Hey everyone,

I am currently going into the second year Math & Stats program. I planned on taking 24 units throughout the fall/winter terms and then the remaining 6 in summer school. Once in third year, I planned on applying for co-op, however after reading this page I noticed note 2 reads:

Students must be registered in a full-load and take a full academic program as prescribed, by Level and Term.

Does anyone know if the full-load is in reference to second year, as in I must take 5 courses each term with no summer school before I apply? Or is it referring to once I am in co-op, I must follow their level/term outline found here.

Any insight would be great.

I'm not quite too sure about this, but I think if you're taking summer school this year then it's fine. Because once co-op starts, you can't take summer school anyways, meaning in third year and up you would be doing a full-load anyways. However just to make sure, call them up and ask

Originally Posted by Moghue

Hey everyone,

I am currently going into the second year Math & Stats program. I planned on taking 24 units throughout the fall/winter terms and then the remaining 6 in summer school. Once in third year, I planned on applying for co-op, however after reading this page I noticed note 2 reads:



Does anyone know if the full-load is in reference to second year, as in I must take 5 courses each term with no summer school before I apply? Or is it referring to once I am in co-op, I must follow their level/term outline found here.

Any insight would be great.

You should consider taking a full course load. First of all, it'll prepare you for the co-op program since you will HAVE to take full course loads. You won't be able to take courses when you are working full-time.

Also, applications are in December-February. That means you won't be registered for summer courses yet. The system will see you as unable to complete Level II which will void you from entering the co-op program.

Definitively talk to an academic advisor to see what should be done. Will they consider you if you tell them your academic plans? Will others be considered ahead of you because they have completed Level II by the end of the fall/winter term? These are questions that should be addressed with an advisor.

I'm pretty sure you apply to co-op in Feb-March of second year, nor third. Taking summer school is fine, but your offer might be conditional until you complete your courses. Also, you might have trouble with course registration since you won't have 30 units by the time June course registration rolls around. I suggest speaking to an academic advisor right away to get this cleared up.

Thanks for all the replies,

Should I contact the undergraduate advisor for the M&S department or should I contact the SCCE department?

Probably SCCE, since they do the entire application process.

Originally Posted by Moghue

Thanks for all the replies,

Should I contact the undergraduate advisor for the M&S department or should I contact the SCCE department?

It wouldn't hurt to contact both!

Originally Posted by ~*Sara*~

I'm pretty sure you apply to co-op in Feb-March of second year, nor third. Taking summer school is fine, but your offer might be conditional until you complete your courses. Also, you might have trouble with course registration since you won't have 30 units by the time June course registration rolls around. I suggest speaking to an academic advisor right away to get this cleared up.

As I mentioned above, it's December-February. I don't know if they would get a conditional offer... I guess it depends on how many students apply and how many of them satisfy all the requirements.

Source: http://www.science.mcmaster. ca/scc...ctive-students

Once you are in the co-op program, a full course load is required, but that is still considered 24 units per year or 12 units per term. However, you can't bank on being able to take courses in the summer once you are in co-op, because you will be on a work term that might not be near a university (one of the requirements of getting into the co-op program is that you are willing to relocate to wherever the jobs are. You get asked if you are willing to do this at your interview, and they will hold you to it), or your supervisor might not sign the form allowing you permission to take a course. So, you will likely need to take 30 units per year or 15 units per term once in the co-op program, in order to have enough credits to graduate.

Also, if you only take 24 units in the school year, they will likely ask you in your interview why you did that, why you are opting to spend your summer catching up instead of gaining work experience, etc, and if it comes down to you and one other person, all else being equal they will probably take the person who took 30 units (and maybe gained work experience during the summer), because it shows that you are able to handle a full course load + the work of looking for a job during the school year (this is also something they ask/discuss at the interview).

Edit: There are people who have taken required courses to get into co-op during the summer before third year, they just tell the co-op people this in their application/interview and why they had to do it during the summer (usually it's because they didn't have room to take it during the school year). If you have a valid reason for not taking the course during the year, it's not a problem at all, as long as you take it before third year starts.