This guide is a product of Connected Academics, an MLA project receiving generous support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to develop students’ capacities to bring the expertise they acquire in advanced humanistic study to a wide range of fulfilling, secure, and well-compensated careers.
Many faculty members have expressed both a desire to help their doctoral students explore a broad range of rewarding careers inside and outside the academy and an uncertainty about the best way to begin. This guide gives faculty members, especially those in administrative roles, clear strategies and simple resources their programs can use to prepare students for a variety of careers. It is designed to help them advise their students more effectively, start conversations with colleagues and administrators about career pathways for PhDs, and foster a departmental culture that supports the career ambitions and outcomes of all their students. Below you will find available for download the full-length tool kit, a one-page tip sheet, individual modules, and Connected Academics resources referenced in the tool kit.
We envision that this document will evolve over time. We are eager to hear from faculty members and students about how the guide is being used in departments, including what you find most useful and what you think could be improved. If you have comments, questions, or concerns about the Doctoral Student Career Planning Guide, please contact us at careers@mla.org.
Last Updated: June 2018.