Enhance
your classroom learning with work experiences
While Rose-Hulman does not require students to complete an internship or
co-op experience, we certainly do recommend it. Not only does the
experience allow you to apply your classroom knowledge to real
projects, it also gives you a leg up on the competition when you
seek your first job upon graduation. You do not receive academic
credit for an internship or co-op job, but employers do pay you
well.
What's the difference between an internship and a co-op
experience? An internship happens during your summer break, while a
co-op experience occurs during the academic year. Most people who
participate in a co-op take a break from the classroom so they can
work full-time.
Whether you do an internship or co-op, it's important to develop a professional strategy
We suggest you establish learning objectives which specify the
significant and appropriate learning expected to result from your
work experience. A successful experience is determined by the
outcomes of the experience, not the experience alone. Objectives
are shown to be most effective if the supervisor and student
employee discuss them face to face.
Goal setting is essential to gaining control of the learning
process. Management by objectives is an important
professional strategy. By creating learning objectives
you can then direct your experiences in such a way as to more
certainly create specific outcomes. Self-direction and
self-evaluation are the means for professional development.
Remember that a learning objective is a result or an outcome you
wish to accomplish. It is not a statement of what you will do but
what you hope to learn while doing assigned tasks.
The following are categories of learning objectives that can
be considered:
Knowledge to be acquired:
- Relevant to your major (i.e., theories, practices)
- Relevant to a particular business, industry or operational function
- Relevant to career development
Skills to be developed (both intellectual and functional):
- Analytical skills relevant to your academic major
- Operational skills relevant to particular functions required in the co-op assignment
- Interpersonal skills relevant to interaction for successful on-the-job performance
Problems to be solved:
- Solutions pertinent to your academic major, work assignment or personal interests.
Values to be clarified:
- Relevant to your academic program, personal development (personality, performance, confidence, etc.) and/or career exploration and development of professional goals.
Writing Your Learning Objectives:
We have an optional form that is a guide that can help you write
learning objectives for your experience. Even though this is an
optional form, it is a good tool to help guide conversations with
your new supervisor during the beginning of your co-op experience.
It can also be helpful in allowing you to articulate personal goals
that you have while learning about expectations the employer might
already have.
When writing learning objectives, make them SMART -
Specific, Measurable,
Action-Oriented, Realistic, and
Timely. For each one, include an outcome measure (how
you know you achieved your learning objective) and a list of
action-steps (how you will get there) with timelines for
completion.
