Drexel LeBow Co-op

What is Drexel Co-op?

Co-op, short for cooperative education, is a program that provides students the opportunity to alternate academic study with full-time employment, gaining practical experience in their field of study prior to graduation. These learning experiences transcend what can be taught in just the classroom, so you can build an impressive résumé and gain a competitive edge amongst your peers even before you graduate.

Key Benefits of the Drexel Co-op

Gain Up To 18 Months of Experience

LeBow students in the five-year program can graduate with as much as 18 months of experience in the workplace.

Learn From Industry Experts

There are 1,500+ Drexel Co-op employer partners, so you can pursue options with Fortune 500 companies, innovative startups or other industry leaders.

Discover Your Career Path

Co-op is about more than gaining experience. It's also a chance to discover which career paths are right for you and which ones aren't.

Earn While You Learn

The majority of co-op positions are paid by the employer. The gross median six-month salary for undergraduate co-op positions that are both full-time and paid is $22,000.

Note: On August 23, 2027, Drexel will adopt a semester calendar in all programs. The shift to semesters offers students more flexibility to plan co-op and global experiences. View 2027-2028 Semester Calendar Dates

Sample Semester-Based Co-op Schedules

Five Years, Three Fall Co-ops Sample Schedule

Year	Fall	Spring	Summer 1	Summer 2
Year 1	Semester 1 (Classes)	Semester 2 (Classes)	Semester 3 (Classes)	Semester 3 continued
Year 2	Semester 4 (Classes)	Semester 5 (Classes)	Vacation/Experiential Opportunities	Co-op 1
Year 3	Co-op 1	Semester 6 (Classes)	Vacation/Experiential Opportunities	Co-op 2
Year 4	Co-op 2	Semester 7 (Classes)	Vacation/Experiential Opportunities	Co-op 3
Year 5	Co-op 3	Semester 8 (Classes)

An experiential learning opportunity is required for undergraduate students entering 2027 or later.

Five Years, Two Fall Co-ops Sample Schedule

Year	Fall	Spring	Summer 1	Summer 2
Year 1	Semester 1 (Classes)	Semester 2 (Classes)	Vacation/Experiential Opportunities	Vacation/Experiential continued
Year 2	Semester 3 (Classes)	Semester 4 (Classes)	Vacation/Experiential Opportunities	Co-op 1
Year 3	Co-op 1	Semester 5 (Classes)	Vacation/Experiential Opportunities	Co-op 2
Year 4	Co-op 2	Semester 6 (Classes)	Vacation/Experiential Opportunities	Vacation/Experiential continued
Year 5	Semester 7 (Classes)	Semester 8 (Classes)

An experiential learning opportunity is required for undergraduate students entering 2027 or later.

Four Years, One Spring Co-op Sample Schedule

Year	Fall	Spring	Summer 1	Summer 2
Year 1	Semester 1 (Classes)	Semester 2 (Classes)	Vacation/Experiential Opportunities	Vacation/Experiential continued
Year 2	Semester 3 (Classes)	Semester 4 (Classes)	Semester 5 (Classes)	Semester 5 continued
Year 3	Semester 6 (Classes)	Co-op 1	Co-op 1 continued	Vacation/Experiential Opportunities
Year 4	Semester 7 (Classes)	Semester 8 (Classes)

An experiential learning opportunity is required for undergraduate students entering 2027 or later.

Four Years, No Co-op Sample Schedule

Year	Fall	Spring	Summer 1	Summer 2
Year 1	Semester 1 (Classes)	Semester 2 (Classes)	Vacation/Experiential Opportunities	Vacation/Experiential continued
Year 2	Semester 3 (Classes)	Semester 4 (Classes)	Vacation/Experiential Opportunities	Vacation/Experiential continued
Year 3	Semester 5 (Classes)	Semester 6 (Classes)	Vacation/Experiential Opportunities	Vacation/Experiential continued
Year 4	Semester 7 (Classes)	Semester 8 (Classes)

An experiential learning opportunity is required for undergraduate students entering 2027 or later.

Students who do not participate in co-op still gain valuable real-world experience through Drexel’s broad range of experiential opportunities. These may include research, global or civic engagement, or project-based learning opportunities that connect classroom learning to practical application. Academic advisors help students align these experiences with their goals and academic schedules.

100%

of students learn through experiential education

95%

were employed on co-op

91%

of these positions were paid

How is Drexel Co-op Different than an Internship?

Co-ops are six-month work experiences offered twice a year. Depending on your chosen academic program, you can choose from 3, 2, 1 or no co-ops.

Feature	Drexel Co-op	Internships
Duration	A six-month work experience	Typically 2—3 months
Pay	The majority of Drexel co-ops are paid positions	Many are unpaid
Relevance	Co-ops are tied to your area of study and follows academic guidelines	Not necessarily major-related
Credit	Earn academic credit for each co-op experience, which is listed on your academic transcript	Usually not a required part of your academic program

Students are assigned by the Steinbright Career Development Center (SCDC) to a co-op cycle that aligns with their program plan of study and employment demands. Additional experiential opportunities such as research, global engagement or independent projects can be scheduled around the your co-op cycle.

SCDC: About Cooperative Education

Through co-op, I was constantly around people who were very seasoned in their careers. Their advice has been essential in building the relationships I depend on in my current role.

Avery Jaffe ’25

Procurement Professional – Software Sourcing

IBM

Watch Avery's story

More About Co-op at Drexel LeBow