Life Skills: Career Development
Life Skills offerings related to career development are meant to support you in reflecting on your goals and values and in developing your career and career plan. As part of your professional development, you are encouraged to participate in 1 internship during your time at BU. Here you will find courses, workshops, and activities, including internship opportunities, that focus on building your professional future.
Note: Some of these opportunities are primarily intended for or only available to students enrolled in a particular school or college.
CAS FY 102: First Year Career Development (Internships, Majors, and Your Career Direction) (CAS)
Half-semester class designed to guide students towards the next step in their career preparation.
CAS SY 101: Senior Year Career Development (CAS)
Half-semester class designed to guide students towards finding a career they love post-graduation.
Career Fairs (Center for Career Development)
A career fair is an excellent way to research companies, meet recruiters, find an internship or job, and explore additional professional opportunities.
Careers and Major Exploration (Center for Career Development)
By the time you graduate, you’ll leave BU with a diploma and 100-plus credits of academic learning, but you’ll also hopefully enter the world-at-large brimming with new passions and equipped with valuable skills.
Networking Events (Center for Career Development)
Employers and alumni often visit campus to speak with groups of students. Whether you’re just starting to think about your career path or are deep into an internship or job search, these sessions are a great way to learn about organizations and opportunities.
One-On-One Career Coaching/Advising/Counseling (Center for Career Development)
Discuss all things career-related with an experienced career counselor.
Resume Reviews (Center for Career Development)
To compete in today’s market, you must present your skills, experience, knowledge, and background effectively, interestingly, and briefly.
Skills and Values Assessments (Center for Career Development)
Our career counselors offer a range of professional assessments and will carefully go over the results with you.
Take Charge of Your Career Journey (Center for Career Development)
Whether you are getting started, exploring your options and expanding your horizons, seeking specific advice in your career pursuits, or connecting with the marketplace, the Center for Career Development offers a wide range and variety of resources to support your journey. Career development opportunities are available for students in all class years and majors.
CFA School of Theatre Annual Showcase Event (CFA-School of Theatre)
The School of Theatre holds an annual showcase event for industry professionals that serves both performance students and design & production students and provides an introduction to the professional world in NYC and Boston. The showcase events also include alumni panels and an alumni reception to allow students to network with BU alumni and make personal connections.
Boston Globe Co-Op (COM)
The Boston Globe offers four programs for college students interested in working in the newspaper industry. The Co-op Program implemented in 1937 offers undergraduate students an entry-level opportunity to become familiar with the operations of a daily newspaper.
Cinemathèque (COM)
Cinemathèque is a series of meetings and conversations with filmmakers and television-makers and free screenings of important, innovative films and televisions programs.
COM Career Fair (COM)
Bi-annual job fair with COM related companies reserved for COM students and open to all BU students during the last hour.
COM Career Services Programs & Events (COM)
Information sessions, panels, and networking events for COM students only.
COM CO 575 (COM)
A professional skills class worth 0 credits in conjunction with a 2/4 credit internship or professional in house agency. Must complete COM pre-requisites before participating.
State House Program (COM)
Offers real-world experience producing content for some 15 Massachusetts daily newspapers, websites, and radio stations. Students come away with experience and confidence in their abilities to produce content on state government and politics in a challenging, deadline environment.
BU College of Engineering Career Development Office Career Events & Workshops (ENG)
A collection of offerings by the ENG Career Development Office designed to improve the experience and effectiveness of the career search process.
BU College of Engineering Career Fair (ENG)
Offered once per semester, the BU College of Engineering Career Fair is an opportunity for College of Engineering undergraduates, graduates, and alumni to meet with employers about potential engineering-specific job opportunities, internships, and co-op opportunities.
Pardee Works Career Symposium (Pardee)
Yearly Career Symposium featuring Pardee School alumni and employers who guide students on how to obtain a career in Global Affairs.
Career Fair (Questrom)
Questrom School of Business hosts an annual career fair in late September for Questrom students. Interested students can find information and register on Handshake.
Individual Career Advising (Questrom)
Questrom students can schedule an appointment on Handshake for one-on-one support in career exploration, internship searches, mock interviews, and other career services.
QST ES 110: Explore Your Career (Questrom)
This 1-credit course provides an overview of individual career management as the first course in a Questrom School of Business yearly progression designed to equip students with the necessary knowledge, tools, and skills needed to explore career opportunities and build a foundation of career management capabilities.
