Ryerson is recognized for providing career-relevant programs and experiences - ensuring you enter the workforce well equipped for the technological challenges in modern science-based industries, and to take on leadership roles within those industries. Our approach includes innovative course curriculum, expert faculty and opportunities to gain relevant experience outside the classroom through cooperative education.

Click here to learn more about Ryerson’s Co-operative Education.

Eligibility for Bachelor of Science Co-op

All of our new Bachelor of Science Programs have co-operative education options available to highly qualified students. Normally, you’ll need a grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or greater following the end of your second year or 4th semester to be eligible for admission into co-op.

How it Works

You’ll be required to complete a minimum of three of the five work terms to receive credit for a co-op degree. If you complete less than five work terms you’ll be required to take an additional professional elective. Your first work term will begin in the summer at the end of your second year or 4th semester. A distinctive feature of our Science Co-op programs is that you’ll participate in three consecutive work terms following completion of five academic semesters – giving you a chance to build on your level of knowledge and responsibility within one organization or to diversify at three different companies.

Co-op Sequence of Work Terms
	Semester
Year	Fall	Winter	Spring/Summer
1	Semester 1	Semester 2
2	Semester 3	Semester 4	Work Term 1
3	Semester 5	Work Term 2	Work Term 3
4	Work Term 4	Semester 6	Work Term 5
5	Semester 7	Semester 8	Graduation

Examples of Typical Co-op Jobs

Biology:
Placements in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, hospital research laboratories and in the food and cosmetics industries are some of the many opportunities that await a biology student who selects the coop education option.

Chemistry:
As s co-op student in chemistry you may find yourself on work terms at a pharmaceutical company, a government laboratory or a commercial chemical analysis company. Opportunities also exist in the environmental sector, the food industry and cosmetics as well as in the plastics industry.

Contemporary Science:
Students in contemporary science will find similar co-op opportunities to those students in chemistry and biology owing to commonality in the first and part of the second year of the programs. Depending on the streams selected students may seek positions with an orientation to computing, environment, physics or psychology. Students may find themselves in work terms with legal firms, businesses, or in media where their scientific knowledge and willingness to apply this knowledge to contemporary issues is becoming important.

Medical Physics:
Placements in hospitals and regional cancer center laboratories, biomedical companies and in industry dealing with the health physics related issues, such as local nuclear power plants or Hydro One, are some of possibilities that will be available to medical physics students who select the co-op education option.