Co-op Options
Under the Drexel Co-op plan, you'll attend classes full-time for your entire freshman year. Then, depending on your academic program, you will alternate periods of full-time classroom studies with full-time employment at University-approved employers.
Co-op Cycles
Drexel's academic calendar is based on a quarter system, and a student's co-op cycle determines which quarters he or she will participate in the co-op experience. For example, students with a fall/winter co-op cycle will work full-time during the fall and winter quarters, while a student with a spring/summer co-op cycle will work full-time during the spring and summer quarters. Co-op cycles are typically assigned during freshman year. The graph on the right shows when a student with a fall/winter co-op cycle is in class, on a co-op experience, or on vacation.
The number of co-op experiences required for graduation is determined by the chosen academic course of study.
Three Co-op Option (Five Years) – This option includes three six-month periods of full-time employment. At the start of the sophomore year, students study or work through all terms, including summers.
One Co-op Option (Four Years) – This option includes just one six-month period of full-time employment during the junior year. At the start of the sophomore year, students study or work through all terms, including summers.
No Co-op Option (Four Years) – Some programs can be completed in four years without co-op employment. Students are not required to pursue studies during any of the summer terms.
Drexel Co-op Options
Review Drexel's undergraduate majors to see which co-op options are available for your major.
Co-op Locations
Geographic Distribution of Co-op Students Employed
Co-op employers are located in 35 states and 35 international locations. Many corporations eagerly embrace and nurture the fresh perspectives, drive, and dedication that are typical of a Drexel student. This chart illustrates the location distribution of last year's students.
| Geographic Distribution of Co-op Employment |
Number of Students |
| Pennsylvania |
3,398 |
| New Jersey |
434 |
| New York |
154 |
| Delaware |
120 |
| Maryland |
46 |
| California |
41 |
| Other states |
107 |
| Other countries (such as Brazil, China, Greece, Ireland, India, and Japan) |
110 |
Drexel International Co-op
Drexel's International Co-op program provides opportunities for you to live and work in a foreign country. Students who have participated in International Co-op have come from a variety of majors and worked on nearly every continent. Through International Co-op, students:
- Gain meaningful experience in international commerce and industry
- Improve foreign language skills
- Develop greater understanding of foreign cultures
- Develop significant insights into their own characters
Drexel Co-op Nearby
The Greater Philadelphia region is a nexus of businesses virtually unmatched in scope, scale, and specialty. Some of the nation's top biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms, hospitals and healthcare centers, Fortune 500 companies, and individually owned start-ups call Philadelphia home.
Co-op Employers
Drexel students co-op at some of the world's most prestigious organizations. Take a look at Drexel's top co-op employers:
| Top Co-op Employers |
|
| Ace USA |
|
| Arkema Inc. |
|
| BlackRock |
|
| Children's Hospital of Philadelphia |
|
| Comcast Corporation |
|
| Drexel University (Drexel hires mostly research-related co-op students) |
|
| E.I. du Pont de Nemours |
|
| GlaxoSmithKline |
|
| Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania |
|
| Johnson & Johnson |
|
| Lockheed Martin |
|
| Merck |
|
| Microsoft Corporation |
|
| PECO Energy |
|
| Pennoni Associates, Inc. |
|
| Philadelphia Housing Authority |
|
| Philadelphia School District |
|
| PJM Interconnection LLC |
|
| Rohm and Haas |
|
| SAP America |
|
| Siemens |
|
| Sunoco, Inc. |
|
| Susquehanna International Group LLP |
|
| Synthes |
|
| Thomas Jefferson University Hospital |
|
| Traffic Planning and Design, Inc. |
|
| Unisys Corporation |
|
| University of Pennsylvania |
|