Marine and Freshwater Biology

Co-op Faculty Advisor

 Dr. Elizabeth Boulding
Summerlee Science Complex (SC1) 1464
(519) 824-4120 x54961
boulding@uoguelph.ca

Student Contact Times

The role of your Co-op Faculty Advisor is the help guide you through your co-op requirements. Meetings prior to your first work term are not required. Approximately 1 month into your work term position, you will submit the work term proposal to your co-op Faculty Advisor through the CourseLink Dropbox on the Marine and Freshwater Biology Co-op Resource website. The Proposal confirms the focus of the work term report that will be submitted at the end of the work position.

Supports

There are several resources available to you from Experience Guelph and the Department of Integrative Biology, to support students in co-op. Below is a schematic that summarizes the supports and individuals available.

COOP*1100 Experience Guelph Program-Specific CourseLink Site

Orientation to Co-op

Skill development on how to write a resume and cover letter, interview skills and job search skills

Personnel Resource: Instructor for COOP*1100

Experience Guelph platform: houses Job postings and application interface for postions and coordination of interviews

Statement of "SMART" foals for work term are completed on the Experience Guelph platform

Personnel Resource: Co-op Coordinators

Learning Modules: reflection, professionalism in the workplace, skill definitions

Discussion board and announcements

Work term report instructions and rubrics

Work term DropBox

Personnel Resource: Departmental Faculty Advisor

Marine and Freshwater Biology CourseLink site

You require access to the Marine and Freshwater Biology CourseLink site if you are enrolled in the Marine and Freshwater Biology Co-op (MFB:C) program and are on or are entering into a work term in the subsequent semester. You can find this resource under the “Resource” tab on CourseLink. If you do not see the MFB:C resources on CourseLink, please contact the faculty advisor immediately to be enrolled in the resource. The CourseLink site will house the most up-to-date work term report instructions and associated rubrics. Students will also submit all work term report requirements through the MFB:C CourseLink site Dropbox. 

The MFB:C CourseLink site also provides learning modules to help you prepare for your work term and to help you complete the work term reports. Please be sure to explore the resources available.

Report Guidelines

Below are the general work term report guidelines.

Work term

Duration

Work Term Proposal

Interim Report

Final Work Term Report

Submission Information

 

COOP*1000

4-months

Due 1 month after the start of the work term

Not required

4-Month Skill Development Reflection Report

MFB:C CourseLink site Dropbox folder, five days into the semester immediately following the work term.

COOP*2000 and 3000

8-month with one employer

Due 1 month after the start of the work term

Interim report required five days after the first 4-month (COOP*2000) is completed

Technical or task-focused report, due after the completion of COOP*3000

MFB:C CourseLink site Dropbox folder, five days into the semester immediately following 4 months of the work term

COOP*4000 and 5000

8-month with one employer

Due 1 month after the start of the work term

Interim report required five days after the first 4- month (COOP*4000) is completed

Technical or task-focused report, due after the completion of COOP*5000

MFB:C CourseLink site Dropbox folder, five days into the semester immediately following 4 months of the work term

Alternate Options

Not all students will complete 8-month work terms with one employer. In some instances, students may take two independent 4-month work terms for any of the following work terms, COOP*2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000. This is completely acceptable; however the work term report requirements will vary slightly from those stated above. In these instances, students will be required to complete the following.

Work term

Duration

Work Term Proposal

Interim Report

Final Work Term Report

Submission Information

COOP*2000, 3000, 4000 or 5000

Each 4-months with one employer

Due 1 month after the start of the work term

Not required

Technical or task-focused report for three of the four work terms, an overall skill development reflection will be required for at least one of COOP 4000 or 5000

MFB:C CourseLink site Dropbox folder, five days into the semester immediately following 4 months of the work 

N.B. If a student completes two 4-month work terms for COOP*2000 and 3000, they are permitted to complete an 8-month work term for COOP*4000 and 5000.

Full details regarding the requirements for each of the reports; skill development reflection, technical, task, overall reflection, interim report, can be found on the MFB:C CourseLink Resource website.

The interim report can be in a variety of formats depending on which Co-op term you are one. Please check on the MFB:C CourseLink site for specific instructions.

Submission Requirements and Deadlines

All work term reports are to be submitted through DropBox folders on the MFB:C CourseLink Resource website.

Work terms proposals, when required, are due 1-month from the start of the work term. They are also submitted to the associated DropBox folder on the MFB:C CourseLink Resource site.

Skill Development and Technical or Task-focused reports are due five days following the completion of the work term to the associated DropBox folder on the MFB:C CourseLink Resource website.