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Employment-Based Work-Integrated Learning

Employment-Based Work-Integrated Learning

In employment-based work-integrated learning (WIL), students become employees of an organization, supervised by an employee within that organization. Students are typically supported by McMaster University staff (e.g. career and co-op offices) with little to no involvement of faculty instructors.  

The various types of employment-based WIL offered at McMaster are outlined below with supporting examples. Please note that the examples are for illustrative purposes only, and may not represent courses or programming currently active at McMaster. 

Expandable List

Co-op involves work terms where the student becomes a paid employee of an employer partner. In co-op, the work terms are a degree requirement of the student’s program of study (i.e. a ‘co-op program’). Co-op models can be either alternating academic terms and paid work terms- or several co-op work terms back-to-back. In both models work terms provide experience in a workplace setting related to the student’s field of study. The number, length, and sequence of required work terms varies by program; however, the time spent in work terms must be at least 30% of the time spent in academic study. This category includes both the ‘co-op alternating’ and ‘co-op internship’ models used by CEWIL that satisfy the above criteria. This category does not include informal ‘employment’ arrangements such as those incentivized with stipends, awards, or honoraria

Example 1: The Faculty of Engineering at McMaster offers paid co-op placements, along with a required co-op preparation course, explaining co-op expectations and supporting the job search process. Students can earn course credit for their co-op placement (e.g., ENGTECH 2/3/4EE0, ENGINEER 2EC0, IBEHS 2EC0). Example 2: The McMaster Science Co-op Program offers students in a range of Faculty of Science programs to apply their academic training in a real-world setting. Students complete a total of three to four 4-month work terms, and can earn course credit, such as through SCIENCE 3WT0/3WW0/4WT0/4WW0. 

An internship involves a work term where the student becomes a paid employee of an employer partner. Internships provide a structured work experience of substantial duration completed for academic credit as paid experience. Internships can be of any length, and can be in the middle or at the end prior to graduation but are typically 4, 8, 12 or 16 months long. This category does not include informal ‘employment’ arrangements such as those incentivized with stipends, awards, or honoraria.

Example 1: The Humanities Internship Program offers paid, full-time or part-time terms of 4, 8, 12, or 16 consecutive months, beginning in either September, January or May. Students have the opportunity to earn course credit for full-time or part-time internships (e.g. HUMAN 3IF0 and HUMAN 3IP0)  Example 2: The DeGroote School of Business Internship Program is a program in the ‘internship’ model which offers a program-required 12 to 16 month work term after the third year of studies. The internship allows students to earn course credit (e.g., COMMERCE 4IA0, 4IB0, 4IC0, or 4ID0).