JOB PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS

Our department vigorously advises MA and PhD candidates when the time comes for them to seek positions in higher education. Our aim is to make substantial experience and good advice available to job candidates at every step in the lengthy process of finding employment.

Many larger doctoral programs, in which as many as fifteen new candidates may emerge every year, offer job-search advice that is general, abstract, and schematic; our department's commitment is to scrutinize each candidate's credentials with a view to identifying distinctive strengths as well as to craft the best possible manner of presenting them. .

MA candidates who wish to explore community college teaching opportunities (which are limited but do exist) are advised of the standard application procedures and are offered editorial advice as they craft the necessary documents (especially the vita and the letter of application). Any MA candidate nearing completion of the degree who wishes to pursue community college employment is invited to contact the department's Placement Advisor.

Doctoral candidates nearing the end of their studies are also encouraged to consult with the Placement Advisor, who early every summer begins corresponding with dissertators who think that they might be ready to search for an academic job in the fall. Toward the end of every summer, the placement advisor initiates the job-search process with an introductory meeting followed by a series of group sessions and individual consultations. Typically, the sessions follow a schedule similar to this one.

Click here to see recent job placements of some our graduate students