Career Education Center

Mission
The Career Education Center's mission is to offer relevant and timely career development training to UDM students. The Center provides opportunities for students to explore career options, obtain career-related experience and to research and find meaningful employment appropriate to their knowledge, abilities, aspirations and interests. The CEC website Titan Career Link provides resources for students and alumni to research career options, explore job postings, apply for actual positions, learn more about career related subjects, and view activities and events offered by the Career Education Center.

Dean: Sheryl McGriff
Office: Reno Hall
McNichols Campus Campus
Phone: 313-993-1017
Fax: 313-993-1029
Email: careerlink@udmercy.edu

Career Education Center Services

We accomplish our mission by providing students with…

• Experiential learning opportunities through cooperative education and internships
• Opportunities to network with recruiters' through campus interviewing, career fairs, employer information sessions and on-line career management software
• Opportunities to learn and implement lifelong career development and career management skills through courses, workshops, seminars and online career resources

CEC Core Values

• We are committed to empowering students to make purposeful career-related decisions.
• We are committed to building and fostering partnerships with employers, faculty, staff and administration to facilitate the accomplishment of the CEC mission.
• We are committed to supporting the University's mission to provide excellent student-centered education in a welcoming and supportive environment.

The Career Education Center provides:

• Career coaching and one-to-one individual assistance. E-mail, or call for an appointment at 313-993-1017
• A Career Development Guide with suggestions for career development and career transition
• 24/7 access to resources to assist in career planning, job search, employer research, interview preparation, dining etiquette, choosing a major, etc.
• 24/7 access to a database of current job postings from local, regional and national organizations

Cooperative Education

Cooperative education (co-op) is a structured educational strategy integrating classroom studies with learning through productive work experiences in a field related to a student's academic or career goals. Co-op provides progressive experiences integrating theory and practice. Co-op is a partnership between students, the university and the employer, with specified responsibilities for each party.

Co-op at University of Detroit Mercy
Cooperative education has been part of the University of Detroit Mercy curriculum since 1911 when the University of Detroit introduced co-op as a required component of the engineering program. The UDM program was the first in Michigan and is the fourth oldest program in the United States. The UDM Guide to Cooperative Education is available on the CEC website.

Participation and Eligibility

Graduate students in the Engineering, Science, Business, Health Professions and Liberal Arts can gain valuable on-the-job experiences to enhance their academic training while pursuing a degree program. Participation in the graduate cooperative education program is a privilege extended to those students who demonstrate satisfactory academic ability and progress and major in a discipline which allows cooperative education credits.

Co-op is not required at the graduate level and cannot be substituted for curriculum requirements. Because co-op integrates work with classroom trainings students in non-required programs will not be allowed to enroll for co-op credit in the final semester of study.

Co-op assignments normally run concurrent with the University academic term beginning in January, May and September. Work assignments are career specific. Students either "ALTERNATE" a full-time academic term with full-time co-op work assignments or "PARALLEL" part-time academic studies with part-time co-op work assignments.

Graduate Co-op Assignment Limits

• Graduate students are limited to the equivalent of 2 full-time (ALTERNATING) experiences for academic credit
• No more than the equivalent of 1 full-time (ALTERNATING) experience for non-credit

Second And Subsequent Master’s From UDM
The co-op eligibility requirements for second/subsequent Master’s are the same. Students earning a second/subsequent Master’s degree (from UDM) who have already met the co-op limit in a first Master’s (at UDM) are limited to one (1) additional co-op assignment for a maximum of 4 full-time graduate level co-op assignments.

To be eligible for co-op, graduate students should:

• Schedule an appointment with a co-op coordinator at the Career Education Center to discuss their work plan and determine if or when they will be eligible to participate and determine best course of action
• Be a currently enrolled student
• Be majoring in a discipline which allows cooperative education in the curriculum
• Participate in seminars as required
• Keep the co-op coordinator informed of any changes in the co-op assignment
• Secure a full-time or part-time employment offer, related to the field of study, for one academic term
• While on alternating co-op, take no more than six credit hours during the term without dean and co-op coordinator permission
• Agree to work full-time or part-time for a minimum of 12 weeks of the academic term
• Adhere to policies of the co-op employer and the regulations of the Career Education Center as indicated in the catalog and student co-op handbook
• Pay the requisite participation fee for each co-op assignment ($600 alternating/$300 parallel assignment)

Criteria for Participation

• Successfully complete at least one semester of academic study prior to participation in co-op. Note: International students qualify after two academic semesters in F-1 status (one semester must be at UDM)
• Have declared major
• Have clearance from the academic discipline to participate
• Meet with co-op coordinator at least one semester before you intend to co-op to determine the best course of action
• Be in good academic standing, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Successfully complete of the Cooperative Education for Graduate Students seminar (if required by coordinator)
• Meet with a co-op coordinator who will work with students
• Secure a full-time or part-time employment offer, related to the field of study, for a full academic term
• Provide co-op coordinator with a letter of offer and description of the job responsibilities
• Work full-time or part-time for a minimum of 12 weeks of the academic term

Post-Graduate/Doctoral Students

Cooperative education is not a component of post-graduate/doctoral level study. Doctoral level candidates requesting participation in cooperative education will only be considered under exceptional circumstances on a case-by-case basis. If approved, doctoral students would follow the graduate level co-op guidelines. International students should consult with ISO for thesis/dissertation related CPT guidelines.

International Students & Cooperative Education

International students are subject to the same prerequisites as all other UDM students who wish to participate in cooperative education. International students should be aware that many employers may have citizenship requirements that exclude opportunities for international students.

• International students are strongly encouraged to take the English as a Second Language courses offered by the Language and Cultural Studies Program to assist them in their understanding of US customs for co-op job search and co-op employment
• International students are strongly encouraged to participate in at least one Interviewing Skills Workshop and one Resume Writing Workshop offered by the Career Education Center.
• International students are required to submit an offer letter on the employer letterhead. The offer letter must include a start and end date and the number of hours.

The UDM International Student Office is the official source for guidelines and regulations for international students. More information is available on the ISO website.

Student Employment Services

Student Employment Services is coordinated by the Financial Aid Office. Work-study and Non Work-study job opportunities are posted on: TitanCareerLink