Graduate Studies in the Arts and Sciences

January 20, 2026

Abigail Arnold | Office of Graduate Affairs

A new semester has just begun, and, with it, new graduate professional development programming. The Office of Graduate Affairs offers programming for all Brandeis graduate students, aimed at helping them explore careers and build the skills they will need to get the jobs they want. “Our goal is for students to think outside of their department or lab and start naming the skills they have,” said Marika McCann, Associate Director of Professional Development and Employee Outreach. “We aim to provide programming for those looking both inside and outside of academia. If students are looking for jobs outside of academia, they need to start to understand the language of different industries and connect their skills to them. Our other goal is for students to know that they are not alone. When they don’t know where to start the job process, this gives them a starting point.”

In the fall, Graduate Affairs offered a range of career panels with alums discussing topics including faculty jobs, AI and machine learning jobs, non-laboratory jobs for scientists, and non-academic jobs for humanists and social scientists. “For the fall, I always try to focus on career exploration and speakers from different industries and types of positions,” said McCann. “I include diverse career options so that students can see what opportunities look like. Most students say they have no connections – these alum panels are a reminder there are alums out there who are willing to help, connect, and talk about their careers.” She added, “It’s also important to go to events for career exploration to rule out careers you do not want to pursue. Sometimes that can be a good place to start!”

For their spring programming, Graduate Affairs will build on this with additional panels and workshops on topics including preparing for technical interviews, networking, and tailoring one’s CV or resume to a job description. They will also partner with DeisHacks in promoting their annual social justice hackathon, open to all Brandeis students. And spring is the time for the flagship graduate career event, Three Minute Thesis! This competition, which challenges students to present their research in three minutes or less using a single slide, will take place on March 27. Students are encouraged to register for the competition (by the deadline of February 9) and can attend a virtual information session with past winners on January 29. The competition, now in its fifth year, has sent two winners to the regional and national competitions.

All graduate students at Brandeis can take part in this programming – and, what’s more, they should! “We urge students early on in their graduate studies to think about career exploration because it can be tricky to get started at the busy end of a program,” said McCann. “We work with students at all stages, but the earlier you start, the better. We have data that show that students who engage with us earlier on are more successful in getting the jobs they really want, whether these are academic or non-academic.” McCann encouraged students to get a start on the process by visiting the professional development website, checking out alum career profiles, and meeting with her. Through engaging with professional development, students can prepare themselves for life’s next steps.