PhD Plus Professional Development

Prepare for a High-Impact Career

When it comes to career preparation for engineering PhD students, Duke stands above and apart.

Through carefully curated cycle of experiences, you’ll examine in-depth the opportunities (and challenges) of university careers, and jobs in the public and private sectors. We call it PhD Plus.

It comes as part of your rigorous Duke education.

Explore careers in:

  • Academia
  • Industry & Government
  • Business, Entrepreneurship, Law & Consulting
a student at Duke University points to a board while a professor listens

The PhD Plus Milestone

A curated curriculum, structured over a three-year exploration of career options.

  • Events are organized around three themes that run concurrently during the academic year:

    • Academia
    • Industry & Government
    • Entrepreneurship, Business, Law & Consulting.

    Students can begin working toward the optional PhD Plus Transcript Milestone in any year by attending events and the career-themed course, which focuses on one of the three themes each year.

    A student who has earned the PhD Plus Transcript Milestone has been an active participant in a significant number of professional development activities and events. Participation in PhD Plus activities does not require active pursuit of the milestone—all engineering PhD students are  invited to participate in PhD Plus activities at any time!

    • Complete each of 3 the career themed PhD+ Courses.
      • One is offered each fall, rotating through the three themes.
    • For 3 separate Academic Years:
      • Attend 2 PhD Plus Workshops or Panels
      • Attend 2 PhD Plus Skills-based learning sessions
      • Attend 2 PhD Plus Career Conversations

Activities and Events

Each semester, PhD Plus provides workshops, skills-based learning sessions, and career conversations.

Faculty, staff, and alumni contribute to these events to provide PhD students with enriching, engaging, and highly relevant professional development experiences.

Leadership

Students, staff and faculty work collaboratively to design a PhD Plus program tuned to today’s career opportunities.

All engineering PhD students are encouraged to share feedback and ideas with the student board members from their home departments.

The Executive Board

  • Students may serve on the PhD Plus Advisory Board—and gain valuable skills learning about career options for PhD Engineers and bringing knowledge and connection to their peers.
  • Each summer, we solicit applications for board membership
  • We aim to have three student representatives from each of the Pratt School of Engineering’s academic departments, one for each of the PhD Plus themes.
  • About half of the board seats rotate each academic year

PhD Plus Contacts