Curricular additions fulfill Faculty of Arts experiential learning commitment by Fall 2025
Approved by the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Senate, the Faculty of Arts will expand its experiential and engaged learning opportunities by adding new co-op options for undergraduate students in the Economics and Finance, Criminology, Language and Intercultural Relations (LIR), and Psychology programs in Fall 2025. By adding these curricular additions, the Faculty of Arts fulfills the commitment to enhancing experiential learning opportunities in all programs within the faculty, meeting the goal set to achieve by 2025.
Co-op will be introduced for students enrolling for the 2025-2026 year.
Photo by Ian Patterson.
Economics and Finance co-op
The Economics and Finance program (formerly International Economics and Finance) at TMU combines the "hard" skills of a STEM discipline with the "soft" skills of an arts or business program. Graduates enter the workforce equipped with a diverse skill set that prepares them for successful private and public sectors.
Brennan Thompson, Department Chair of Economics and Finance, shares that previously, all students required an internship to graduate from the program, “This internship was a minimum of one semester, but some students did longer placements up to 4 or more semesters.”
Beginning in Fall 2025, students enrolling in the program can choose between the internship, the new co-op program, or a capstone course. The one-semester internship offers considerable flexibility, typically completed during the summer between the third and fourth years of study. The co-op program extends over a minimum of three semesters, with the first work term beginning in the summer between the third and fourth years. The co-op follows a predetermined and structured schedule, which results in an extended program duration of five years for completion. “The paid work experience is extremely beneficial for students, and we have seen our students get really great positions through their internships in the past that very often turn into full-time job offers upon graduation,” states Thompson.
“The new curriculum formalizes the choice between the longer co-op and the shorter internship (or neither). It will help to increase flexibility for students. Believe it or not, there are a lot of students who don’t want to do either and just want to graduate as early as possible, so we don’t think anyone should be “forced” to do one of these options (we are all about choice!)”
The Economics and Finance program started with a strong focus on international issues within economics and finance but has since evolved to offer students exposure to various topics, including international economics, in addition to other subfields such as environmental economics, labour economics, and more. The program offers 20+ core electives that students can choose from in their fourth year, covering different subfields.
Criminology co-op
The Criminology program introduces students to the criminal justice system and its relationship with individuals, professionals and communities. Students enrolling this Fall (2025) will have the optional Criminology co-op placement to enhance the skills needed to apply students’ learning in professional settings.
Joshua Price, Interim Chair of the Department of Criminology, emphasizes the significance that the co-op will introduce students, stressing that it allows students to get a head start on their careers, gain practical experience and make professional connections. Price shared that students have consistently expressed a strong interest in having a co-op program, noting that this option can help students deepen their understanding of the agencies and institutions in the Greater Toronto Area and allow them to network and make connections.
“We think of our program as a big tent: students might work in different capacities in the criminal justice system understood in the widest sense, including advocacy organizations, but also in law firms, as well as agencies that advocate for the unhoused, supervised consumption sites (safe injection sites), grass-roots and community-based programs.”
Dedicated to the City of Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, and beyond, the Criminology program takes a practical, hands-on approach that merges critical analysis of state institutions with real-world insights into their operations. The field allows students to investigate the dynamics of criminal behaviour and its relationship with society, emphasizing the interactions among the justice system, individuals, professionals and communities. This co-op opportunity enables students to explore possible paths for career and advocacy in companies such as the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the Royal Bank of Canada, and more.
Language and Intercultural Relations co-op
The Language and Intercultural Relations program provides students with vital skills for navigating diverse professional and social environments. This co-op opportunity will be available to students enrolling in Fall 2025, with the first work term starting in Spring 2026.
Program Chair and lead on the co-op proposal to the senate, Enriqueta Zafra, shared why introducing a co-op option is essential for LIR students and how the option will help further strengthen the program. “Co-op experiences can set LIR students apart in the job market, demonstrating their ability to function effectively in diverse and globalized work environments. Experiential learning experiences in an environment that requires language skills provide an opportunity for students to enhance their proficiency in the target language.” Zafra continues, “Students will have the chance to gain experience with notable organizations like Alexa Translation and the Government of Canada, amongst others.”
“A co-op initiative within our program would strengthen the university's commitment to nurturing well-rounded, career-ready graduates who can thrive in today's competitive job market.”
The co-op program enhances LIR by offering practical experiences that boost language skills, cultural understanding, and professional development, preparing students for diverse fields. Inspired by the positive impact of co-op programs in other fields, LIR students are confident it will enhance their employability after graduation.
Language and Intercultural Relations is a field that connects real-world application and cross-cultural understanding. Students have expressed that having a co-op option is vital for creating a strong link between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
Psychology co-op
The Psychology co-op opportunity will assist students in cultivating sought-after workplace skills, including research, critical thinking, independent reasoning, persuasive communication, creative problem-solving, and ethical decision-making. Scheduled for launch in 2025, students enrolling in the program will have their first work term commencing in Spring 2026.
As the largest program in the Faculty of Arts, introducing a co-op placement will further enhance the Psychology program by integrating targeted career preparation. This experiential learning opportunity provides students with an additional way to advance their education while gaining valuable, career-related skills. Psychology students have various paths to explore during their degree, including pursuing a thesis stream and offering students a way to engage in hands-on learning and develop transferable, in-demand skills for their careers after university.
“While we are often asked what makes our program ‘unique,’ our answer is that, rather than striving to be ‘different,’ we aim to be comprehensive and provide students with a solid foundation in the various fields of psychology.”
Johanna Lewis, a third-year Psychology student, is eager about the debut of a Psychology co-op and delving into the significance of why such a co-op is crucial for the program: “By engaging in co-op, I am provided with the opportunity to create new connections as well as gain experience in my field. I will have the chance to be immersed in a work environment and understand the dynamics of workplaces. I am most excited to dive in and meet co-workers whose interests align with mine. I am excited to be immersed in a psychology-related work field as I'm aware that during undergrad it is hard to gain experience in our field.”
These co-op additions mark a significant step forward in providing students with practical experiences that bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real-world application. With the Faculty's commitment to integrating experiential learning into all its programs, students across every discipline will benefit from enriched educational opportunities.
More information about Economics and Finance, Criminology, Language and Intercultural Relations, and Psychology co-ops will be available in the 2025-2026 undergraduate calendar.