Cooperative Education

What is Co-Op?

Cooperative Education / Academic Nursing Internship at 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:

• be admitted and enrolled in the Department of Nursing
• have satisfactorily completed all first and second semester Nursing courses
• have a GPA of at least 2.75
• be in good academic standing

Credits and Schedule

Students may elect to register for either 1 or 2 credits.

• 1 credit equates to 120 – 300 work hours per semester (8 – 20 hours per week)
• 2 credits equates to 301 – 600 work hours per semester (21 – 40 hours per 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 or spring semester.
• Summer Co-op: Student is enrolled in a Co-op work experience rather than classes during the summer.

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