Co-op Program

Co-op Information for Mechanical Engineering Students

In order to be eligible to apply for a co-op, students:

  • Must have and maintain overall GPA of at least 2.50
  • Must have completed the freshman curriculum and have academic standing of sophomore or higher
  • Must have completed at least 13 credits at UNC Charlotte
  • Will preferably have completed MEGR 2141

In order to undertake a co-op, students:

  • Must connect with Linda Thurman (via phone or in person) to review the co-op process. This step must be done PRIOR to going to the Career Center and/or meeting with the departmental co-op adviser.
  • Must register on the Hire-A-Niner site prior to the first and each subsequent rotation at the co-op: https://hireaniner.charlotte.edu/
  • Must complete the co-op form and have it approved by the departmental co-op adviser.
    • The form is available at this link: Co-op form
    • A complete schedule needs to be designated for all courses through graduation including the designation of which semesters will be co-op work semesters. The courses must follow all pre- and co-requisite conditions.
    • A co-op rotation cannot interrupt the senior design sequence. If senior design 1 is started in the spring, a co-op rotation may be scheduled for the summer, and senior design 2 is finished in the fall semester. If senior design 1 is started in the fall, a co-op rotation cannot be done in the spring semester.
    • The semesters that follow each co-op rotation must include MEGR 3695, which is a one-credit seminar course.
    • Back-to-back co-op rotations cannot be scheduled for consecutive fall and spring semesters. Co-op rotations may be scheduled in back-to-back spring and summer semesters if MEGR 3695 is completed in the summer at the same time as the second rotation. Co-op rotations may be scheduled for consecutive spring and fall semesters if students take courses during the summer between them.
    • The form can be sent electronically to ksmit505@charlotte.edu for Dr. Kamia Smith to review, approve, and return electronically, at which point it can be uploaded to the Hire-A-Niner site.

In order to receive recognition of completion of a co-op program, students must complete three instances of MEGR 3695. Please register for MEGR 3695 following each co-op rotation for which you are enrolled in ENGR 3590 (Engr Co-Op or 49ership Exp).

Students may also opt to undertake only one or two co-op rotations and thus, not complete a full co-op program. For this option, the time spent on the co-op rotations will count towards eligibility for PE licensure, but students are not required to complete MEGR 3695.

Students who are registered for MEGR 3695 are required to:

  • Prepare a presentation on the engineering work that they did during the previous co-op rotation. This presentation may be the same as an end-of-co-op presentation that they gave to their employers.
  • Email Dr. Kamia Smith (ksmit505@charlotte.edu) during the semester of MEGR 3695 in order to schedule a 30-minute appointment. The meeting should occur prior to the last day of classes.
  • Receive approval from Dr. Smith for the co-op work completed as well as approval to continue.

For additional information related to the Co-op programs at UNC Charlotte, please visit Career Center and/or this link: http://career.charlotte.edu/coop