Co-Ops & Internships

At Widener, your inside track to a successful career will be paved with outside-the-classroom, real-world experiences – the kind that will set you apart from the crowd.

Education into Action

Our acclaimed co-op program and emphasis on internships will transform your powerful Widener education into action, helping you gain the experiences, connections, and career-building moments that will benefit you for a lifetime.

Co-Op: Work for a Year, Graduate on Time

Our signature co-op program, coordinated through our Office of Career Design and Development, provides business, engineering, and computer science students with real-world work experience before graduation. You can step away from campus for up to one year to work for a top company, and get paid for it. And the best part, you can still graduate on time, within four years.

My opportunity at Comcast would not have been possible without Widener’s co-op program. This experience has not only helped me build numerous connections within the company, but it has also helped me understand what corporate life is all about. The co-op program helps differentiate yourself from other applicants when applying for a job as employers see that you have experience, especially from a tech giant company like Comcast. — Mathew Thomas '21, accounting

Internships

It’s never too early to start getting real-world work experience. As a Widener student, we encourage you to get an internship as early as freshman year. And when it comes to finding one, we’ve got you covered. Internships are coordinated through academic departments, and your professors, career advisors, and others on campus have an extensive network of local, regional, and national partners to help you find and secure a position that fits your professional aspirations.

And there are tons of internship opportunities being this close to Philadelphia. Just ask Danielle Cardona '18, a communication studies major who had five internships in broadcasting, which helped her land her first job with the Philadelphia Eagles.

To being able to start here, go toward my internships, and then take everything and put it toward a big NFL team, has been phenomenal. — Danielle Cardona ’18

Measured. Results.

Explore Our Co-Op Program

Co-op is full-time, paid work experience relevant to your major. Our co-op program has a wide network of employers across the Philadelphia region and beyond, so you can work for some top organizations. Some students have gone as far as California for their co-op experience. And many employers extend full-time job offers to co-op students after graduation.

You can choose to participate in 4- or 8-month co-op cycles, or a combination of both to gain up to 12 months of work experience. You have the flexibility to create your own co-op schedule. The table below offers a suggested schedule, depending on the academic year you choose to work:

	Summer	Fall	Spring
Freshman		Study	Study
Sophomore	Study	Work	Study
Junior	Study	Study	Work
Senior	Work	Study	Study

While on co-op you do not pay tuition. You can choose to live on campus, at home, or even travel for co-op.

We offer a summer-long professional development series before your first co-op that teaches everything from industry-level Excel training to perfecting those all-important oral and written communication skills.

Employer's Guide to Co-Op

For more than 30 years, our students have partnered with employers like you as part of our flexible, supportive co-op program. Widener students are career-ready and well-prepared to make meaningful contributions to your organization. And our professional staff provides support for employers and students throughout the co-op process.

Hire Widener

In the News

Alumnus Terry Halvorsen speaking to Widener students.

From Widener History Classroom to Global Technology Executive

Profile of 1980 alumnus Terry Halvorsen, a history graduate who spent decades in military/public service and now works as an executive at Samsung Electronics.

A Global Purpose

Widener alumnus leads nonprofit on a mission to support Guinean students

Helping Small Businesses Make Big Moves

Widener's Small Business Development Center is leading the way in helping clients build their businesses and students build their careers.

Pride Perspectives

Hear from our students about their co-ops and internships.

Widener gave me opportunities after opportunities. Every position I’ve had is because of the experiences I had.

Alanna DiBiasi

Alanna's Story

At Widener I’ve been getting ready for my career by doing it, in the lab and at my internship. When I graduate, I won’t just be starting my career. I’ll be continuing the work that I’ve been doing all along.

DeShawn Ivey

DeShawn's Story

I will be so ready for the real world because of the experiences Widener has given me and the professional experiences. I know I will be ready to tackle anything that’s thrown at me.