Humanities and Social Sciences PhD Pathways

Welcome!

Graduate students and postdocs in the Humanities or Social Sciences fields have a wealth of resources to help you explore careers that could be a great fit for you. As a PhD student in a humanities or social science field, you have several years experience in education, communications, project management, qualitative and/or quantitative research, and other skills that are in demand in many industries. Start by taking advantage of the resources listed below and follow up with an appointment with an OCS advisor to help hone a professional and career development strategy to maximize your time at Yale. It is never too early to begin!

Selected Yale Resources

• Humanities and Social Sciences Professionalization Workshop Series (OCS series)
• Common Good and Creative Careers community
• Digital Humanities Lab
• Center for Collaborative Arts and Media
• Jackson Institute for Global Affairs events
• Public Humanities at Yale – opportunities in Yale libraries and museums
• Other professional development resources at Yale

Humanities and Social Sciences Career Development Modules

These six modules offer activities to jump start your career development. Find easy-to-follow tips and resources to get started on networking, crafting a resume, interviewing, and more. You may follow the curriculum independently, or form your own small group of peers to share findings, discuss challenges, and productively reflect on the completed activities.

Discipline-Focused Career Resources

Many academic associations and other organizations currently offer a wealth of information on career paths for humanists and social scientists on their websites.  For example, see:

• Society of American Archivists Online Career Center
• Career Alternatives for Art Historians
• Careers for Students of History
• Non-Academic Careers, American Psychological Association
• American Sociological Association: Careers with a Sociology PhD
• American Philosophical Association:  A Non-Academic Career?
• Digital Humanities Now
• Society for Classical Studies
• Exploring Applied Career Options:  American Political Science Association

Resources for Faculty in the Humanities

• A Guide For PhD Programs and Faculty Members in English and Other Modern Languages – Connected Academics (MLA)
• Helping Students Prepare for Humanities Careers: Recommendations for Faculty Members – Connected Academics (MLA)
• “How to Prepare a Ph.D. for Faculty and Nonfaculty Jobs” The Chronicle of Higher Education
•  Lessons Learned from the 2016-2017 Next Generation Humanities PhD Consortium

Perspectives from PhDs on Preparing for Non-Academic Careers

• “Life after a PhD in Systematic Musicology: How You Might Prepare for Industry?” by David John Baker
• “So You’ve Got a Ph.D. in Anthropology” by Matthew Wolf-Meyer
• “Stories from the Field,” by Kelly Anne Brown: On Careers in University Administration
• “Outside the Matrix,” an interview with Paul Litvak, a social scientist working at Google
• An interview with history PhD Alison Norman, Research Advisor at the Ontario Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
• An interview with religion PhD Kelly Baker, freelance writer
• An interview with German PhD Maria Irchenhauser, Director of German operations at DWPub

Career Guides for Humanities and Social Sciences PhD Students

• Lauren Bierbaum (PhD ’08, American Studies) – Senior Research Analyst, CREDO, Stanford University
• Nancy Brune (PhD ’06, Political Science) – Executive Director, Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities
• Peter Blodgett (PhD ’07, History) – Curator of Western American History, Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens
• Craig Harwood (PhD ’02, Music) – Director, Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
• Sarah LeBaron von Baeyer (PhD ’15, Anthropology) – Consultant, ReD Associates