Swanson School of Engineering
Welcome Swanson Families!
State of Affairs
First round of “midterms” has occurred for many students. The “high” from the start of the term has started to wane. For first-year students, many are discovering what people meant when they said engineering is hard. There’s more work, and the work is harder. The responsibility of learning is truly on the student. In general, the middle of the term brings more stress because: Midterms are occurring Registration for the upcoming term is happening, and There is no long-term break “in sight”
Swanson School of Engineering
Slide 2
Supporting Students: Near and Far Midterms
Registration
No Breaks?
Encourage students to plan for breaks from studying.
Suggest involvement in a club or activity related to their interests outside of engineering to help them get re-energized.
Encourage the use of campus resources/offices like our Campus Rec Center, Counseling Center, and Student Health to maintain overall wellness.
Encourage students to plan time for studying and breaks. Suggest that students utilize resources like office hours or tutoring centers for help with concepts. If students mention that they feel like their work isn’t paying off, suggest a meeting with an advisor to talk about study skills and/or time management.
Swanson School of Engineering
Students will likely be getting information about registration in the coming weeks from advisors or department seminars. Encourage students to be aware and ask questions about their situation. Information about curricula are available in the University Catalog.
Slide 3
Experientia Co-Op & Internship l Learning Opportuniti es
Research
Professional Development
Global Experiences
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Student Clubs & Competitions
Experiential Learning and Professional Engagement ELPE for short
How can the ELPE Office help you?
One-stop-shop for co-op & internship, global, and some undergraduate research, housed directly in Benedum Hall Professional Development Resume and interview prep Multiple career fairs each year Job offer assistance Employer connections, etc.
Offices located in 152 Benedum Hall
E-Merge Alumni Mentor Program PEAK Micro Internship (for 1st Year students ) Global opportunities just for engineers!
Slide 6
Co-ops & Internships
Co-op or Internship: Which Fits You? CO-OP Three four-month rotations or two sixmonth rotations of work experience Three credits, an honor cord, and no tuition Graduate with a full year of on-the-job experience Can co-op with two different employers Usually extends graduation by a semester Can lead to direct employment
INTERNSHIP Usually one summer, 10 to 12 weeks Paid, but no academic credit May not delay graduation A great first-taste of industry, especially for sophomores Could lead into a co-op later
Consider both options if you can / increase your chances / especially second year students! Students pay $335 co-op fee each work rotation, along with university fees
Why Co-op Pays Dividends
$45K
$0
62%
Average $45,000 earned across three co-op rotations
Tuition while on a rotation: you pay a small fee instead Still progress academically even when working
of co-op students received a FT job offer, and 93% accepted that offer
$4,023 average monthly salary for co-op students in 2025–26
The Money Math WHAT YOU EARN $25 average per hour $15,000 per rotation (about 15 weeks) ~$45,000 across three rotations
WHAT YOU PAY You remain enrolled full-time You earn three credits toward graduation You remain eligible for housing and your honor cord A $335 co-op fee per term, in place of tuition, not on top of it
Earn money, credits, and gain work experience, all while not paying tuition that term
Co-op Schedules
Sample options for three, four-month rotating co-op schedules
Why Employers Prefer Co-op Students LESS RISK FOR THEM They have already seen your work, so an offer is a proven choice, not a gamble You arrive prepared and accountable, coached through coop prep and evaluated on the job Return for a second or third rotation and you contribute from day one. Employers want you there longer!
MORE VALUE THAN A SUMMER INTERN Longer rotations let you own real projects, not just short summer tasks You bring current classroom skills, fresh ideas, and energy to their teams Strong co-op performance is a common path to a permanent job offer
The reasons they value co-op are the reasons they hire you
Employers Who Recruit Pitt Engineers Energy & Power
Chemicals & Materials
Metals & Manufacturing
Aerospace & Engineering
Westinghouse GE Vernova Siemens Energy Eaton
PPG Koppers Lubrizol SherwinWilliams Covestro Bayer
U.S. Steel Alcoa Komatsu Parker Hannifin Emerson
SSOE Select! Over 250 companies Swanson School students are in-demand with our co-op employers
Honeywell Aerospace Lockheed Martin Bechtel WSP Deloitte
Global Experiences
Global Experiences & Engagement 23% of Graduates have an International Experience (3x National Average!) Summer / Spring Break / Fall Break • Plus3 - program for first year students
Short-term • SSOE courses abroad led by SSOE faculty
Full Semester Global E3 (Engineering Education Exchange) Engineering courses in English at a partner university abroad
Global Research / Internships / Co-ops Multiple Funding Options through Pitt! Swanson School of Engineering
2025: Sustainable Engineering in Iceland: Culture, History and Innovation
Slide 15
• National Award-Winning Program! • 2 Weeks in May
Plus 3
• First-Year Engineering students (working with Nursing & SCI) • Class meetings with engineering faculty throughout Spring Semester • Explore global engineering industries and cultural themes! • 2027: Japan, Spain, The Netherlands, & South Korea
Important Upcoming Global Dates Application Deadlines
Oct. 4: SSoE Sem. in Limerick
Oct. 4: FAME
Oct. 13: PAP Spring Semester
Nov. 3: Iceland Spring Break
Nov. 4: Passport Raffle
Nov. 19: DAAD Rise, EPFL, KAIST Research
Dec. 4: Plus3 (first year)
Jan. 6: UROP Research
Jan. 19: SERIUS, CUHK Research
Jan. 26: Summer Panther Programs
Scholarship Deadlines
Info Sessions and Events
Oct. 15: SSOE Spring/Spring Break Nov. 2: Vira I. Heinz Dec. 1: Nationality Rooms (NRIEP) Dec. 4: SSOE Plus3 (first year) Jan. 19: GEO Summer Feb. 1: SSOE Summer Feb. 15: SSOE Fall/Full Year Mar. 23: GEO Fall/Full Year
To see more detailed event and deadline info, visit our Calendar of Events
Oct. 7: Iceland Oct. 8: Global Research Info Session Oct. 13: Find Your Global Co-op Oct. 14: Czechia Oct. 21: Craft Brew Oct. 27: DAAD Rise Oct. 28: Trip or Treat Nov. 2: German Way Nov 3: Greece (new date!) Nov. 5: Renaissance Nov. 9: Brazil Energy Nov. 12: Global Speaker Series Nov. 16: Global Supply Networks
Undergrad Research
Undergraduate Research SSOE Summer Undergraduate Research Internship Program (SURI) MCSI Summer Research Program in Sustainability Directly with Faculty or integrated into class curriculum Paid experiences Swanson School of Engineering
Slide 19
First Year at Pitt! First Year Curriculum / Undecided
Apply to Plus3
First Year Conference
Declare Your Major!
Major Exploration
Co-Op & ELPE Exploration
Swanson School of Engineering
Thank you!