Graduate Pathway to Success (GPS) Workshops
The Graduate School offers several free, interrelated workshops each academic year designed to help our students succeed throughout their academic journey at Baylor and even beyond graduation. The workshops are branded as GPS Workshops: Grad Pathways for Success under the auspices of the Baylor University Graduate School.
Many of our workshops can be seen on our mediaspace channel.
Begin with the End in Mind: Envisioning Your Academic Career Throughout Your Graduate Career
Dates: Online available continuously; In-Person sessions at New Graduate Student Orientation
Structure: Asynchronous video; In-Person sessions at New Graduate Student Orientation, Wednesday before start of Fall Semester
Recommended for: All degree levels, any stage, but especially relevant to first year and early career graduate students
Registration: No registration required for online. Click video below for content; Incoming graduate students will receive orientation event info by email.
Additional Resources: We recommend downloading our GPS (Grad Pathways for Success) integrated planning guide to go along with this workshop.
Ever felt "behind" before you even got started? It is a common feeling for graduate students in the busy world of academia. Finishing your degree and moving on in your career are challenging enough without the added anxiety of wishing you had done more and known more about those next steps during your graduate studies. This session will address the development of a personal "career curriculum" to coincide with your graduate school curriculum. Come get warnings, but also advice and encouragement, and hear what Baylor has to offer to help, including an overview of the rest of the GPS workshop series, with our recommended order.
Self-Care
Dates: Online available continuously; Most recent In-Person workshop was February 2023.
Structure: Asynchronous video available here, with a periodic In-Person workshop.
Recommended for: All degree levels at any stage
Registration: For asynchronous, no registration required; click here, Next In-Person workshop TBA.
Come attend the Graduate School’s panel on self-care, made up of Associate Dean Sara Dolan from Psychology and Neuroscience, Dr. Jim Marsh from Student Life and the Counseling Center, Brooke Morris from the Biology Graduate Program, and Anna E. Beaudry from the English Graduate Program. These four panelists will help you re-think self-care and what a healthy, balanced life looks like during your graduate career, helping you build habits not only for now but for your life beyond graduate school too.
Conferencing Well
Dates: Online available continuously; Most recent In-Person workshop was October 2022.
Structure: Asynchronous video available here, with a periodic In-Person workshop.
Recommended for: All degree levels at any stage
Registration: No registration required for online video. Next In-Person workshop TBA.
Regardless of whether you’ve been to multiple conferences or none, conferencing well is daunting. How do you use your time at the conference? Do you go to every session? Do you take a much-needed nap in your hotel room? And what on earth does “networking” look like for people who aren’t heading into travelling vacuum sales? If you want to know how to conference better, be sure to come to our “Conferencing Well” workshop and learn from a cross-disciplinary panel of speakers who will help you learn to be a better and more effective conference presenter, moderator, attendee, and networker.
Step Up Your Scientific Writing
Dates: Online available continuously; Most recent In-Person workshop was November 2022 called "Writing in STEM."
Structure: Asynchronous video, with a periodic In-Person workshop
Recommended for: All degree levels, STEM fields, especially relevant to research doctoral students
Registration: For asynchronous, no registration required. Click video below for content. Next In-Person workshop TBA.
Join the Graduate Writing Center and the Graduate School as they discuss the best ways to improve your scientific writing.
Developing Your Online Presence
Dates: Online available continuously. Most recent In-Person workshop was March 2023.
Structure: Asynchronous video, with a periodic In-Person workshop.
Recommended for: All degree levels, any stage
Registration: No registration required for online video. Next In-Person workshop TBA.
Learn how to build a professional and academic presence on LinkedIn, ResearchGate, ORCID, Twitter, and more! Hear helpful tips from the Career Center and advanced Graduate Students on how to navigate the world of online professional and academic platforms.
Watch the online video here.
Grant-Writing
Dates: Online available continuously; Most recent In-Person workshop was February 2023.
Structure: Asynchronous video here. with a periodic In-Person workshop.
Recommended for: All degree levels, any stage
Registration: No registration required for online video. Next In-Person workshop TBA.
Needing external funding but aren't sure where to find it? Applying for a grant or fellowship but don't feel confident in how to write a project proposal? Our first GPS (Graduate Pathway to Success) workshop of 2023 will help you master the art of grant writing. Breakfast provided. For more information on this topic, see our External Funding Resources page.
Compose Yourself Workshop
Dates: Online available continuously, with next In-Person session 9:00 AM, Monday, April 3, 2023
Structure: Asynchronous video; one In-Person session each Spring semester
Recommended for: Mid-career MS and PhD students pursuing careers in academia
Registration: For asynchronous, no registration required. Click video below for content. For In-Person, register at https://grad.baylor.edu/register/cv.
Additional Resources: We recommend downloading the following documents appropriate to your field to go along with this workshop:
The curriculum vitae (CV) has for years been the basic "unit of currency" in academic hiring and career development. At its most fundamental, the CV establishes your credentials, qualifications and experience. But can a CV do more? How can your CV and cover letter work together? This workshop video teaches the considerations of both content and structure in CVs and cover letters that apply in different situations. Learn more about ideal content, customization, pitfalls to avoid, and tips to improve both documents. We’ve also included the documents below, CV and cover letter templates—as well as examples of real graduate student CVs and cover letters—on which you might model your own. We recommend those interested in working outside of academia contact the Baylor University Career Center for relevant resources.
