Professional Development - Graduate School

Whether you’re navigating the challenges of coursework, research, or career preparation, we’re here to support your journey. Explore resources, workshops, and opportunities designed to help you develop new skills, build meaningful connections, and thrive academically and professionally.

Graduate Professional Development Events

Upcoming Events

In-person and virtual sessions designed specifically for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in any discipline. Funded by the Graduate School.

Academic Support and Skills Workshops

CSU Writes

CSU Writes helps writers build sustainable habits, boost confidence, and write with greater ease and impact. Their workshops, retreats, and book clubs help you strengthen writing for publication, submission, and degree completion. Sessions are offered online and in-person.

CSU Libraries

CSU Libraries offers workshops on tools to streamline data work and research, and can assist with authors’ rights, publisher agreements, and open access publishing. Through the Geospatial Centroid, they can also provide expertise in mapping, spatial analysis, remote sensing, and web applications.

The Institute for Teaching and Learning (TILT)

TILT offers on-campus professional development conferences, Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) and postdoctoral training certificates, and additional graduate student resources.

Analytical Resources Core (ARC)

The ARC provides high-end instrumentation, tailored training and services, and expert data analysis across molecular and materials analysis, metabolomics, proteomics, and high-resolution imaging, offering customized methods and services to meet each researcher’s unique needs.

Graybill Statistics & Data Science Laboratory

Graybill Statistics and Data Science Laboratory provides statistical advice to researchers –
from the planning and design of experiments to results analysis.

CSU Toastmasters

A friendly and welcoming group that helps participants improve their public speaking and communication skills.

Career Readiness Resources

Career Center

The Career Center offers a variety of services specifically for Graduate Students, including dedicated Career Education Managers representing all eight colleges. They can help you create or edit your resume, prepare for interviews, find jobs, and offer resources specific to graduate students.

This career training platform helps doctoral students and postdocs successfully transition into academic or nonacademic careers. Through two programs of study (Academic Careers and Professional Careers), graduate students can explore career options and learn job search strategies to secure employment in academia and beyond.

Beyond the Professoriate

This online platform helps master’s students make the most out of their investment and build their careers. From video lessons on career exploration, to writing application materials, to interviewing and negotiating for that next career step — Beyond Grad School helps master’s students through each stage of their job search.

Beyond Graduate School

Premier Events

Graduate Student Showcase

This annual one-day conference in November celebrates research, entrepreneurship and creativity and is open to graduate students in all disciplines. Present your work, network, learn about other disciplines, gain conference experience, and compete for scholarships.

Visit the GradShow website

CSU Demo Days

Celebrate innovation and entrepreneurship at STRATA's annual CSU Demo Day! The CSU Demo Day showcase embraces ideas with potential for commercialization at any stage. Share your insights on problem-solving solutions and innovative ideas for a chance to win cash prizes!

CSU Demo Day

Self-paced virtual tools

LinkedIn Learning

An on-demand video library and online educational tool —free to all CSU students and employees. Access to the learning service containing more than 18,000 instructional and educational videos.

Access Instructions

RamIDP

The Individual Development Plan is a process that helps identify professional development needs, refine career objectives, and promote personal growth. It also functions as a communication tool to enhance dialogue between mentors and their mentees.

Set Intentions

Competencies Roadmap

Use our Road Map as a framework to develop your six core competencies in three areas identified to enhance personal and professional success.

Plan for success

National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity

NCFDD strives to help the academic community achieve extraordinary writing and research productivity while maintaining a full and healthy life off campus.

More about the NCFDD

Additional Resources

Many factors contribute to your professional and academic success, but none are as influential as prioritizing your mental and physical health. The CSU Student Health Network provides a full range of medical, counseling, and health education and prevention services to all enrolled CSU students including skill-building group workshops.

Financial stress can also affect your academic performance and mental and physical health. GradSense helps graduate students plan financially for graduate school.

Additionally, the Office of Scholarship and Fellowship Advising assists current students interested in applying for an external award including the US Fulbright Program. Please visit the OSFA webpage for information about external awards promoted by the office, including details about promoted awards that require a University nomination.