MI Co-op Option Overview
- All MI students must complete a total of 8.0 credits
- All MI students must complete the required courses of their chosen concentration
- All MI students must complete 2.0 credits in Professional Requirements courses
- MI co-op students must complete the Essential Skills for Co-op Readiness course, INF3901H (0.0 CR)
- MI co-op students can complete up to two 12-week Co-op Work Term Experience. Each experience requires that students are enrolled in one of two MI Co-op Courses: INF3902H (0.5 CR) and INF3903H (0.5 CR)
- All MI students may fulfill any remaining credit requirements with electives
How Co-op Works
Who are our MI Co-op students?
Faculty of Information co-op students come with achievements from a variety of undergraduate programs and may already have some professional experience in the workforce. They are enrolled full time and have completed the majority of their core and required courses.
MI Co-op overview
- Students may choose to opt into the MI Co-op option as part of their MI Degree.
- The MI Co-op option is open to all Master of Information full time students.
- Students have to meet co-op eligibility requirements in their Year 1 Fall and Winter term.
- Students are eligible to take on Co-op work terms in the Summer after their first year and Fall and Winter of their second year. Summer Co-op work terms begin in May.
- A co-op experience cannot be done in a student’s final term of study – students must complete their degree in a term with courses only, not a term in which they are also enrolled in a co-op.
- Please note that first year MI students cannot take on a Co-op experience in the Winter semester of Year 1. The first eligible work term is the Summer Work Term in between Year 1 and Year 2.
- Students can choose to work with one company for eight months, or locate two separate opportunities with a duration of four months each. Students who complete two Co-op terms will receive a “Co-op” designation on their transcripts.
- All students interested in completing a Co-op work term must enroll in the Essential Skills for Co-op Readiness INF3901H offered in the Fall of the first year. See below for details on how to apply.
- Please note that the Faculty of Information does not guarantee a Co-op experience.
MI Co-op Eligibility Requirements
Students must meet all requirements below for admission into the MI Co-op:
- Registered as a full-time student in the Master of Information program.
- Enroll and complete INF3901H in the Fall and Winter of the first year.
- Be on track to completing 3.5 credits (7 half courses) by the end of Year 1 Winter Term.
- Be in good academic standing.
Please note that first year MI students cannot take on a Co-op experience in the Winter semester of Year 1. The first eligible work term is the Summer Work Term in between Year 1 and Year 2.
If students experience extenuating circumstances that might negatively impact their ability to meet all the above Co-op eligibility requirements, they may appeal to the Co-op team by writing to careers.
Ineligible Categories
Students in the following categories cannot participate in the MI Co-op:
- Enrolled in the Combined Degree Program (CDP)
- Enrolled in the thesis option
- Participating in the TALint program
- Participating in work-study in the actual Co-op term
How to enroll in the Co-op pathway
1Complete the MS Form
Full-time Master of Information students interested in the Co-op Option will have to express their interest by completing an MS Form. Student Services will send out this Form to all MI students in late July and will manually enroll all interested students in the Essential Skills for Co-op Readiness Course, INF3901H, later in August. Students do not need to enroll in this course on ACORN.
2Attend the Virtual Co-op Orientation Session
We will cover:
- INF3901H Course Expectations and Deliverables
- Co-op Eligibility Requirements
- Co-op Prerequisites and Timelines
- International Students
- Getting Started with Symplicity
The link to join the session along with session details will be provided by the Student Services Team.
3Attend INF3901H
The Essential Skills for Co-op Readiness course (INF3901H) is a non-credit course designed to prepare students for their co-op search and co-op work term. Students must complete INF3901H in order to meet the admission requirements for Co-op. The course will take place in a hybrid format with online and in person components over the Fall and Winter terms.
4Submit an Experiential Learning Application on Symplicity
Submit an Experiential Learning Application on Symplicity. Once applications are received, the Careers Team will confirm that students have met eligibility requirements. Students will receive a letter of admission in the MI Co-op Program in November.
5Access to Symplicity and securing a Co-op position
Once admitted into the MI co-op, students will gain access to the in-house Co-op job board on Symplicity. Students can start applying for roles.
In addition, students have the option of searching and securing their own Co-op positions through personal contacts, past employers, and individual networking.