Alt Ac Careers
Dates: Podcasts available continuously; Most recent In-Person workshop was September 2022.
Structure: Asynchronous with annual In-Person workshop
Recommended for: PhD students at any stage, for those considering careers outside of academia
Registration: No registration required for the podcast episodes; click below for podcast content. Next In-Person workshop TBA.
Are you a doctoral student who isn’t sure a faculty position is for you? “Alternative academic” or "Alt Ac" careers refer to careers entirely outside of the academy or jobs outside the professoriate but within other spheres of higher education. Learn more about whether an Alt Ac career is something you should consider and how to begin discerning what those career options might look like given your skillsets, talents, and passions in this podcast by Dr. Julia Daniel (geared more toward humanities students.)
Episode One addresses some of the historical and economic reasons for the state of the job market and what teaching positions really entail in 2021. In Episode Two, Dr. Daniel addresses some of the mental stumbling blocks that we must overcome to even allow ourselves to consider Alt Ac careers, offers some brainstorming exercises, and discusses what some of those options are. (If you already have a general understanding of the job market, feel free to skip to Episode Two!)
At the in-person workshop, the Career Center will present what resources they have for you and how to start setting yourself up now to get the job of your dreams. There will also be panelists from Humanities, STEM and Non-profits to talk about alt-ac in those fields. Come join us for knowledge along with pizza and drinks. Make sure to listen to the podcasts below prior to coming.
How to Have a Successful Career in Academic Administration
Dates: Tuesday, April 26, 2022, 4:00-5:15 PM
Structure: April 2022 In-Person workshop in Visualization Studio, Graduate Research Center; You can read a transcript of the discussion here.
Recommended for: Graduate students at any stage, for those considering careers in higher education administration
Registration: N/A
Listen to Baylor University Provost Dr. Nancy Brickhouse discuss how to have a successful career in academic administration, including her own personal story, the difference between a faculty role versus an administrative role, perspectives from a female experience, the daily work of an administrator, and career advice. This was done in an interview format with Dr. Beth Allison Barr, with a Q&A period following. You can read a transcript of the discussion here.
How to Interview
Dates: Available continuously. To participate in December 2022 Mock Interviews (see below), you must register for a Mock Interview by November 18 and complete the online video before December 5.
Structure: Asynchronous video
Recommended for: PhD students in their final years pursuing faculty positions in academia
Registration: No registration required. Click video below for content.
Additional Resources: We recommend downloading the following documents / listening to the linked podcast to go along with this workshop:
- Bloopers to Avoid
- How Would You Teach This Class
- Job Talks and Teaching Demonstrations
- Potential Questions
- Tips for Interviews
- Interview Prep Checklist
- Podcast: Successful Teaching Philosophy Statements
Eventually, paperwork gives way to people work, and the academic job search turns to interviews and campus visits. What can you do to avoid common pitfalls and put your best foot forward? This workshop focuses on the interviewing phase of the academic job search. You will learn about different types of interviews, multiple rounds of interviews, on-site visits, employer/applicant expectations, how to prepare for interviews (including what to bring with you), ideas about how to dress, and even social interaction suggestions. The session serves as a springboard for the next session, the mock interview. We recommend those interested in working outside of academia contact the Baylor University Career Center for relevant resources.
Mock Interviews: December 12, 2022
Dates: December 12, 2022 with specific times assigned on an individual basis. Register by November 18. Next session December 2023.
Structure: Synchronous virtual meetings
Recommended for: PhD level students nearing graduation and pursuing a faculty position at an academic institution. Prerequisite: How to Interview workshop.
Registration: Please email Anna Beaudry (Anna_Beaudry1@baylor.edu) to register for this event.
Enhance your job search preparation by participating in a simulated committee interview. You choose the position (hopefully one you are actually applying for), and we gather a mock hiring committee made up of volunteer faculty and administrators who will interview you for it. The interview lasts 40 minutes, immediately followed by a 20-minute debriefing between 'candidate' and 'committee' to discuss strengths and areas for improvement. The entire session (interview and debriefing) lasts one hour and a video recording of the session is provided to the participant for further review. (Note: Participants must watch the "How to Interview" workshop online prior to the mock interview event.) Please note: These mock interviews are for people pursuing faculty positions only. Those interested in non-faculty positions should contact the Baylor University Career Center to set up a mock interview.
Formatting Workshop
Dates: Available Continuously
Structure: Asynchronous Workshop
Recommended for: Masters and PhD students working on their dissertation
Registration: No registration required. Click image below for Powerpoint slideshow content.
Additional Resources: We recommend accessing the following web pages to go along with this workshop:
Discover the steps required for graduation for students drafting their dissertation or thesis. Along the way you will also learn how to format your dissertation and thesis properly, as well as ensuring that you have all the necessary paperwork. Topics include: Process of filing for graduation, Dissertation and thesis formatting instructions, Signature page instructions, and Helpful tips for the preliminary review.
Publicity and administration of the workshops, including participant registration, recruiting instructors, and supporting presenters is handled through the office of Dr. Sara Dolan, the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Professional Development.