General Information

The Co-operative Internship in Computer Science (CICS), formerly Computer Industry Internship Option (CIIO), is a collaborative effort between the Department of Computer Science, the co-operative education office for the Faculty of Science, and local, national and international employers. The CICS offers students the opportunity to combine in-class learning with industry experience.

Internships begin in January, May or September and are either 8, 12 or 16 months in duration. The work is full-time and paid at a rate determined by the employer.

Students work in areas including software development, web and mobile development, UI/UX design, cloud computing, security and privacy, data science, robotics and artificial intelligence.

Advantages

There are many advantages to completing an internship during your degree:

• Paid, practical experience in your field
• Enhanced professional networks, industry contacts and references
• More job options upon graduation
• Better understanding of what type of work you want to do upon graduation
• Improved technical, professional and interpersonal skills
• Resume, cover letter preparation and interview skills
• Opportunity to bridge into permanent employment after graduation
• Stronger understanding of concepts from academic courses

Memorial University is a member of Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada); for a longer list of benefits of co-operative education and internships for students, employers and institutions visit their website.

Where Interns Work

CICS interns have worked with companies in Newfoundland and Labrador, elsewhere in Canada and sometimes abroad. Students apply for work term positions advertised publically, advertised through the Science Co-operative Education Office or through an independent job search.

What Interns Say

Zakwan Ashfaq Zian:

“Opting for the CICS program was the best decision ever! The work experience and knowledge gained is priceless.”

Masoud Zare:

“During my work term, I figured out how to use the knowledge I'd gained from the university and how important basic concepts are in computer science.  Plus, practicing team communication skills as an inseparable part of a developer job is invaluable!”

Nigel Chikwati:

"I am forever grateful for the exposure I was given by the CICS program. It allowed me to grow as a developer and increase my problem solving skills. Moreover, it helped me build great connections that will be important in my career pursuits after school. I would highly encourage my fellow computer science students to opt for it as well!"

Program Criteria

In order to be eligible for the CICS applicants must:

1. Be a declared Computer Science Major.
2. Have successfully completed COMP1001, 1002, 1003, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 plus 6 additional computer science credit hours at the 3000-level or higher prior to the start of the internship.
3. Have successfully completed 75 credit hours prior to the start of the internship (recommended).
4. Have at least 15 credit hours remaining after the internship in order to satisfy degree requirements, 3 credit hours of which must be in computer science courses.

How to Apply

Attach a cover letter and resume to this CICS Application Form and submit to coopscihss@mun.ca.

Admission to the CICS is competitive and selective. The application deadline varies each semester, but is at least four months before the internship starts.

The deadline to apply is advertised through the Department of Computer Science listserv. Email compsci@mun.ca to be added to the listserv.

Contact Information

For more information on the CICS Contact us.