Co-operative education at Ryerson began in 1976 when fourth year students from the Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry and Biology were assigned unpaid projects in government and industry. In 1982 paid summer co-op placements began for second and third year Chemical Engineering students. This same year William G. Cott and John Easton secured funding from the government to establish a co-op office at Ryerson for the Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry and Biology departments. In 1996 co-op options were established in Applied Computer Science, and Administration and Information Management. In 2000 Occupational Health and Safety, Public Health and Safety, and Civil Engineering (Geomatics option) begin offering co-op as an option to their students. In 2007, Biology, Chemistry, Contemporary Science, Mathematics, and Medical Physics begin offering a co-op option. This same year Applied Chemistry and Biology program and its co-op are phased out.