Forbes highlights UC’s co-op program as institutional model
Higher ed should ensure work readiness. That’s why UC invented cooperative education 100 years ago.
Forbes cites the University of Cincinnati as a leader in higher education due to its cooperative education (co-op) program.
UC set the model for co-op, in which students alternate semesters studying on campus with those spent working in paid, professional roles. Co-op was invented at UC more than a century ago and the university’s program is ranked Top 5 in the country.
In a recent article, Forbes contributor Brandon Busteed shares steps college and university leaders can take to bolster confidence in higher education.
“In order to make higher education more relevant in the eyes of the American public,” Busteed writes, “colleges should ensure that the education they deliver is relevant for students seeking a good job: the majority of students identify work outcomes as their primary reason to attend.”
In addition to UC’s co-op program, the Bearcat Promise ensures UC students graduate with a degree in one hand and a strong career plan in the other.
UC student on co-op at Kinetic Vision in Cincinnati. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
One tip Busteed shares: “Establish an office or role dedicated to building local/regional employer partnerships to create more internship programs and long-term projects for students,” citing UC as an institution that has “done this for a century, proving it can be done effectively and at scale.”
UC has an entire college devoted to just that.
Last year, UC introduced the College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies (CCPS) to better serve all students, including adult learners, as well as industry partners. As a dedicated college, CCPS continues to collaborate with industry and collegiate partners to offer co-op and experiential learning opportunities for students, while expanding its mission to serve adult learners pursuing career advancement. The college also serves co-op employer partners who are interested in advancing their existing workforce.
Students who participate in UC’s co-op program get meaningful hands-on opportunities, earning while they’re learning. In 2024-25, UC students earned $88.8 million collectively through paid co-op experiences. The self-reported data shows more than 8,300 students participated in co-op in the last academic year.
That averages to nearly $10,700 per student per semester.
It’s an 18% increase in wages from the last reported co-op data. Read more.
Featured image at top of co-op student working at Kinetic Visions. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
Ready to hire?
For over a century, the University of Cincinnati has brought tomorrow's leaders out of the classroom and into the workforce to drive growth across every industry.
Learn more about hiring from our nationally-ranked cooperative education program.
Related Stories
Sugar overload killing hearts
November 10, 2025
Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.
Is going nuclear the solution to Ohio’s energy costs?
November 10, 2025
The Ohio Capital Journal recently reported that as energy prices continue to climb, economists are weighing the benefits of going nuclear to curb costs. The publication dove into a Scioto Analysis survey of 18 economists to weigh the pros and cons of nuclear energy. One economist featured was Iryna Topolyan, PhD, professor of economics at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.
App turns smartwatch into detector of structural heart disease
November 10, 2025
An app that uses an AI model to read a single-lead ECG from a smartwatch can detect structural heart disease, researchers reported at the 2025 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. Although the technology requires further validation, researchers said it could help improve the identification of patients with heart failure, valvular conditions and left ventricular hypertrophy before they become symptomatic, which could improve the prognosis for people with these conditions.