Information & Policies for Graduate Students

Table of Contents:

1. GRADUATE PROGRAMS WITH THE CO-OP OPTION:

• Master of Arts, European, Russian and Eurasian Studies


• Master of Arts, International Affairs


• Master of Arts, Migration and Diaspora Studies


• Master of Arts, Political Science


• Master of Arts, Sociology, Quantitative Methodologies


• Master of Computer Science


• Master of Engineering, Sustainable Energy Policy


• Master of Engineering, Infrastructure Protection and International Security


• Master of Infrastructure Protection and International Security


• Master of Public Policy and Administration


• Master of  Public Policy, Sustainable Energy and the Environment

• Be registered in a graduate co-op eligible program


• Have successfully completed, by the start-date of the first work term, the required first-year core classes for your program


• Have courses remaining to complete after final work term (minimum of 0.5 credit)* See concurrent graduation section


• Be within your timeline to graduate (and not on an academic extension)


• Be registered full-time in each academic term prior to a co-op work term


• Continue to meet the eligibility criteria in order to continue to participate in the co-op program

• Applications to participate in the Co-op program are submitted through mySuccess, accessible through Carleton Central. Application instructions can be found here: https://carleton.ca/co-op/co-op-applications-for-graduate-programs/


• Application deadlines:
  
  
  
  • December 31^st for entry in January with a 1^st work term in summer
  
  
  • April 30^th for entry in May with a 1^st work term in fall
  
  
  • August 31^st for entry in September with a 1^st work term in winter
  
  
  
  

• Co-op positions are 4 months/approximately 16 weeks in length


• Take place during the summer (May-August), fall (September-December), or winter terms (January-April)


• Important dates: https://carleton.ca/co-op/how-does-co-op-work/important-dates/


• Co-op positions are paid
  
  
  
  • Please see the Treasury Board Secretariat for Student Rates of Pay for government positions: https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/services/pay/rates-pay/student-rates-pay.html
  
  
  
  


• Co-op positions are full-time hours, 35-40 hours/week

• Scheduled for 2 consecutive work terms when admitted into the co-op program*
  
  
  
  • *JD/MA students will only be timelined for 1 work term, in the summer
  
  
  
  


• Students will be able to see job postings for the work terms reflected in their co-op sequence in mySuccess


• Students may request to complete work terms during a different term (but must meet eligibility criteria)
  
  
  
  • “Grad Student Work Term Request Form” must be submitted in mySuccess to request a co-op work term during a different term. Deadlines to submit a request: February 15^th for the summer term, June 15^th for the fall term, October 15^th for the winter term
  
  
  
  

• Graduate co-op students will obtain the Co-op Designation on their degree (transcript and diploma) after successfully completing 2 co-op work terms

• Students may request special permission to complete a (maximum) third co-op work term, only in situations where the request is an extension of the second work term (in the same position/with the same employer). Students will not receive access to the co-op job board and must continue to meet the co-op eligibility criteria to do so.
  
  
  
  • “Co-op Student Appeal Form” must be submitted in mySuccess to request a third work term
  
  
  
  

• It is OPTIONAL to take a MAXIMUM of 1 course (0.5 credit) while on a co-op work term


• The course MUST be offered during the evening or offered asynchronously online. Daytime courses are not permitted during work terms.


• Must have at least 0.5 credits left to complete following final co-op work term*

• Students may request special permission to graduate concurrently on their final co-op work term with their last 0.5 credit course, and that course must be offered during the evening
  
  
  
  • “Co-op Student Appeal Form” must be submitted in mySuccess to request concurrent graduation
  
  
  
  

• Graduate students will, by default, remain as full-time students while on a co-op work term (unless you choose to switch to part-time)

1. If you choose to remain a full-time student while on a work term and are registered only in the work term course, you will only be charged the co-op work term fee for that work term


2. If you choose to remain a full-time student while on a work term and choose to register in a 0.5 credit course, you will be charged full-time fees for that course in addition to the co-op work term fee, and will still be able to access your funding (if applicable). Please note that this 0.5 credit course, including all deliverables, MUST be taken during the evening so that it does not conflict with your co-op employment


3. If you decide to switch to part-time* status and choose to register in an additional 0.5-credit course, you will be charged part-time fees for that course in addition to the co-op work term fee

• Please visit: https://carleton.ca/co-op/how-does-co-op-work/program-cost/ for up to date fee information


• The Co-op Admin Fee will be applied to your account once you have agreed to participate in the co-op program in mySuccess


• The Co-op Work Term Fee will be applied to your account once you have accepted a co-op position and have been registered in the co-op work term course in Brightspace


• Co-op fees are non-refundable and payable through Carleton Central

• Students are not permitted to accept/complete a TA-ship while on a co-op work term, and the award will be deferred to a future term


• Please visit https://gradstudents.carleton.ca/teaching-assistants/ or contact FGPA for more information

• Students will gain access to their U-Pass once they have been registered in the co-op work term course in Brightspace


• For more information visit: https://carleton.ca/upass/

• Charged on an annual basis (September 1^st to August 31^st)


• See http://gsacarleton.ca/costs-opt-in-opt-out/ for more information


• Students completing a fall co-op work term must opt into the GSA health plan if they would like to receive coverage

