Welcome to Cooperative Work Experience Education (CWEE or Coop-Ed)

Cooperative education is a structured method of combining classroom-based education with practical work experience. A cooperative education experience, commonly known as a "co-op", provides academic credit for structured job experience. Cooperative education is taking on new importance in helping young people to make the school-to-work transition, service learning, and experiential learning initiatives.  Cooperative Education is a work experience program involving the employer, student/employee, and the College, promoting valuable onthe-job training as well as transferable (major related) college unit credit. Completion of at least seven units at the end of the semester is required (including Cooperative Education).

Work experience must be related to the student’s declared major to be transferable. Up to eight units of Cooperative Education are transferable to CSU campuses as free elective units but are accepted only if the college offers that major. Up to six Co-Op Ed units are transferable to some other universities, subject to approval by the institution.

The number of Cooperative Education units acceptable toward elective credit in Pierce degree programs is dependent upon the individual’s major requirements. Veterans may receive subsistence and credit for one semester only (1-4 units), providing work experience is related to their major.