All such work experiences must be approved by Career Services. Once approved, Career Services will also contact the employer to ensure that they are willing to take an active part in the Co-op partnership.
6MI Co-op Course
All students completing a co-op work term must be enrolled in the Co-op Course (course code INF3902H or INF3903H). This course allows you to receive academic credit for your work experience. There are required academic deliverables for students to complete and submit during the experience. The full details of these requirements will be outlined in the course syllabus once students start their Co-op work term.
Students who have secured a Co-op work term must enroll in INF3902H for their first work term (4 months) and in INF3903H for their second work term (4 months).
Note: There is the possibility of failing the Co-op course should students not meet the requirements of their experience.
Please note that first year MI students cannot take on a Co-op Work Term Experience in the Winter semester of Year 1. The first eligible work term is the Summer Work Term in between Year 1 and Year 2.
Co-op Completion Timeline
A typical timeline for students interested in doing 2 terms of Co-op as part of their MI degree requirements
Declare interest in the Co-op Program.
Meet eligibility requirements.
Eligibility to the Co-op program will be reviewed by the Careers team.
If eligible for Co-op, students will gain access to Symplicity: Apply for Co-op positions; attend interviews.
Continue to meet eligibility requirements.
Check Symplicity and apply consistently for co-op positions. Attend interviews. Schedule advising appointments if needed.
Secure co-op approval from Career Services.
Please note that first year MI students cannot take on a Co-op experience in the Winter semester of Year 1. The first eligible work term is the Summer Work Term in between Year 1 and Year 2.
Co-op term
Develop goals and plan for the Co-op work term.
Complete Co-op course deliverables.
Return to complete degree requirements
Graduation!
Work Integrated Learning Combinations
MI students are eligible to take up to two terms of work-integrated learning opportunities for academic credit (up to 1.0 credits) in the following combinations:
Each work-integrated learning opportunity needs to be taken in separate terms. For instance, students cannot be enrolled in Co-op and practicum in the same term. Students can be enrolled in Co-op for one term, and practicum in a subsequent term, but not enrolled concurrently. Students who complete only one term of Co-op are eligible to complete one practicum in another term.
Finances
Co-op program cost / fees
Please note that there are fees associated with each of the Co-op courses:
INF3901, INF3902 and INF303
For students completing Fall term or Winter term Co-op – please note that full-time tuition will be charged for those terms.
Registrarial services has posted all ancillary fees, which include co-op fees. You can find them here.
Wages
$23–33 CAD per hour or higher is suggested to employers.
Students on Co-op terms continue being a full-time registered student at the University. Therefore, domestic students are eligible to continue applying for OSAP or other Canadian provincial government student aid. For students that do not wish to apply for Canadian financial aid while on Co-op, please inform the respective funding agencies that you continue being registered as a full-time student so that you can remain on interest-free status.
Students can request for a confirmation of enrollment letter by completing the request form and emailing it to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) at graduate.
Taking courses while enrolled in Co-op
Students are eligible to take up to one 0.5-credit regular course while enrolled in a full-time Co-op position (i.e. while enrolled in either INF3902H or INF3903H).
International Students
Q. As an international student, is Co-op an essential step in finding employment in Canada?
Receiving a University of Toronto degree in the Master of Information program is a globally-recognized credential. However, Co-op certainly provides a very targeted and specific corridor to entering the Canadian work environment and gaining domestic experience. Please also consider that Co-op is one type of work-integrated learning opportunity. Students not enrolled in Co-op will have other avenues for gaining experience (e.g. practicum).
Timeline for International Students
- Summer (prior to arrival in September): TBA
- Year 1 Fall Term: TBA
- Study / work permit inquiries can only be answered by licensed Immigration Advisors. The Faculty is limited in their ability to answer these queries. Please connect with one of the University’s licensed immigration advisors by contacting the Centre for International Experience (CIE) at isa.
cie .@utoronto. ca
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The minimum requirement 420 hours per co-op term. Co-op roles must be paid roles earning an hourly wage or salary.
If you secure a co-op position that was not posted on the Symplicity job board, it must be reviewed and approved by the Co-op Team to ensure it meets the program requirements before you can start the co-op. Submit the requirements listed below.
Historically, approximately 500+ job postings have been made available each year. The postings may vary by concentration and are subject to change on a yearly basis.
