Professional Development
When you participate in professional development, you build skills needed to succeed academically and thrive in your career. Explore the tools and programming the Graduate School provides to help you plan for success, develop skills, and build career readiness.
Set goals & create your plan
Plan your academic and professional growth and navigate graduate milestones with confidence.
Develop core skills
Build the skills that support your graduate academic journey: communication, leadership, project management, and beyond.
Explore careers & prepare to apply
Prepare for what’s next with advising, networking, internships, and other resources for every career stage.
Skills framework: DiscoverPD
DiscoverPD helps master’s and doctoral students at UW–Madison advance their academic and professional goals.
- You’ll read more about the facets of professional development.
- Our 5-minute self-assessment provides you a report of your strengths and weaknesses.
- You’ll explore customized recommendations within each facet, and add these to your Individual Development Plan.
Behind DiscoverPD is a curated database of professional development activities on campus and beyond. Your recommendations will draw from this database, or you’ll have the option to search the database if you know what you’re looking for.
Events
Each semester the Graduate School, together with campus partners, hosts nearly 500 professional development events, which can be found through DiscoverPD and our events calendar.
August
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August 17
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August 18Exploring AI in Teaching: Setting AI ExpectationsCenter for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring12:00 PM, Online
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August 19
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August 21Teaching at UW: Teaching Tools – Canvas and MoreCenter for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring10:30 AM, Online
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August 24
Discover Opportunities for Development
Your time is valuable, so our offerings are designed to be flexible, relevant, and immediately impactful for academic and career success.
Delta Program
Through the Delta Program in Research, Teaching, and Learning, graduate students and postdocs gain professional development experience in higher education teaching and mentoring.
Certificate in Higher Education Teaching and Learning
Gain skills to thrive as an instructor and mentor and contribute to the advancement of teaching and learning.
Digital Badges
A digital badge verifies a specific skill or learning achievement. Each badge includes details about how it was earned and can be shared on platforms like LinkedIn or a résumé.
Graduate Career Compass
Wherever you are in your journey, Graduate Career Compass helps you gain experience, build skills, and explore career options with confidence.
Funding Forward
Build essential research skills by applying for external fellowships, including identifying funding agencies, writing proposals, and explaining the impact of your work.
Research Mentor Learning Communities
Built on a nationally-recognized curriculum, this experience gives graduate students practical tools for strong mentor–mentee relationships.
For Future Faculty
These in-person and online events and resources are designed for graduate students and postdocs interested in continuing their careers in academia.
Three Minute Thesis
Graduate students compete in the 3MT by delivering a clear, compelling research talk to a general audience, strengthening their communication skills and showcasing their impact.
Demystifying Graduate School
This series offers clear, practical guidance on how graduate school works, breaking down key processes and expectations so you can navigate your program with confidence.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning is an online educational platform. University community members have access to free expert-led video courses on business, technology, and creative skills.
The Graduate School
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