A career/academic or educational plan can help you to plan, by year, the necessary tasks to reach your educational and career goals. The following plan outlines the steps you can take to accomplish these tasks and where to go to get the information or assistance you need. This career/academic plan concentrates on the career tasks that you need to accomplish during your time at The University of Arizona.
Freshman Year
- Make academics a priority (always remember that your UA GPA is cumulative)
- Choose core courses
- Plan semester by semester courses for major for decided students
- Choose exploratory courses for undecided students
- Explore your interests, values, skills:
- Meet with a Career Counselor in Career Services
- Meet with academic advisors in the Center for Exploratory Students
- Meet with academic advisors and faculty in academic departments
- DISCOVER career and major exploration tool with career assessments
- Major exploration/career planning professional development seminars
- Learn about occupations and majors:
- Career Information Center (SUMC411)
- Career Services Web site (especially DISCOVER and Web Resources)
- Attend Center for Exploratory Students Meet Your Major Fair during Fall semester
- Academic departments
- Check the UA catalog for the current list of all majors and minors
- The Advising Resource Center provides a list of all contacts for all majors and minors
- Conduct informational interviews
- Attend career fairs to meet employers and learn what they are seeking
- Investigate part-time jobs:
- Wildcat JobLink
- Academic department
- On your own
- Meet with mentor and academic advisor.
Summer
- Attend summer school, as needed.
- Obtain a summer job or volunteer experience.
- Obtain career related work experience and learn to get along with people in a work environment.
- Update your resume before fall classes begin
Sophomore Year
- Choose core courses and continue to do well academically
- Plan semester by semester courses for major for decided students
- Choose exploratory courses for undecided students
- Learn about occupations and majors
- Career Information Center
- Attend The Center for Exploratory Students' Meet Your Major Fair
- Academic departments
- Conduct informational interviews
- Research career options
- Career Information Center
- DISCOVER career and major exploration tool with career assessments
- Attend campus Career Fairs to talk with potential employers
- Meet with advisors and faculty in academic departments
- Conduct informational interviews with professionals doing the work you think you want to do
- Attend department seminars
- Develop decision making skills
- Counselor in Career Services
- DISCOVER career information tool
- Decide on an academic major and career choice and continue to evaluate your satisfaction with your choices
- Set educational and career goals
- Assess skills and knowledge
- See a Counselor in Career Services
- DISCOVER career and major exploration with career assessments
- Mentor and/or advisor
- Academic record
- Investigate opportunities for career-related experience
- Participate in the Campus Interviewing Program, to assist in finding internships
- Investigate how internship experience can add to your academic plan
- Wildcat JobLink
- Look into opportunities for campus involvement through the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership
- Seek career experience in academic departments for research opportunities and class projects
- Learn employability skills by reviewing information about resumes, interviewing and job search.
- Become familiar with company information
- Career Information Center
- Use the Internet
- Links to the Web Sites of Employers involved in on-campus recruiting
- Meet with mentor and advisor
Summer
- Attend summer school, as needed
- Obtain career-related experience
- Obtain skills and experience in your field
- Update your resume before fall semester begins
Junior Year
- Pursue major, in depth, through enrollment in key courses
- Select electives from other academic areas to enhance qualifications
- Develop a file of career-related projects and references
- Develop portfolio and audition pieces
- Research graduate schools and professsional schools
- Reassess career goals
- Develop alternative career plans, as needed
- Academic advisors
- Counselor in Career Services
- Faculty
- Learn employability skills by reviewing information about resumes, interviewing and job search.
- Participate in the Career Services Campus Interviewing Program to interview with national employers
- Attend career fairs and graduate school fairs to determine
- What employers are looking for in future employees
- What types of career experiences and occupations are offered by employers
- What graduate schools look for in prospective students
- What career experiences are available
- Begin to network with professionals in your chosen field
- Meet with mentor and advisor
Summer
- Attend summer school, as needed
- Obtain career-related experience
- Take graduate school admissions test (GRE, MAT, MCAT, LSAT, PCAT, etc.)
- Update resume before fall semester begins
Senior Year
- Plan lighter class work; applying to graduate school and job searching take time!
- Participate in the Campus Interviewing Program (through UA Career Services)
- Learn about job possibilities
- Career Information Center
- Wildcat JobLink
- Conduct your self-directed job search concentrating on networking
- Network with faculty
- Campus Interviewing; register early
- Research company information
- Career Information Center
- Career Services Web site
- The Internet
- Links to the Web Sites of Employers involved in on-campus recruiting
- The University of Arizona libraries
- Learn and polish your employability skills
- Develop a professional resume
- Attend a Mock Interview
- Attend Employer Career Fairs and Graduate School fairs to determine
- What employers are looking for in future employees
- What types of occupations are offered by employers
- What graduate schools look for in perspective students
- What professional positions are available
- Select faculty, administrators and past employers to act as references
- Discuss interests, skills, and personal strengths as related to positions being sought
- Research graduate school information
- The Graduate College
- Career Information Center
- Career Services Web site
- The University of Arizona libraries
- Academic departments and faculty
- Meet with Career Counselor to discuss your plans
- Apply to graduate school during summer to fall
- Complete course requirements
- Complete the file of career-related projects
- Complete portfolio and audition pieces
- Meet with mentor and advisor
- Graduate and have career/job alternative plans