There are two categories of job postings:
- Faculty of Information (iSchool) postings, where the iSchool has an established relationship with the organization.
- Public postings gathered from a variety of sources and whose organizations may not relate to the iSchool.
Students are encouraged and expected to apply to a significant number of offerings across both iSchool and Public postings to successfully secure a Co-op work experience. Students also often obtain Co-op work experiences through their own independent searches and networking efforts.
The Faculty of Information has established partnerships with organizations in the GTA and beyond. Students can pursue Co-op experiences anywhere in the world!
Yes. Please connect with your assigned advisor for more information.
Required courses for MI concentrations are offered at least once per year. It is the responsibility of the students to ensure that they have completed their graduation requirements. So we recommend that students take required courses before beginning the Co-op term(s) because not all required courses are guaranteed to be available in the winter term when students come back from Co-op. One way to manage course-load is to take courses while completing a Co-op work term. You can book an appointment with your academic advisor to ensure that you are on the right track to completing degree requirements.
Students wishing to complete a term sequence different from the above are encouraged to contact the Careers Office to explore other options. Winter term opportunities may be offered based on availability and demand.
Sometimes students manage to secure a Co-op work experience during the fall term, prior to being accepted into the Co-op option. Students are expected to discuss this with the Careers Office to discuss eligibility. It is important to note that there is no correlation between securing an early offer and Co-op acceptance. However, it is possible to parlay an early offer into a Co-op opportunity where the opportunity meets the Faculty’s criteria.
Yes (as long as you have yet to sign a contract/offer with your second 4-month work experience). Students can opt out of work experience(s) for various reasons such as being unable to secure a first/second work experience, decision that coursework/in-Faculty term is more relevant or that one term experience adequately fulfills interest/skill development.
Students will receive course credit for any work term successfully completed. The Careers team is available to work with students to create and/or revise their career strategy at any time.
If you have already signed a contract for a second 4-month work experience, and feel unable to complete contractual obligations, please connect with the Careers team immediately.
No. As an ambassador for the Faculty in the workplace, we hold firm that students honour all signed contracts. The contract is made between not only the student and the employer but also the university. We want our partner-employers to be confident that when they have a commitment from our students and the Faculty, that the contract will be honoured.
However, if students were to meet with extenuating circumstances beyond their control, and feel unable to complete their contractual obligations, please connect with our Careers team immediately to review options.
We encourage students to begin looking for opportunities as early as possible. Many organizations begin to promote their summer Co-op positions in late-November and throughout the winter months. However, most students normally secure their work experience in the spring; up to 50% of all summer work experience offers are made in April. The estimated timeline for the hiring process is shown above.
The Co-op Ancillary Fee supports the operations of the Co-op program. This includes student advising, employer outreach and engagement, resource and program development, as well as infrastructure and system supports to name a few examples.
The fee is not specifically allocated for job board access and is applied each term once students are registered in the Co-op course(s), not in advance. Any student who chooses not to enroll into the Co-op option will not incur the Ancillary Fee.
All Co-op students need to be enrolled full-time to be eligible for the Co-op option. Co-op work experiences are courses completed in the workplace, supervised by both an employer and the Faculty instructor with specific learning objectives.
Students receive 0.5 Credit (CR / FCE) during each of two work terms and can complete an additional 0.5 Credit (CR / FCE) in another course, if desired.
The Co-op option is not an employment option but a pedagogical strategy. Co-operative education emphasizes workplace learning and should not be relied upon to finance education.
Please keep in mind that Co-op work experience prevents students from having a summer job – many of which may be better paid than a Co-op experience. Also, many students already work part time during the fall term. Co-op income may be only marginally greater than part time work income, given the added Co-op fee added per work term.
The Careers Officer is available to provide students with assistance when pursuing on-campus or off-campus work opportunities to support their financial needs. If students are concerned about finances during their studies at the Faculty of Information, our Student Services staff members are also able to assist and refer them to appropriate resources throughout the institution and beyond. Students should contact inquire.
Co-op pay wage will be influenced by several factors, some of which may include organization, sector, public or private, and students’ level of experience. The suggested wage for MI Co-op students is $23–33 CAD per hour or higher.
Students are encouraged to focus on the learning experience rather than the rate of pay. Students who try to negotiate a rate of pay above and beyond what is listed above risk their offer being revoked by the employer.