Black background that says "Understanding the value of your PhD" with yellow box on top that says "Career is pathways for PhD's"

Three ways PhD students can prepare for future careers

To support the careers of current and aspiring PhD holders, we need a better understanding of their career pathways and professional preparation. ASU's Graduate College is proud to participate in the PhD Career Pathways project led by the Council of Graduate Schools, a national organization that supports graduate education and research and is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The goal of the project is to gather information about the professional aspirations, career pathways, and career preparation of our PhD students and alumni in order to enable the creation of PhD programs that maximize value both to students and society as a whole.

As part of the PhD Career Pathways project the Graduate College created three videos featuring three important concepts for PhD students to consider when planning their future careers inside or outside of academia. 

1. Explore Your Options

The career pathways for today’s PhD students have changed. Dr. Tamara Underiner, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for the Graduate College at Arizona State University, discusses the importance of exploring multiple career pathways for PhD students.

 

 

2. The Value of Your PhD

What is the value of a PhD degree in today’s world? Dr. Tamara Underiner, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for the Graduate College at Arizona State University explains why we need PhDs now more than ever.

 

 

3. The Importance of Transferable Skills

PhD students need to be strategic in pursuing transferrable skills like leadership. Dr. Tamara Underiner, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for the Graduate College at Arizona State University, stresses the importance of acquiring transferrable skills for PhD students.

 

Donate Blood

The ASU Graduate College Blood Drive is coming up! Join us on Tuesday, November 10, and help Vitalant provide lifesaving blood to patients in our community.

Every donation can make a meaningful difference. If you’re able to give blood, please reserve an appointment and consider inviting a friend or colleague to join you.

Richard Dean Frias
After leaving ASU to work as an EMT, Dean Frias discovered his passion for education and returned to pursue an accelerated master’s degree in educational policy with support from the Graduate College’s Accelerated Master’s Award. His unconventional journey shaped his belief that learning can happen anywhere and at any stage of life.
Natalie Zermeno
ASU doctoral student Natalie Zermeno nearly passed up the Chateaubriand Fellowship until she asked about her eligibility, ultimately earning the opportunity to conduct research at the University of Montpellier in France. Her work explores how personal capacity, institutional conditions and meaningful connections help graduate students build resilience and thrive.