Internship/Co-op/REU Forms & Assignments

Student Expections, Guidelines & Policies

Completing the Training Agreement

1. Fill out the training agreement. Please reach out to us with any questions. Forms with missing information will not be accepted.  
   
   NOTE: If you are domestic, undergraduate student completing a summer internship/co-op or REU, please complete this version of the training agreement. With the 0STE 0000 placeholder course, domestic, undergraduate students may be able to include the credit hours in your fall bulk tuition.
    
2. Return your completed training agreement to STEM.jobs@ysu.edu or Silvestri Hall, 2^nd Floor along with your offer letter and detailed job description.
3. Sign up for a course scheduling appointment via Handshake. We will work with you and the faculty advisor/program coordinator on determining which course to sign up for and if you'll register for 0 or 1-4 credit hours.
4. We will get signatures from the faculty advisor/program coordinator and our office for you! The Faculty Advisor/Program Coordinator is not your academic advisor. Please see below to determine who the program coordinator is for your major.
5. After you have received a CRN from our office or the faculty advisor/program coordinator. Register for the course as soon as you are able to. If you are registering an internship for credit that is more than 1 credit hour, be sure to increase the number of credit hours at the time of registration.

Department of Chemical & Biological Sciences

Rayen School of Engineering

School of Computer Science, Information & Engineering Technology

Department of Mathematics & Statistics

Department of Physics, Astronomy, Geology, Geographic Information Systems & Environmental Systems

After the training agreement is completed, a contract will be emailed to you.

• The contract requires signatures from you, your faculty advisor, your work site supervisor and our office.

• You are responsible for gathering the required signatures and returning the contract to the office.

   

• Syllabus:
  • Undergraduate Syllabus* (for Fall 2025)
  • Graduate Syllabus* (for Fall 2025)
• Assignment Guidelines*

• Learning Objectives
• Student Evaluation (Students fills out to evaluate themselves and their worksite)
• Employer Evaluation (Work site supervisor fills this out to evaluate the student)
  • Employer Evaluation- Engineering + Engineering Tech
  • Employer Evaluation- Science, Technology & Mathematics
• Site Visit Form (Your faculty advisor fills this out when they complete your site visit)
  • Face-to-face Site Visit Form
  • Virtual Site Visit Form
• Work Activity Log
• Student Testimonial

• Internships, cooperative education (co-ops), and research experiences for undergraduates (REUs) are all forms of experiential learning. Employers and professional/graduate programs are looking to hire and admit students that have completed experiential learning during their collegiate careers. In addition to preparing for a specific career path, having a real, day-to-day experience in the field can help you change your mind or narrow down your choices.

  We encourage all undergraduate and graduate students to complete experiential learning prior to graduation to gain a better understanding of their future field and to be competitive for the transition to full-time opportunities.

  When looking for experiences, please schedule a "1st Appointment: Internship/Co-op/REU" with our office to gain a better understanding of the search process. Additionally, attend the STEM Expo and check out Handshake and our other online resources.

   

  What is the difference between an internship and a co-op?

  Internship

  • Generally considered part-time (15-20 hrs/wk)
  • Occurs during semester with an approved employer
  • Receive 1-4 credits toward upper division elective
  • Cost is based on the price per credit hour or can be included in the bulk tuition (12-18 credit hours) rate.

   

  Co-op

  • Generally considered full-time (40 hrs/wk)
  • Occurs during semester with an approved employer
  • 0 credit hours; maintains full-time status
  • Cost is $350 per semester. Additional fees may apply.

   

  Research for Undergraduates (REU) & Other Summer Research Programs

  • Research for undergraduates through its REU Sites
  • REU Site consists of approx. 10 undergraduates who work in the research programs of the host institution
  • Each student works with a specific research project
  • REUs are registered as internships.

   

  Potential Scenarios

  • A student working full-time would traditionally register for a co-op. However, if the student wants credit, the student may be eligible to register the experience as an internship.
  • Off-campus research is registered as a STEM Internship or STEM Cooperative Education, not as a research course, which is specific to YSU.

   

  What does registering an internship/co-op mean?

  • Registration of an internship/co-op/REU means registering for an academic course and completing coursework alongside your experience. The experience may or may not be credit-bearing and will be shown on your academic transcript.

  

  Why should I register?

• We always recommend trying to register experiential learning. STEM Careers, Internships & Co-ops is a great first place to discuss potentially registering your experience and receive guidance throughout the entire process if your experience has been accepted. 

  There are several reasons to register your internship/co-op/REU:

• Get Course Credit
  • With faculty advisor approval, you can receive upper division or capstone credit.
• YSU Can Help
  • In the event that you need assistance, STEM Professional Services and YSU can intervene on your behalf.
• Documented on Transcripts
  • Experiential learning on a transcript provides confirmation that you received a legitimate, professional experience related to your major.
• Maintain Full-time Student Status
  • Show that you're still a student at YSU. Full-time status is especially important for scholarships and financial aid!
• Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
  • If you are an international student, all paid experiential learning requires registration.
• Professional Gifts
  • For each experience registered with the College of STEM, you will receive a professional gift upon successful completion of the experience.
    • 1st registered experience: Padfolio & Business Card Holder
    • 2nd registered experience: Package of Resume Paper
    • 3rd registered experience: Messenger bag
• Overall, we always recommend trying to register experiential learning. STEM Careers, Internships & Co-ops is a great first place to discuss potentially registering your experience and receive guidance throughout the entire process if your experience has been accepted.