Today, graduate education is a way to help students achieve their career goals. More specifically, it is an investment in their future through quality education in the graduate student’s chosen profession.
In addition, it is a time for graduate students to develop both professionally and personally, to be career ready and employable. If the student is strategic and planful, it can serve as a professional landing pad (in their field) and for employment (which creates an opportunity to contribute to their field).
Graduate student career readiness and employability is a joint effort of partnering with graduate faculty through the Graduate School Career Ready and Employability Graduate Faculty Advisory Board and by partnering with industry through the Graduate School Career Ready and Employability Industry Advisory Board. Visit Career Ready and Employability Advisory Boards to learn more about each.
Graduate education is much more than earning a master’s, professional, or doctoral degree, it is also a time to become career ready and employable. Faculty mentoring can be very helpful in this process, for example they can help identify what transferable skills the student should work on. There are many other resources at Ohio State within programs and colleges, as well as offices across campus that can assist graduate students.
The Graduate School, among many other responsibilities also focuses on Career Building Strategies and Career Development and offers workshops (some in collaboration with other offices on campus) and other training in Preparing Future Professionals (PFF) and Accelerate to Industry (A2i), as well as other resources, awards, etc. available to graduate students across the university, to enhance their career readiness and employability.
Graduate School Programs
Beyond the Professoriate and Beyond Graduate School
Digital career training platforms designed to help your master's, doctoral and postdocs quickly scale up their skills and prepare for career and job search success through on demand online workshops and resources.
Preparing Future Faculty
The Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program was designed and hosted by the Graduate School to support new faculty development as part of the graduate student experience.
Accelerate to Industry (A2i)
The A2i program is designed to meet graduate students’ developmental needs by offering: (a) an Industry Company Site Visit, (b) an Industry Team Practicum, (c) an Industry Internship, (d) Industry Job Search Strategies and (e) an Industry Immersion Week.
Preparing Future Professionals
The Preparing Future Professionals program is offered by the Graduate School to help students become career ready and employable, not only in higher education but also in other areas such as industry, business, entrepreneurship, etc.
Three Minute Thesis (3MT)
The 3MT is an academic competition for doctoral and master’s students engaged in their own research, summarizing it to an educated layperson in 3 minutes or less, using pre-determined guidelines. A panel of judges scores each student to determine the top awardee.
Graduate Associate Leadership Awards (GALA)
The Graduate Associate Leadership Award (GALA) is Ohio State’s recognition of the exceptional leadership provided by graduate students as leaders (on and off campus) while being an OSU graduate (master’s or doctoral) student.
Graduate Associate Teaching Award (GATA)
The Graduate Associate Teaching Award is Ohio State’s highest recognition of the exceptional teaching provided by graduate students serving as Graduate Teaching Associates.
Graduate School Mentorship Programming
The Graduate School regularly offers programming around graduate mentorship design both for faculty and students.
Graduate Faculty Mentorship Award
The Graduate Faculty Mentorship Award (GFMA) is Ohio State Graduate School’s recognition of the exceptional guidance provided by the graduate faculty as mentors of graduate master’s, doctoral, and professional students.
Graduate School Mentorship Workshops
Throughout fall and spring terms the Graduate School offers mentorship workshops and events with guest speakers providing best practices as both mentors and mentees.
University Wide Resources
Versatile PhD
The Versatile PhD is a resource for members of the graduate community at Ohio State who are interested in exploring non-academic career options for graduate students.
Handshake
Handshake is Ohio State's new university-wide position posting system where students have access to search and apply for part-time jobs, internships, co-ops, and full-time career opportunities.
AlumniFire
Alumnifire is our online community to connect for career advancement, mentoring, affinity groups, or staying in touch with what is happening at Ohio State.
Career Services and Information
Buckeye Careers
As part of the Office of Student Life, Buckeye Careers is an university-wide initiative designed to support students throughout their professional development, with a focus on connecting them with local, national and global organizations.
Michael V. Drake Institute of Teaching and Learning
The overall purpose of the institute is to integrate and enhance teaching and learning efforts at Ohio State, and to elevate such work to the institutional level.
Tips for In-Person, Virtual and Reverse Career Fairs
Various tips for successfully participating in virtual, in-person and reverse career fairs.
Workshops and Events
Find various workshops and events that designed for the graduate student community.
Internships and Site Visits
Internship are a growing part of the graduate student experience. Find more resources on our Internships page.
Barnett Center
The Barnett Center educates and prepares students for successful careers in the arts and related entrepreneurial fields.
Transferable Skills
Transferable skills are skills that individuals pick up during their education (undergraduate and graduate), internships or coops, and employment setting.
Keenan Center
The Tim & Kathleen Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship works to grow and foster a culture of entrepreneurship for the Ohio State community through the creation and support of new ventures and the education and encouragement of their founders.
Still Have Questions?
Development, Engagement, Careers, and Workshops
Assistant Dean Karin Jordan
jordan.1193@osu.edu