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Contact Questions
Are Coordinated Internships or Cooperative Education courses available at NOVA?
Do I have to earn credit at NOVA to do an internship?
When should I start the registration process for Coordinated Internship courses?
How do I register for Coordinated Internship courses?
How do I find work-based experiential learning opportunities or internships?
Will my financial aid cover my Coordinated Internship course?
How do I know if Cooperative Education or Coordinated Internship courses will transfer?
Can I request a specific instructor for Cooperative Education or Coordinated Internship courses?
Answers
When should I complete a work-based learning experience, also known as Cooperative Education or Coordinated Internship, in my degree program of study?
Coordinated Internships are usually completed as a capstone experience during a students’ last semester of study. However, Cooperative Education or Coordinated Internships may be completed at any point as long you meet the eligibility requirements.
Are Coordinated Internships or Cooperative Education courses available at NOVA?
Yes, Coordinated Internships–190/290 and Cooperative Education–197/297 are general usage courses offered in most Academic Departments at NOVA; these courses are listed at the beginning of the course descriptions in the College Catalog. However, you may not see the exact course you would like to take listed in the schedule of classes. If that is the case, please contact the Coordinator for Curriculum Initiatives (kbalbuena@nvcc.edu) for information on how to register.
Do I have to earn credit at NOVA to do an internship?
Most employers require a student who is engaged in work-based experiential learning to be affiliated with an institution of higher education such as NOVA due to state and federal laws or preferences of the employer. NOVA only provides you supervision and credit for work-based learning experiences through registration in the Cooperative Education or Coordinated Internship courses. You may participate in a structured internship offered by an employer that is not part of your academic program. These independent internships are arranged directly with the employer and you do not earn credit toward your degree or credential. Non-academic or for-credit externships provide valuable work and networking experiences.
When should I start the registration process for Coordinated Internship courses?
It is recommended that you begin searching for an internship a minimum of 10–12 weeks prior to the start of the semester. You should begin the registration process at least five weeks before beginning the Coordinated Internship course.
How do I register for Coordinated Internship courses?
Students must first visit the Cooperative Education & Coordinated Internships website and review the eligibility requirements. If eligible, you should contact your department to determine if there are additional requirements for an internship in your program. Academic Pathway deans will review the application and determine if your internship meets the qualifications to receive credit.
Once approved you will be given permission to enroll in the appropriate course and should register directly.
How do I find work-based experiential learning opportunities or internships?
You must find your own Coordinated Internship opportunities, but Career Services is here to help. The first source for finding internships is Career Connection, NOVA’s career management system. It contains internship opportunities with organizations that are paid and with government and non-profit agencies that are both paid and unpaid. You can filter based on internships as well as on your program of study or career interests. You are also encouraged to reach out to faculty in your department who may have relationships with employers in the community or have established opportunities for work-based experiential learning offered in the department.
How do I know if Cooperative Education or Coordinated Internship courses count toward the completion of degrees or programs of study at NOVA?
Select degrees and programs of study at NOVA have Cooperative Education or Coordinated Internship courses embedded in the curriculum for the degree or program of study. Some degrees and programs of study do not have these courses embedded in the curriculum; however, there may be opportunities for students to complete Cooperative Education or Coordinated Internship courses within the degree or program of study as “general electives” or “departmental electives.” Many students also register for Coordinated Internship courses as additive credit to a degree or program of study if the course cannot be applied to graduation requirements. You are encouraged to speak to your advisor in addition to reviewing your degree plan to verify graduation requirements. All NOVA degree requirements can be found in our catalog.
Will my financial aid cover my Coordinated Internship course?
If your program of study has a required internship course in the curriculum or you have open space in the curriculum where the internship credit can be used, it may be covered by financial aid. However, many of NOVA’s transfer programs do not have general electives where an internship course can be placed. In these cases, the internship credit may not be covered by financial aid and may not count towards the enrollment credits for financial aid status.
How do I know if Cooperative Education or Coordinated Internship courses will transfer?
Internship courses provide students with the opportunity to gain experience in their desired career field or the opportunity to explore a field of interest. Internships may not count towards your degree requirements, and therefore, some colleges will not accept these credits in transfer. It is recommended that you check with the institution where you plan to transfer to find out their transfer policy on internship credits.
Can I request a specific instructor for Cooperative Education or Coordinated Internship courses?
The discipline where your program is housed will contact faculty to determine interest in teaching an internship course. However, if you have or know of a faculty member interested in teaching the internship course, you can provide the contact information to the dean who will follow up with the faculty member.
How many credits can I take each semester for Coordinated Internship courses and what determines the number of credits per course?
You may take 1–5 credits per semester for a Coordinated Internship course and may cumulatively earn up to a maximum of 10 credits total for Cooperative Education and/or Coordinated Internship courses. Most internship courses are offered at 3 credits. However, prior to registering, you can determine the number of credits based on the number of hours you are able to work at the co-op/internship site for that semester. You must register and pay tuition for the corresponding amount of college academic credits for the Cooperative Education or Coordinated Internship course that corresponds to the number of total work hours for the co-op or internship as determined by the corresponding chart:
| Co-op/Internship Total Work Hours | Credits |
|---|---|
| 16 Hours–80 Hours (Minimum) | 1 Credit (Minimum) |
| 81 Hours–160 Hours | 2 Credits |
| 161 Hours–240 Hours | 3 Credits |
| 241 Hours–320 Hours | 4 Credits |
| 321 Hours–400 Hours (Maximum) | 5 Credits (Maximum) |