Professional Development
Our program recognizes that graduate students have various career goals and that training and advising requires a broad range of information.
We partner with UCSD's Career Services Center to develop and identify opportunities for graduate students to research various career paths and cultivate skills that will promote the greatest chance for success.
Career Exploration Opportunities
- Professional Pathways Program
The cornerstone of our efforts, this 1-unit seminar course, BGGN 292, is designed to connect UCSD graduate students interested in career planning and professional development with experienced science professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds.
The focus is on the biosciences in academia as well as biotechnology, biomedical, and pharmaceutical industries. The program helps you learn about career options in academia, science industry, and other allied roles and then create and develop your own personal career action plan.
- Biological Sciences Graduate Student Mentor/Alumni Dinner
This once-per-year event is sponsored by our Graduate Student Association and brings back several alumni from our doctoral program to meet and mentor current students. The event is planned as a dinner on campus.
- Career Services Center
The UCSD Career Services Center helps you fulfill your career goals through a variety of services and resources, job listings, on-campus recruiting, reference materials, and career consultants.
Skill Development Opportunities
- Biological Sciences Science "Power Hour"
Science Power Hour is a student-run program where graduate students come together to work on science communication skills without the added pressure of faculty members present.
Once a month, 2 presenters come forward and describe their current projects and progress they may have made. This way, not only do presenters get to practice speaking in front of varied audiences, but you also get a chance to work on asking questions in a public forum, to have your work and presentations be respectfully critiqued, and to foster your own sense of community.
- Preparing Future Faculty
Students can participate in this program once a year with an additional intensive summer session. Run by the Center for Teaching Development, Preparing Future Faculty gives you opportunities to prepare materials for a teaching portfolio.
- UCSD Extension
University Extension offers a limited number of vouchers every quarter to graduate students for complimentary enrollment in courses they offer. The list of courses available are at the link above.