• Students do not have access to campus athletic facilities while on a co-op work term unless they opt in


• For more information visit: https://athletics.carleton.ca/

• Students will gain access to the co-op job board in mySuccess once they have been formally admitted into the co-op program by the Co-op Program Administration Team


• Please see the following video walkthrough of how to submit a co-op application


• Students will have access to the postings for the term(s) in which their co-op sequence in mySuccess reflects a work term


• Students are encouraged to apply to positions in which they are interested


• Students are required to include a tailored cover letter, resume, and grades page with every job application. Please refer to the templates created by your Co-op Student Advisor for guidance

• Please visit the Workshops/Events Calendar in mySuccess for upcoming employer events, information sessions, networking opportunities and more

• Students must attend ALL co-op interviews they are invited to


• Scheduling conflict? Email your Co-op Student Advisor or Employer Services Assistant


• If an employer contacts a student directly to schedule an interview, the student is asked to let their Co-op Student Advisor know


• Failure to respond to an interview request or attend an interview will count as a student’s “one-decline” (see “ONE-DECLINE” policy below)

• Students will receive any co-op job offer via email (to Carleton email) from our Employer Services team


• Students have 2 business days to respond to the offer – the offer deadline will be clearly indicated in the offer email


• If an employer contacts a student directly regarding an offer, the student is asked to let their Co-op Student Advisor know


• See “ONE-DECLINE” policy below


• Students who have accepted a co-op offer are expected to honour the commitment to the co-op employer, and may not accept any subsequent offer

• Students are permitted to decline one co-op offer per job search term


• Students are strongly encouraged to review job descriptions carefully and only apply to the positions in which they are interested


• After declining one offer, a student must accept the next offer that they receive


• Failure to respond to a job offer will count as the student’s one decline for that term

• Students are encouraged to conduct a self-directed job search, while also monitoring the co-op job board for relevant co-op opportunities


• Students who secure a co-op opportunity on their own, outside of the co-op job board, must submit the “Self-Directed Job Search Form” in mySuccess to have the opportunity reviewed for co-op eligibility


• Co-op positions must be related to the degree program, full-time hours, approximately 4 months/16 weeks in length, paid, and supervised


• All co-op regulations and fees apply to self-developed co-op positions

• Once an offer has been accepted, either verbally or in writing, the job search for the given term is complete and the work term will be recorded in mySuccess


• The employer will be in touch to discuss the start/end dates, discuss rate of pay, and begin the security clearance process (if applicable)


• The security clearance application process may involve costs to obtain required documentation such as; fingerprints and criminal record checks, which students are responsible for.

• Some co-op positions require students to obtain security clearance


• The security clearance process will be managed by the co-op employer, and will begin after a co-op position has been accepted


• More information about clearance levels and required documentation can be found here: https://carleton.ca/co-op/how-does-co-op-work/security-clearance/


• Visit the following website for more information: https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=28115

• Visit the following page on our website for information on participating in the co-op program as an international student: https://carleton.ca/co-op/how-does-co-op-work/international-students/


• The International Student Services Office is another valuable resource for international students

• The summer term runs from May to August, the fall term runs from September to December and the winter term runs from January to April. Proposed start and end dates for each co-op work term can be found here: https://carleton.ca/co-op/how-does-co-op-work/important-dates/


• The exact start and end date of the co-op work term will be determined by the co-op employer


• Students wishing to amend a start/end date or schedule vacation time must discuss this directly with their employer. These requests must be reasonable and your employer is not obligated to approve vacation requests.


• Each co-op work term must run for a duration of roughly 4 months/16 weeks

1. Work Term Report
   
   
   
   1. Students are registered in a co-op work term course in Brightspace and must write a work term report for each 4-month work term that they complete.
   
   
   2. Report submission deadlines include: April 16^th for the winter term, August 16^th for the summer term and December 16^th for the fall term.
   
   
   3. Work term reports are graded as “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory”, and this is reflected as the work term course grade on the academic audit.
   
   
   4. Work term reports are graded by the Co-op Faculty Advisor, unless the content is deemed proprietary. Proprietary grading information can be found in the work term course.
   
   
   
   


2. Site Visit
   
   
   
   1. Students will receive a virtual site visit by a member of the Co-op Team while on their 1^st co-op work term
   
   
   2. Students on a 2^nd or 3^rd work term will receive an email check-in approximately halfway through the work term.
   
   
   
   


3. Student Work Term Evaluation
   
   
   
   1. Co-op supervisors will be emailed a link to a Student Evaluation form near the end of each co-op work term.
   
   
   2. We ask that supervisors complete the evaluation and share the feedback with their student before their last day of work.
   
   
   3. Evaluations are visible in mySuccess, under the designated co-op work term record.
   
   
   
   

• The following forms are accessible through mySuccess:
  
  
  
  • Confirmation of Student Enrollment Letter
  
  
  • Co-op Student Appeal Form
  
  
  • Course Overload
  
  
  • Remove Co-op Option
  
  
  • Returning Grad Student Work Term Request Form
  
  
  • Self-Directed Job Search Form
  
  
  
  


• Directions on how to access forms in mySuccess can be found here: https://carleton.ca/co-op/forms/how-to-access-co-op-forms-on-mysuccess/