A cooperative education plan for professional chemistry majors is available as an alternative to the traditional four-year plan. The co-op plan combines classroom education with full-time work experience in industry and provides students opportunities for earning a part of their University expenses. Through co-oping, students are offered a variety of professional experiences ranging from assisting technical staff to independent research and development. Upon satisfactory completion of the program the student is designated a co-op graduate and awarded a co-op certificate at the time of graduation.

Under the co-op plan the student spends alternate academic semesters either working full-time for the co-op employer or studying as a full-time student. Normally, co-op students will be able to earn their bachelor's degree and work four semesters in a total of five calendar years provided the student follows the prescribed schedule for work and school shown in the following plan:

Students must satisfy the same course requirements regardless of whether they pursue the regular four-year plan or the five-year co-op plan. To avoid course scheduling problems which would usually cause a delay in the expected date of graduation, it is necessary for the pattern of work and full-time school to follow the plan shown above. Students may delay entering the co-op program from the second summer to the third spring semester providing they are able to complete at least three semesters of employment.

Application for admission to the co-op program is normally made during the fall semester of the second year by enrolling in Chemistry 90, which is a non-credit seminar conducted weekly by the director of the co-op program. To be eligible for admission to the co-op program, a student must have a cumulative Grade Point Average of at least 2.5 based on at least three semesters of full-time study in the professional chemistry program. In addition, the eligible applicant must have completed the equivalent of the first four semesters of the professional chemistry major at the time of the first work period and be able to plan to complete at least three semesters of work. Most employers require U.S. citizenship (or permanent residence). Transfer students are invited to make application for the co-op program after consulting with their academic adviser to ensure that co-op course schedules will permit satisfactory progress toward their desired degree.

The co-op director will seek to identify suitable employment for all eligible applicants. However, final admission to the program is governed by the availability of jobs, and employment in the program cannot be guaranteed. Normally a student is eligible for co-op job placement only once and is expected to remain employed by the initial co-op employer until the program is completed. If the student requests a change of employer the co-op director will review the merits of the request and grant it at his/her discretion. Additional requests for change of employer will normally be denied and/or may necessitate additional fees.

Students admitted to the co-op program must be regularly enrolled each semester in either full-time studies at UE or in Chemistry 91-95. A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 must be maintained to continue in the program. A co-op fee is charged for enrollment in Chemistry 91, Chemistry 92 and Chemistry 93, and must be paid in accordance with the University's standard schedules for payment of tuition and fees. Co-op fees are used to help offset the costs of administering the program.

While on the job, students are regular employees of the company and are paid at a rate commensurate with the type of work they are doing within that company's compensation schedule. Co-op students are given assignments of increasing complexity and responsibility as they demonstrate their capability to progress. The student's performance is regularly reviewed by the employer and the co-op director with the assistance of the student's academic adviser throughout the program. Through mailings and visits by the co-op director, communication is maintained with the student while employed.