A large number of chemical engineering students at the University of South Alabama participate in the cooperative education program. This program alternates certain semesters of study with semesters of appropriate work experiences. Students participating in this program gain valuable experiences, which reinforces classroom learning and provides a competitive edge in the job market on graduation. Initially the exchange program is aimed towards providing students with significant engineering work experiences in a foreign country. American students spend the summer working as chemical engineering interns for a firm in Germany.
German students come to America for similar experiences.
In the summer of 1997, two students from the University of South Alabama went to Germany. In 1998 five students went to Germany for summer work internships. In 1999 one student went. So far all placements in Germany have been with the highly respected international company, Siemens. Although obviously the ability to speak German would be an asset, the students have been accepted into these assignments and have functioned well with just their knowledge of English.