Note that lots of schools offer formalized co-ops (at least for engineering majors), even if their curricula is not based on the assumption that students will do co-ops (like Northeastern, Cincinnati, or Drexel).
Even in the absence of a formalized co-op, many schools have withdrawal and readmission policies that may allow a student to take a semester off as an informal co-op. (However, one should check how scholarships and financial aid are handled in that case.)