In the News

UWindsor’s Co-operative Education Programs achieve national accreditation

The University of Windsor is pleased to announce that it has received reaccreditation for twenty-four of its undergraduate co-operative education programs and for the first time has received accreditation for its eight graduate co-operative education programs.   Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL) is the national accrediting body for co-operative education in Canada. CEWIL represents the highest standard of achievement for co-operative education programs in Canada and recognizes that the University of Windsor has met a wide range of quality standards in its programming. True co-operative education, like that offered at the University of Windsor, ensures students alternate between periods of work and study.  It allows students the opportunity to successfully complete discipline relevant, paid, full-time work terms.  In these work terms students are able to put their academic classroom learning into practise and gain valuable work experience. 

Muriel Klemetski, Chair, CEWIL Accreditation Council thanked the University of Windsor, “for its ongoing leadership in Canadian co-operative education and adherence to the CEWIL Canada criteria and standards of quality”.

Accreditation is reviewed every six years and includes a review of all aspects of co-operative education from job readiness programming, administration of the program, employment rates and approval process, monitoring of the work site and assessment post work term among many other factors.

“Achieving accreditation is important to our team and the University.  It lets our students and employer partners know that our coop programs uphold high standards in programming. We are proud to share this news with our Faculty partners, our employer partners and of course our students,” said Kristen Morris, Manager, Co-operative Education and Workplace Partnerships.

It was the first time the Co-operative Education & Workplace Partnerships office put forward their graduate co-op offerings for accreditation and all eight achieved this rite of passage that helps students, employers and parents feel confident that the programs offered through the University of Windsor are of high caliber and meet the national standards. 

“I want to acknowledge and thank the entire Co-operative Education and Workplace Partnership team whose commitment and dedication to co-operative education helped achieve this recognition.  I hope it signals to our entire community our commitment to excellence in co-operative education programming and our belief in the positive value of experiential learning.  Co-operative education and internships provide UWindsor students with meaningful opportunities where they are able to apply what they have learned in the classroom and gain valuable work experience” said Judy Bornais, Executive Director of the Office of Experiential Learning.   

“Let me extend congratulations to Judy Bornais, Kristen Morris, the entire crew in Experiential Learning, and all our hugely supportive community employers for the success of our awesome co-op programs, undergraduate and now graduate, in this latest accreditation,” said Provost Douglas Kneale. “If students want to get a leg up on their career readiness, the University of Windsor has the co-op ladder to get you there.”

The twenty-four co-op programs receiving reaccreditation span across many disciplines including:

Faculty of Engineering

  • Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering with Aerospace Option, Mechanical Engineering with Automotive Option, Mechanical with Environmental Engineering Option and Mechanical Engineering with Materials Option.

Odette School of Business

  • Bachelor of Commerce Honours Business Administration, Bachelor of Commerce Honours Business Administration and Computer Science

Faculty of Science

  • Bachelor of Science Honours Physics (Medical Physics), Bachelor of Science Honours Physics (Medical Physics) with Thesis, Honours Physics with High Technology, Honours Physics with High Technology and Thesis, Honours Physics, Honours Physics with Thesis
  • Bachelor of Science Honours Computer Science, Honours Applied Computing, Honours Computing Information Systems, Honours Computer Science with Software Engineering Specialization, Computer Science Applied Computing CST Graduates

Faculty of Human Kinetics

  • Bachelor of Human Kinetics Honours Movement Science, Honours Sport Management, Human Kinetics Honours

The eight STEM-focused graduate programs receiving accreditation are:

Faculty of Engineering

  • Master of Engineering in Civil, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical, Industrial and Electrical and Computer Engineering, Master of Mechanical Engineering Automotive

Faculty of Computer Science

  • Master of Science in Computer Science