Alumni & Friends - Ways to get involved and give back
Arts & Science Co-op

Work Term Sequencing

Work term lengths, changes, and impacts

 

On this page:

Your work term sequence is your plan of action for your time as a co-op student. It is essentially a map of when your two or three work terms and academic requirements will be completed.

Work Term Sequences are determined after completion of COPB50, and are set based on: your program of study, when you were admitted into the co-op program, your co-op program requirements, and the minimum number of work terms required for your program of study. Depending on your program, you'll begin work after you complete three, four or five study terms. Once work term begins, they normally alternate with study terms until they've all been completed.

Sequences assume you are:

  • taking a full course load (2.5 FCE)
  • studying each semester
  • completing 4 month work terms

If you're taking a reduced course load, taking a semester off, planning to participate in study abroad, etc., please inform your COPB50 Coordinator. This will be taken into consideration when your work term sequence is created.

Your work term sequence is specifically constructed so that it will always end on a study term. This not only gives you an opportunity to reflect on what you've learned over your work term, it also keeps us aligned with provincial regulations. Once the sequence is set, plan your studies in advance to meet all of your graduation requirements and follow your sequence.

You must complete all of your required work terms before reaching 18.5 FCEs.

Need some help planning your courses and how to meet your program academic requirements? Contact your Co-op Program Supervisor or Program/Course Advisor.

Typical Work Term Sequences

Work term sequences are set based on a 4-month work term length. If you secure a work term longer than four months, it will be considered more than one work term. For example, an 8-month co-op job is considered two work terms.

Typical Work Term Sequences - Programs with two work terms: 4-Month Work Terms

                                                       OPTION A                                                                                                OPTION B

Year Fall Winter Summer   Fall Winter Summer
1 Study Study - COPB50 Study   Study Study - COPB50 Study
2 Study - COPB51 Study - COPB52 Work Term 1   Study Study- COPB51 Study - COPB52
3 Study - COPC98 Work Term 2 Study   Work Term 1 Study - COPC98 Work Term 2
4 Study Study Graduate   Study Study Graduate
Typical Work Term Sequences - Programs with three work terms: 4-Month Work Terms
                   
                                                    OPTION A                                                                                                      OPTION B
 
Year Fall Winter Summer   Fall Winter Summer
1 Study - COPB50 Study - COPB51 Study - COPB52    Study - COPB50 Study Study - COPB51
2 Work Term 1 Study - COPC98  Work Term 2   Study - COPB52  Work Term 1 Study - COPC98 
3 Study - COPC99 Work Term 3 Study   Work Term 2 Study - COPC99 Work Term 3
4 Study Study Graduate   Study Study Graduate


8-Month Work Terms

Currently, all work term sequences are arranged as a series of 4-month work terms, but employers are increasingly offering more 8-month opportunities. An 8-month work term is an opportunity to dive deeper into projects and gain an in-depth learning experience. If you complete an 8-month work term, it will count as two work terms and we'll adjust your work term sequence accordingly. 

Typical Work Term Sequences - Programs with two work terms: 8-Month Work Terms

                                                       OPTION A                                                                                                OPTION B

Year Fall Winter Summer   Fall Winter Summer
1 Study Study - COPB50 Study   Study Study - COPB50 Study
2 Study - COPB51 Study - COPB52  Work Term 1   Study Study - COPB51 Study - COPB52
3 Work Term 2 Study Study   Work Term 1 Work Term 2 Study
4 Study Study Graduate   Study Study Graduate

Typical Work Term Sequences - Programs with three work terms: 4-Month Work Terms

                                                      OPTION A                                                                                                         OPTION B

Year Fall Winter Summer   Fall Winter Summer
1 Study - COPB50  Study - COPB51  Study - COPB52    Study - COPB50 Study Study - COPB51 
2 Work Term 1 Work Term 2 Study - COPC98    Study - COPB52  Work Term 1 Work Term 2
3 Work Term 3 Study Study   Study -  COPC98  Work Term 3 Study 
4 Study Study Graduate   Study Study Graduate


12 – 16 Month Work Terms

Students will see opportunities for 12-month work terms.16-month work terms are posted for Computer Science students. The duration of a work term is set by the co-op employer. A 12-month work term will count as three work terms and a 16-month work term will count as four work terms. 


Requesting Additional Work Terms

COVID-19 UPDATE: At this time, we're not able to approve any additional work term requests (above what is required for your program) due to the current labour market. Extensions to a current work term will be exempt from this change.

Students are able to complete more work terms beyond their program minimum. To do so, you can request to complete additional work terms by contacting the Co-op office. Requests to be sequenced to seek additional work terms will only be approved for fall and winter semesters. However, additional work terms found through an independent job search will be approved as an additional work term for fall, winter, or summer semesters.

It's important to note that additional co-op fees will be charged for each additional work term semester.

If adjustments to your work term sequence result in additional work terms being scheduled beyond the number that is usually sequenced for your program, please refer to the Fees & OSAP section of this guide to get an understanding of the extra fees associated with additional work terms.

Planning for Your Work Term Sequence

Once you know your work term sequence, you should map out how you'll meet your degree requirements knowing you'll be away on work term in certain semesters. While you can consult with Academic Advising or your Program Advisor/Supervisor, there are a number of additional resources to help you with your co-op planning.

These include:

Considering Residence While Going on Work Term?

 

When you sign your residence contract, you agree to meet the financial conditions of the contract and will not be released from them, even if your work term has you moving away from the area. If you’re living in residence at U of T Scarborough and plan to cancel your residence in order to accept a work term in another city, you need to follow the deadlines for residence cancellation. Failure to abide by these deadlines can result in loss of your full deposit.

To avoid violating your contract when living in residence, consider signing up for a four-month residence term only — even if you assume that your work term will be in Toronto. That way, if you land a GTA-based work term and decide to stay in residence, you can extend your residence contract.

Any additional questions? Contact:

Student Housing & Residence Life
Phone: 416-287-7365
Email: residences@utsc.utoronto.ca

Requesting Changes to Your Work Term Sequence

While it is expected that you follow the work term sequence received in COPB50, you may prefer to adjust your assigned sequence based on your personal circumstances. These types of requests can be made during re-sequence request periods each semester. Deadlines are typically in the second month of the semester (October, February, and June). Please contact the Co-op office to confirm the next deadline.

The first step in making this request is to discuss your proposed new work term sequence plans with your Program Advisor/Supervisor or Academic Advising. After you have an understanding of the impact that these work term sequence changes will have on your course planning and graduation date, book an appointment with the Co-op Advisor. These appointments can be made through your CSM account, at the Co-op Office by visiting the front desk or by emailing coopprep@utoronto.ca.

If you're requesting to add work terms beyond the number that is usually planned for your program, please refer to the Fees & OSAP section to review the extra fees associated with additional work terms.


Impact of Dropping Courses on the Work Term Sequence

Dropping a course may result in your work term being delayed. Before you drop courses, it's a good idea to discuss the impact with your Co-op Program Supervisor, Program Advisor or an Academic Advisor. Please review your work term prerequisite to confirm your eligibility.


Impact of Deferred Exam on the Work Term Sequence

If you defer an exam, your course load will be reduced in the following semester. This may result in delaying your work term sequence and should be discussed with the Co-op Advisor or someone from the Student Services team.