwriting
• Writing strategic communication plans

Student Salaries

Information on student salaries is available.

Work Term Reports

Guidelines for work term reports are provided.

Academic Coordinators

Academic coordinators are available to support co-op students.

How to Apply

There are two ways to apply to the Co-op Program:

1. Reserved placement: Students can apply for direct admission to the Co-op Program when they apply for regular admission to the University.
2. Applying once at the University of Ottawa: Students can apply for the Co-op Program after they have registered at the University.

Application Deadline

The application deadline for the Co-op Program is September 30 of the student's second year of studies.