Co-op: College of Liberal Arts

In the College of Liberal Arts, co-ops, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities like work-abroad or paid research are among the most valuable experiences you will have at RIT. They help you learn responsibility, work ethic, and accountability, as well as afford the opportunity to apply and grow your skills in a potential career field or while experiencing a new culture.

While not every program requires co-op in its curriculum, each student in the College of Liberal Arts is strongly encouraged to participate in some form of experiential learning during their time at RIT. And regardless of whether or not co-op is required in your program, you should report any experiential learning opportunities you complete to the Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education for inclusion on your RIT transcript.

College of Liberal Arts students have completed co-ops, internships and paid research experiences at amazing places all over the world. And these companies seek out our students for their knowledge, know-how, and innovative spirit.

Here are just a few of the places where you might find yourself doing a co-op or internship:

Learn more about RIT's Outstanding Co-op Employers  

While finding a co-op or internship can feel intimidating, we're here to help! 

Finding these opportunities takes time, preparation, and teamwork. It’s important to connect with your Academic Advisor regarding degree requirements and The Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education to explore options. Some co-ops also require approval from the head of your department.

At any given time, there are 100-200 co-op and internship jobs for College of Liberal Arts students posted on Career Connect. In addition, The Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education actively maintains and develops partnerships with employer partners to recruit students. Currently, RIT has hundreds of partnerships with the following industries:

• 65+ in Public Relations/Marketing
• 240+ in Journalism
• 700+ in K-12 Education
• 240+ in Legal & Law Enforcement Agencies
• 460+ in Government
• 800+ in Non-Profits
• 150+ in Performing Arts

Get started on Career Connect today and stand out from the crowd, tomorrow.

The College of Liberal Arts offers scholarships and support funds for qualified students who wish to complete a professionally-beneficial co-op or internship that is unpaid or requires relocation to a high cost-of-living area. Funds are also available to support student research and travel to professional conferences. Review the list of College of Liberal Arts Scholarships, Grants, and Funds.

You got the job, now get the credit! (And help future Tigers, while you're at it...)

Reporting your co-op or internship to the Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education is an important step to take ideally before you start your co-op, but can be done at any point during or after you complete your work. Even if co-op is not required for your program, you should still report it to take advantage of a variety of benefits.

There are four key benefits to reporting a co-op:

1. Your RIT transcript will show every co-op you report (forever). It doesn’t show any of the co-ops that aren't reported. 
2. If you report your co-op before starting it, you'll have support from RIT’s Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education. This means you'll have someone to talk to if you have questions about the job and your employer is made aware of RIT’s expectations for co-op.
3. Future students in your degree program will be made aware of great co-op employers and experiences, thanks to the feedback shared in the co-op evaluation form. This helps connect other RIT students with valuable co-op experiences.
4. You will also receive valuable feedback from your supervisor. This is helpful in identifying any strengths and areas for improvement, and can make you a stronger candidate for future positions.

Report your co-op or internship