Cooperative Education

What is Co-Op?

Cooperative Education / Academic Nursing Internship at the University of North Dakota College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines (CNPD) is an education concept that enables students to integrate classroom and laboratory learning with practical, professional experience in a health care agency. It is based on the philosophy that learning extends beyond the classroom and that the combination of classroom learning and practical experience is a superior method of education.

Students are paid employees of a North Dakota health care agency while they earn elective credit for this clinical experience. Students have the opportunity to perform skills learned in prior and concurrent nursing courses while under the guidance of agency staff. Each clinical learning/ working experience is individualized according to the student’s prior academic and work experience as well as the needs of the employing agency.

Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in Cooperative Education, you must:

• Admitted and enrolled in the Dept of Nursing
• Satisfactory completion of all first and second semester Nursing courses
• GPA of at least 2.75
• Be in good academic standing

Credits and Schedule

Students may register for 1 or 2 elective credits.

• 1 credit: 120 to 240 work hours per semester (8 to 20 hours/week)
• 2 credits: 241 to 400 work hours per semester (21 to 40 hours/week)

There are two types of cooperative education experiences:

• Academic Nursing Internship: Student works part-time (often weekends) while attending regular classes during the fall and spring semester.
• Summer Coop: Student is enrolled in a Cooperative education work experience rather than classes during the summer.

Benefits

• For Students: Provides the student with the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge and skills to real life situations and to reinforce competence and confidence. Agency staff provides guidance and supervision in the clinical setting.
• For Agencies: Provides agencies with additional nursing staff as well as opportunities for recruitment and training of potential employees

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