Business Co-ops and Internships

Gain Real Business Experience Before Graduation

What’s different about studying business at RIT? It’s the opportunity to co-op and intern with top companies in every single business sector. You’ll earn more than a degree. You’ll gain real-world experience from full-time, paid cooperative education and internships. Stand out from your competitors with career experience before you graduate.

U.S. News and World Report badge for best co-op or internship program for 2027.

#5

Top School for Co-op or Internship Programs

Ranked among nation’s best in hands-on career preparation

100%

Participation

All business majors participate in co-op

95%

Outcomes Rate

Business students employed, in grad school, or pursuing military service/volunteering within six months of graduation

Top 15

“Colleges for Launching Your Career”

Forbes, 2026

The Benefits of Completing a Business Co-op

Build Your Resume Before Graduating
Business students can begin co-ops and internships in nearly any semester. You’ll apply your business knowledge early in your course work, which broadens your insights and allows you to see connections between class work and real-world applications.

Explore Different Business Careers
Explore different career paths, try different industries, and test out work environments. With co-op, you’ll not only gain hands-on experience, but you’ll learn more about the types of work you love and environments where you’ll thrive.

Develop Professional Skills
RIT will teach you the technical, theoretical, and analytical skills that make you a competitive job applicant. But leadership, decisiveness, conflict-resolution, etiquette awareness, professionalism are the competencies that can only be learned on the job.

Expand Your Network
You’ll amass solid, career-focused experience as you interact with business experts, explore work environments, broaden your hands-on knowledge, connect with professionals and alumni, and apply your skills in real world settings.

High Employment
There’s a reason 95% of RIT’s business students are employed or in grad school within six months of graduation. With co-op required in all of our business majors, you’ll gain valuable hands-on experience that builds a resume that employers will notice.

Earn Money
Earn a full-time salary while you’re on co-op. Use your earnings to support your tuition and help offset college expenses, or set yourself up for financial independence after graduation. No tuition is charged while you’re on co-op.

Who Can Business Students Co-op With?

We couldn’t possibly list all 3,400 of our hiring partners. It’s a list that keeps on growing. But here’s a sample of some of the places around the world where you might find yourself employed for co-ops or internships.

  • Bank of America
  • Canter Fitzgerald
  • Colgate-Palmolive
  • Google
  • IBM
  • Intuit
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • JP Morgan Chase & Co.
  • Mozilla
  • Nike, Inc.
  • KPMG, LLP
  • Oracle
  • PepsiCo
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
  • United Airlines
  • Walt Disney Company

View more RIT’s outstanding Co-op employers

When Do Business Students Complete Co-ops and Internships?

Business students can begin co-ops and internships as early as the summer after their second year of study. You’ll also be encouraged to complete more than one co-op or internship experience. Our flexible curriculum allows you to  complete a co-op in any semester, however a majority do so in the summer following their second and/or third years of study. This sample schedule shows you how co-ops and internships are built into your education.

Sample Co-op/Internship Schedule

One or Two Blocks

 

Fall

Spring

Summer

Year 1

Classes

Classes

 

Year 2

Classes

Classes

Co-op/Internship

Year 3

Classes

Classes

Co-op/Internship

Year 4

Classes

Classes