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TED ROGERS SCHOOL OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
CO-OP OPTION – ADMISSION AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS
The Co-op Option in the ITM program is a unique opportunity for students to:
 help finance their education – be less dependent on grants, loans
and family; perhaps graduate debt-free
 not have to work during academic terms to concentrate on their
studies and thus obtain higher grades
 gain marketable experience and skills in work related to their
program and intended profession
 improve prospects for career employment on graduation
 build a personal contact network – for referrals, recommendations
 enrich their educational experience – through integrating academic
studies with work experience
 gain maturity and confidence
 receive the benefit of the “Co-op Dividend”
1.0
GENERAL INFORMATION & ADMISSION
1.1
Students who want to be considered for admission to the Co-op
Option must apply after the completion of their first year in the ITM
program. Application forms will be available at Co-op Information
Sessions which will be held in late April, or from the ITM Office
after the information sessions.
Please note that admission to the Co-op Option is a one-time
opportunity, available only to full time students starting their second
year of the ITM program and that the co-op program requires five
(5) years to complete.
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1.2 In addition to completing the application form the student must
attach a 400 word statement addressing the question, “Why I want to be
a Coop student?” and provide a one page resume.
1.3
To be eligible for acceptance into the Co-op Option, students must
meet the following criteria:
1.3.1 Have completed all First Year courses (i.e., Professional,
Professionally Related, and Liberal Studies courses) by the end of
August of their first year, AND
1.3.2 Must be enrolled in all the required courses of the Second Year,
AND
1.3.3 Must have a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) at the end of
the First Year of the program of at least 2.80 AND
1.3.4 Ideally must not have taken (or received transfer credit for) ANY
Professional, Professionally-Related or Liberal course past second
year of the curriculum before starting the first work term. If transfer
credits are received for any third year course, then such transfer
credit will reduce the number of courses that can be taken during
that semester.
1.4
When all applications have been reviewed a short list of applicants
will be notified of their selection for interview.
1.4.1 To be admitted into the Co-op Option, students must receive a
‘pass’ for the Coop Admission Interview. This interview simulates
an employment interview and is designed to ensure that students
admitted into the Co-op Option have the requisite interpersonal and
communication skills to be successful in obtaining work term
employment.
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2.0 APPLICATION PROCESS
2.1
INFORMATION SESSIONS – Students interested in co-op should
attend one of two Information Sessions to be held at the end of the
Winter semester (April).
Tuesday, April 28, 2015, 1 – 3 p. m. (TRS3-149)
OR
Thursday, April 30, 2015, 4 – 6 p.m. (TRS3-149)
You may attend either session; the content will be the same.
Students unable to attend an Information Session may pick up a handout
package and application form from the ITM reception staff, or download
from the ITM website, after the second session date. This Information
Session is primarily for Second-Year students, who are ready to apply for
Coop. First-Year students interested in the Co-op program are
encouraged to attend the first year orientation session or visit the ITM
website to learn about the admission requirements and start planning
ahead.
2.2
CO-OP APPLICATION, STATEMENT and RESUME package is
due: Monday, June 15, 2015.
2.3
ALL APPLICANTS will be notified of their eligibility to proceed
to Stage 2 (Admission Interview) by the end of August. August,
14, 2015.
2.4
ADMISSION INTERVIEW SIGN-UP SCHEDULE – Applicants
for the Co-op Option must sign up for an Admission Interview online. Information on this sign-up process will be provided in the
Information sessions and in the hand-out available after the
Information sessions at the ITM Reception area. Access to the on3
line sign-up system will be provided by notification to applicants
who are eligible to proceed to the Admission Interview process.
The sign-up opportunity will be available for one week only.
(August 17 – August 28, 2015) Eligible applicants must sign up for
one of the available interview slots during this 5-day period. Not
signing up for an interview indicates withdrawal from the selection
process. (Sign-up is done on-line and eligible students will be given
access to the sign-up website.)
2.5
ADMISSION INTERVIEWS – Conducted early September
(September 1– 10, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), in the ITM
Conference Room, TRS 2-021 or otherwise stated.
2.6
APPLICANTS ADVISED OF ADMISSION STATUS – by Middle
of September (September 15, 2015).
