Information about Professional Experience Programs

College of Agriculture Professional Experience Programs include internships (single periods of supervised work experience) and the cooperative education program (four or more planned periods of supervised work experience). The programs combine education on campus with practical, career-oriented experience on the job.

Following are College of Agriculture Professional Experience Programs operating policies:

• Students must have completed the freshman year (30 semester credits) and be in good standing to be eligible.
• A faculty coordinator will represent each participating department in operating the professional experience program in conjunction with students and employers. Faculty coordinators will work as facilitators to aid in establishing professional training opportunities which are beneficial to both students and employers.
• Entry into the Professional Experience Program is dependent upon the availability of an employer who will provide an appropriate work experience to the student. The faculty coordinator must approve the professional work experience plan and authorize the student's enrollment in the professional experience course. Interested students are not guaranteed entry into the program since employers select students based upon normal interview procedures and approval of the position must be done by the faculty coordinator.
• Participating departments will offer a noncredit professional experience course. Students must register and pay the industrial practice fee for each professional experience course. A satisfactory summary report for each period of supervised work experience must be submitted by the student to the departmental faculty coordinator.
• A professional work experience plan must be developed and approved by the student, employer supervisor, and faculty coordinator. Copies of the professional work experience plan will be distributed to the student, employer supervisor, and faculty coordinator on or before the tenth working day of the student's employment.
• Salaries, wages, and benefits for registered students in the professional experience program will be provided by the employer. Appropriate health and accident insurance should be provided by the employer of the student. Students may elect to enroll in a health and accident insurance program offered by the University if they are not covered by another program.
• The student, the employer supervisor, and the faculty coordinator will evaluate each period of supervised work experience.
• To earn a Cooperative Education Certificate at graduation, a student must register for and successfully complete four periods of supervised work experience. A minimum total of 52 weeks of supervised work experience must be completed during the four periods.
• Students who successfully complete an internship (minimum 10 weeks of supervised work experience) will be awarded an appropriate certificate by the College of Agriculture upon graduation. Individuals who fulfill the cooperative education program requirements will be awarded an appropriate certificate by the Purdue University Board of Trustees upon graduation.