Graduate Professional Development
We provide opportunities for graduate students to build skills and networks for the future by offering professional development workshops and resources. Current and prospective students are invited to explore upcoming workshops and events.
Professional Development @ CMU
Career & Professional Development Center
The Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC) is Carnegie Mellon University’s centralized career services center, providing a comprehensive range of services, programs and materials focusing on career exploration and decision making, professional development, experiential learning and employment assistance to meet student goals of finding satisfying jobs today’s evolving workplace.
Communication Support
Communication Support has trained consultants who are ready to help students with any kind of written, verbal or visual project.
Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence
The mission of the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence is to distill the research on learning for faculty and graduate students and collaborate with them to design and implement meaningful educational experiences. We believe that combining the science and art of teaching empowers our colleagues to create the conditions for students to learn and, through this learning, transform their world.
Graduate Career Resources
Graduate Career Resources is a database of university-wide, college-specific and local career resources for graduate students.
Graduate Conference Funding
Graduate Conference Funding is provided by the Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) and the Provost's Office, and is managed by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs. The goal of the funding is to enable more Carnegie Mellon graduate students to make presentations at key conferences/exhibitions in their fields or attend conferences and learn about the broader field of study to which they belong.
Language & Cross-Cultural Support
More than 60% of graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University are international students, and others are nonnative speakers of English who have attended high school or undergraduate programs in the U.S. Many of these students want to hone their language and cross-cultural skills for academic and professional success. Language and Cross-Cultural Support provides resources for students who need them.
Public Communication for Researchers
The relationship between researchers and the public impacts us all, affecting our freedom to do our work, the funding of our research and the policies that shape our world. Researchers’ ability to impact the world hinges on the trust and understanding between them and the rest of society. Public Communication for Researchers (PCR) invites graduate students to help shape the conversation.
Professional Development Workshops & Events
Storytelling through Interviewing
Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, 5 to 6 p.m., Baker Hall 154R
Translating your skills through effective storytelling is key to showcasing your ability to perform a given job. In this session, we will highlight best practices in preparing for industry interviews through job description analysis, example preparation and storytelling strategies. Tips for navigating industry interview tools, such as Big Interview, will also be addressed.
Host: Katie Flanigan, Career and Professional Development Center
Unlock Your Project Management Potential: A Workshop for PhD Students
Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, 5 to 6 p.m., Posner Hall 280
Are you ready to take control of your research, stay on top of deadlines and tackle complex tasks with ease? This workshop is tailored specifically for Ph.D. students who are looking to implement project management habits into their academic journey. In this session, you’ll learn practical strategies to:
- Break down ambitious research goals into actionable milestones.
- Manage your time effectively while balancing competing priorities.
- Use essential tools and frameworks to stay organized and motivated.
- Communicate clearly and confidently with supervisors and collaborators.
Whether you're managing your dissertation, navigating lab projects or preparing for your next career step, this workshop aims to equips you with tangible project management skills.
Host: Rachel Amos, Student Academic Success Center
Optimizing Effective Mentoring and Collaborative Planning for Graduate Student Success
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, 5 to 6 p.m., Posner Hall 340
Effective mentoring and collaborative planning have been shown to offer positive impacts for both doctoral students and their faculty mentors. As a part of Carnegie Mellon’s commitment to advancing effective mentoring, an institutional expectation has been adopted that asserts that every doctoral student should have at least an annual planning meeting with their faculty mentor that is facilitated and documented through an Individual Development Plan (IDP) process.
Please join your doctoral student peers from Dietrich College for an interactive workshop that will be presented by the Mentoring Initiative team from the Provost’s Office. The interactive workshop will focus on strategies to optimize your mentoring relationships and will also include an overview of the new IDP tools, resources and processes available for your use as we work together to enhance CMU's ecosystem of mentoring.
Hosts:
- Amy Burkert, senior vice provost for academic initiatives
- Maggie Sikora, director of the office of graduate and postdoctoral affairs
- Colleen Mollenauer, senior operations and program manager
Overcoming Roadblocks - How to Get “Unstuck”: A Workshop for PhD Students
Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, 5 to 6 p.m., Posner Hall 280
Are you feeling overwhelmed by endless to-do lists or stuck on a challenging part of your research? As a Ph.D. student, managing your time effectively and staying motivated can make all the difference in achieving your goals. This workshop is designed to help you:
- Master time management techniques tailored for academic life.
- Break through roadblocks with strategies to get unstuck and re-energized.
- Prioritize your tasks and focus on what matters most.
- Build habits that boost productivity and maintain momentum.
Whether you’re navigating writer’s block, struggling to meet deadlines or just need a better plan, this session will equip you with the tools to stay on track and move forward confidently in your Ph.D. journey.
Host: Rachel Amos, Student Academic Success Center
Job Offer Negotiation: Tips for Measuring and Communicating Your Market Value
Tuesday Feb. 18, 2025, 5 to 6 p.m., Baker Hall 154R
How do you know if you are receiving a fair and competitive job offer? This professional development workshop will focus on strategies for researching your market value using company data, online salary tools and Carnegie Mellon University outcomes data. We will also discuss how you can professionally communicate salary expectations and counter job offers in order to secure an opportunity that aligns with your personal and professional needs.
Host: Beth Jameson, Career and Professional Development Center
Mastering Time Management: Practical Strategies for Graduate Student Success
Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, 5 to 6 p.m., Baker Hall 154R
Managing research, classes and personal life during graduate school can feel like a juggling act. This presentation offers straightforward, actionable tips to help you organize your time more effectively. We'll talk about setting priorities, creating achievable goals and building habits that boost productivity without adding stress. These practical tips can help make your workload more manageable and your graduate experience more enjoyable.
Host: Kasey Creswell, director of graduate studies, associate professor of psychology
Understanding the Psychology Behind Procrastination & How to Manage It: A Workshop for PhD Students
Wednesday, March 26, 5 to 6 p.m., Posner Hall 280
Struggling with procrastination? You're not alone—it's a common challenge that Ph.D. students face. This interactive session will help you:
- Understand the psychology behind procrastination and why it happens.
- Break the cycle of avoidance with actionable steps based on models designed around executive function optimization.
- Align your tasks with your goals to boost motivation and focus.
- Build sustainable routines that keep procrastination at bay.
Host: Rachel Amos, Student Academic Success Center