After earning an undergraduate degree, many students pursue graduate school for specialized education. Graduate programs can vary in length and complexity, although career services can support students in various ways as they earn their degrees and seek employment. Discover which career services are commonly available to assist graduate students and what students rate as the most effective.

What is Graduate School?

Graduate school includes master’s, doctoral, and business school programs after earning an undergraduate degree. The requirements of each can vary substantially depending on the type of degree. For example, students pursuing a master’s degree will write a thesis near the end of the program on a narrow topic of interest within their field of study to state and defend an academic argument.

Graduate students in a doctoral program complete a similar research and writing project called a dissertation. However, the goal is to prove the student’s understanding and skill within the degree’s field and add to the existing body of knowledge. Students earning an M.D. instead prove their proficiency through the practical application of skills during internship and residency programs.

Services to Aid Thesis and Dissertation Writing

Graduate students conducting thesis or dissertation research projects may require various services to help throughout the process. Companies like PaperHelp offer assistance from professional writers who can help complete the substantial workload. Whether students need help clarifying ideas, writing, or proofreading, they can work with skilled writers for a project free of plagiarism or AI-generated content.

Students seeking dissertation help can also expect properly credited citations in the appropriate format. The price for this assistance can vary depending on the project’s urgency.

Academic papers at the master’s and doctoral levels are expected to be grammatically correct and error-free. After writing a lengthy thesis or dissertation, many graduate students can benefit from having a fresh set of professionally trained eyes to proofread.

Effective Services to Help Graduate Students Build a Career

Universities often provide various career services to aid graduate students as they transition from academic life to building a career, but which services are the most effective? Typical career services for graduate students may include career exploration to help find a position matching their ability and field of interest. Job recruiting may also be available in jobs with specific degrees and skills. Students may use resume reviews that help them prepare professional resumes and cover letters. Many colleges offer interview practice that lets graduate students practice in one-on-one sessions or classes. Schools may provide additional resources for graduate students near the end of their degree programs that help them navigate the academic job market, such as networking events, career counselors, or debt and loan counseling.

According to a 2023 study by Inside Higher Ed, approximately one-third of the students graduating had yet to interact with the campus career center. The report states that students who participated in one career service received an average of 1.24 job offers, which increased by 0.05 with each additional service used. Comparatively, graduates who did not interact with career services at all received just one job offer on average.

Graduates participating in the survey reported that the most valuable services included coaches and mentors who helped them understand the practical realities of their chosen field and how to secure a stable position or negotiate an internship. Many students received lucrative grants, career planning, and other career services that helped improve the value of the funds spent on their degrees. The results indicate that students who participated in career services were 2.8 times more likely to believe their degree was worth the tuition they paid to secure it.

Increasing Career Service Usage Among Graduate Students

While career services can be undeniably helpful for graduate students as they prepare to move from the academic world into the workforce, Inside Higher Ed reported that approximately one-third of students aren’t using them. What can universities do to increase awareness of how valuable these programs can be to graduate students?

Highlighting the available services and success stories may help draw more attention to the school’s career services. Some schools may choose to make involvement with the career center a requirement so students graduate with as many advantages as possible. In contrast, others may make the center purely an elective program. In a promising change, the organization’s report indicated that 70 percent of the class of 2026 and 62 percent of the 2027 class have interacted with their school’s career center at least once.

Conclusion

Career services can help prepare students for life after graduate school. While more students could take advantage of the helpful services available, approximately two-thirds enter their chosen fields after graduate school with open eyes and realistic expectations. From the career services provided by the university to thesis and dissertation help from professional writers, graduate students have support available when they need assistance.