2.7
Applicants accepted into the co-op program must attend one of two
mandatory Co-op Orientation Sessions sponsored by Ryerson’s
cooperative Office
2.8
Applicants who are accepted into the Co-op Option must sign an
OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE OF ADMISSION TO CO-OP in the
ITM Office, by Wednesday September 30, 2015
2.9
Employer Interviews will be held from about mid-January to endof-May, and co-op students must be alert to the postings and apply
for all suitable positions.
2.10 Students admitted to the Co-op Option must pre-register for ‘Co-op’
in March (during the pre-registration period) and may not change
that registration until September 1st (if they wish to return to the
regular program). Similarly, students who have accepted a job offer
for a work term, must fulfil that commitment to their employer and
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may not withdraw from co-op during the agreed period of
employment (4 or 8 months).
3.0
To remain in the Co-op Option and graduate with the ‘Co-operative
Education’ endorsement on their degree document students must:
3.1
Maintain a CGPA of 2.8 throughout the program.
3.2
Keep current in the program, i.e., complete all courses of their
program in the semester in which they are to be taken. Co-op
students may drop a course only with prior permission of the
School.
3.3
Not take more than one (1) course during work terms. The Spring
and Summer academic terms that occur during the summer work
terms are considered as two separate semesters, meaning 2 courses
can be completed, as long as one course ends before the other starts.
Courses must be taken outside of work hours, since first priority
while on a work term is to the Co-op employer. Co-op students
must obtain the written permission of their work supervisor, (and
submit it to the School) and the permission of the School before
enrolling in a course during a work term. Courses taken during
work term must not be a REQUIRED course and should be taken in
this order of priority: (1) repeat or replace a failed or dropped
course and (2) take a course from a future semester to lighten that
semester’s course load. The school reserves the right to drop
student from courses that are not in compliance with this
policy.
ITM700, ITM800 and ITM90A/B may not be taken
during a work term.
3.4
receive a ‘pass’ for every Work Term Report.
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3.5
receive a performance rating of at least ‘Satisfactory’ from every
work term employer.
3.6
complete all five (5) Work Terms. Students who have been diligent
in their search but were unable to secure employment for no more
than one work term, at the sole discretion of the School, will be
permitted to remain in, and graduate with the Co-op designation
with only four (4) completed Work Terms.
3.7
Not be terminated from employment. Students terminated from an
employment, for just cause, will not be permitted to continue in Coop Option
3.8
complete the final year of the academic program registered as a fulltime student with a minimum course load of 60% (minimum of 9
hrs. per semester).
4.0 WITHDRAWAL
4.1
4.2
4.3
Students will be withdrawn from the Co-op program by the School
if they do not meet any one of the conditions listed in 3.0, above.
If students fail to obtain a work term placement (either through the
Ryerson Co-op Office or on their own initiative) in WKT-100
despite their availability and best efforts to apply to all suitable
postings, but obtain a work placement in WKT-200, they may
remain in the Co-op Option (see 3.6, above). However, if they fail
to obtain a work placement in both WKT-100 and WKT-200
(summer and fall terms) they must return to the Regular ITM
Program in September.
Students may withdraw from the Co-op Option during an academic
term, and before they participate in the placement process for the
following work term, by notifying the ITM office in writing (letter
or e-mail message). Students who choose to withdraw after the
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placement process has started, will be charged the co-op fee for that
work term.
4.4
Students who accept a work placement must complete that
placement before withdrawing from the Co-op Option and must
submit, and receive a “pass” for, the work term report even if they
will not be continuing in Co-op. Failing to receive a “pass” for the
work term report will result in the grade of “F” being posted to their
academic record.
4.5
Students must receive clearance from the School to be eligible to
engage in the job search for work terms WKT-300 and WKT400/502, that is, they must have submitted both, the work term
report and the completed employer performance evaluation when
due (i.e., January 31st for WKT-100 & 200 and September 30th for
WKT-300 and for WKT-400 & 502). Such clearance is reported to
the ITM Co-ordinator at the Ryerson Office of Co-operative
Education and a precondition for access to the Place-Pro and other
services of the Co-op Office.
Revised March, 2015
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