<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1rcNh1_1H3KQjFE00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1rcNh1_1H3KQjFE00" width="1200" height="800" ><figcaption>Photo by Navneeth Nalajala | The Triangle</figcaption></figure>Fall 2027 will mark the beginning of Drexel University’s new semester-based calendar, which has students asking what changes will be made to its hallmark co-op program. The Triangle sat down with Lynne Hickle, executive director of the co-op program, and Rose Sullivan, assistant director of University Advising, to address these concerns and outline how the university plans to support students through the transition.Many have raised concerns about willingness to hire Drexel students after the change to semesters, but Hickle said employer participation was a major consideration before the university decided to take on academic transformation. She pointed to a feasibility study that yielded overwhelmingly positive feedback. Employers — many of whom already hire from Northeastern University’s co-op cycles — appreciated that Drexel would now align with other co-op-focused universities.Communication with employers has also been consistent; a website, videos, and periodic Q&amp;A sessions have drawn large turnouts and allow hiring personnel to engage with Drexel administration to better understand what academic transformation means to them. “I want to know what we haven't thought about, in terms of our employers' participation and engagement. You know, what are they thinking? What are their concerns? What are they curious about? What haven't we communicated well that we need to communicate better?”This style of Q&amp;A session regarding the Academic Transformation is currently unavailable to students, but Hickle says this is a positive sign that companies want to continue partnering with Drexel through these changes.The more pressing question from employers was why the change was occurring at all, if the previous calendar worked.“The university is bigger than co-op,” Hickle said, highlighting global education, internships, volunteerism, and other experiential learning pathways. “So, the university wants to move into a position where students have the opportunity to engage in more outside of co-op…we’re trying to support a broader set of students.”Hickle shared that the university has received no direct indication from any employer that they will no longer be participating because of the Academic Transformation. Co-op cycles will also remain six months long — employers emphasized that the co-op “absolutely has to remain six months. You cannot shorten the co-op,” Hickle told The Triangle, with no gaps in employment, the continued use of A, B, C rounds, and Steinbreight Career Development Center’s online system.However, the co-op cycles during the transition period, spring/summer 2027 and fall/winter 2027, will be shortened, which has troubled many students. “I appreciate the disappointment and I understand it … it was unavoidable,” Hickle lamented. “We really tried to be thoughtful about it and make sure that it was shortened for the same duration on both cycles, so one cycle wasn't being overburdened by a shorter cycle than the other.”Although students partaking in these co-op cycles will lose approximately 50 days of professional experience, Hickle reiterated that students will still be gaining professional and networking opportunities for longer than most three-month internships.While the shift to semesters is intended to expand students' opportunities beyond co-op, it also means some students will have to reconsider their academic and professional plans. Students are worried about losing a co-op cycle to the transformation, as those who previously had three six-month employment periods will now have only two.Sullivan said the change is intended to encourage students to explore other opportunities while keeping co-op a viable option. “Students get to stay in the driver’s seat here,” she noted. “If a current student is sitting here and maintaining the three full co-ops as their ultimate goal … that's where you can kind of sit down with your advisor, look through what you've already done, what you want to continue moving forward.”Beyond co-op, the transition has also raised questions about how students in discontinued, combined, or redesigned degree programs will fulfill their remaining requirements. Sullivan said academic departments are developing transition plans that account for students at different stages of their degrees, with both general, cohort-specific guidance and individualized academic plans. These plans will identify which semester courses students should take in place of courses that may no longer exist or have direct equivalents.Students should eventually be able to access these plans through DegreeWorks, which is expected to display semester-by-semester course requirements alongside existing quarter credits — “A few months from now, probably like February, March-ish, that’s the goal,” Hickle anticipated. The goal is for students to see how their completed coursework will translate to the new system and what alternatives are available for any courses that have changed.“The transition to semesters alone shouldn't impact a student's graduation,” Sullivan continued. She added that students who have not yet received individualized plans should not be concerned, as departments are still working through the process. Students with questions about how changes to their major affect their academic progress can meet with their advisors to map out alternative courses and ensure they remain on track to graduate.As the University continues through this monumental shift, communication and clarity for students remains the priority. Sullivan implores students to seek out The Academic Transformation SharePoint site and advisors when they are uncertain, and to regularly check their email for messages from administrators. Hickle encouraged students to ask questions. “It'll either allow me to address something that's been buzzing around that's wrong, or we might say, oh my gosh, we hadn't thought about that yet. But we're going to now, we're gonna add it to the queue,” she concluded.Although uncertainty surrounding the shift from a quarter-based to semester-based calendar remains, Drexel administrators emphasize that students will continue to have access to the resources and support needed to navigate the transition.</div></body>

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Fall 2027 will mark the beginning of Drexel University’s new semester-based calendar, which has students asking what changes will be made to its hallmark co-op program. The Triangle sat down with Lynne Hickle, executive director of the co-op program, and Rose Sullivan, assistant director of University Advising, to address these concerns and outline how the university plans to support students through the transition.

What does academic transformation mean for co-op?

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Fall 2027 will mark the beginning of Drexel University’s new semester-based calendar, which has students asking what changes will be made to its hallmark c

What does academic transformation mean for co-op?

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