QST ES 210: Build Your Career Toolkit (Questrom)
This 1-credit course builds upon ES 110 to provide students with fundamental tools to assist with individual career management, where they begin to chart their career path, work with the Feld Center, practice interviewing, develop a search strategy, and continue to build their personal “brand.”
QST ES 215: Explore Your Career and Build Your Toolkit (Questrom)
This 2-credit course combines the content of ES 110 and ES 210 for students who did not begin at Questrom School of Business as entering first-year students. It provides an overview of individual career management, equipping students with the necessary knowledge, tools, and skills needed to build a foundation of career management capabilities; they will also begin to chart their career path, work with the Feld Center, practice interviewing, develop a search strategy, and continue to build their personal “brand.”
QST ES 310: Implement Your Career Plan (Questrom)
Juniors and seniors will enroll in this 1-credit course, which is the third in a progression of courses designed to equip students with the necessary knowledge, tools, and skills needed to build a foundation of career management capabilities and professional development. It focuses on training students to gain internships and/or full-time offers, helping to develop a search process and delve into the particular type of interview processes unique to certain industries, as well as exploring how they may enhance their chance to convert an internship into a full-time job offer. It also discusses ethics and values as it pertains to students’ career and job search and refreshes students’ writing, verbal communication, and interview skills.
Undergraduate Academic & Career Development Center/Feld Center for Industry Alliances Career Events & Workshops (Questrom)
Through the Undergraduate Academic & Career Development Center and the Feld Center for Industry Alliances, Questrom offers extensive career workshops, panels, programs, and other resources to assist students in researching and discovering various jobs, companies, industries, and networking opportunities.
International Service Learning (Sargent)
Students assist community health workers in delivering health services to an underserved population and return with a deeper understanding of culture and health challenges.
SHA Office of Career Services Group Workshops (SHA)
The School of Hospitality Office of Career Services offers students individual career counseling as well as resume/cover letter writing, networking, and business etiquette workshops.
Internships
CAS On-Campus Internship Program (CAS)
Students can serve in an on-campus internship in a variety of fields while completing coursework designed to integrate their liberal arts education with their career aspirations and work identity.
Internship Exploration (Center for Career Development)
An internship is an opportunity for supervised practical experience in a career field of interest—part- or full-time, paid or unpaid. It’s a chance to explore and perhaps expand your skills and opportunities
Yawkey Nonprofit Internship Program (Center for Career Development)
A selective program designed for sophomores and juniors which provides a living allowance stipend to support participation in unpaid internships at nonprofit organizations
CFA Arts Internship Fair (CFA)
Representatives from over twenty five Boston area galleries, museums, performing arts organizations, and more will be speaking to students about upcoming arts internship opportunities. There will be a wide variety of opportunities for students including graphic design, theatre and music production, marketing, and administration. Students are encouraged to bring a current resume.
COM Internships for Academic Credit (COM)
Students can participate in real world internships in Journalism, Film & Television, Mass Communication, Advertising, and Public Relations. All internships are overseen by a faculty Internship Coordinator, and can earn students 2 or 4 academic credits.
Sargent College Internships (Sargent)
Each major has its own internship course (SH 640, HS 405, HS 410, HS 415, HP 405); BS/DPT students complete SAR PT 791 (clinical rotation) in senior year.
SHA HF 140 (SHA)
HF 140 is the first of two required 400-hour non-credit work experiences designed to give hospitality students practical work experience in the field.
SHA HF 240 (SHA)
HF 240 is the second of two required 400-hour non-credit work experiences designed to give hospitality students practical work experience in the field.
SHA HF 440 (SHA)
HF 440 is a required international experience designed to expose students firsthand to the hospitality industry in the United States and worldwide.
Related Resources
Career Advisory Network (BU Alumni Association)
Comprised of nearly 8,000 volunteer alumni representing a wide variety of industries and locales, CAN Advisors serve in roles ranging from Tanglewood musicians and Los Angeles film producers to European engineers and East Asian archaeologists.
BU Alumni Professional Development Webinar Series (BU Alumni Relations)
Showcases BU alumni and friends offering one-hour presentations on a wide variety of career development topics. Students are welcome to register to participate live but can also access later for on-demand viewing.
Proud to BU Podcast (BU Alumni Relations)
Proud to BU features graduates who have a unique story to tell about the unfolding of their career and the lessons they have learned along the way. While there is no singular path to success, we know that many begin right here at BU.
Building Skills (Center for Career Development)
The skills that you develop as you study and explore career options will help ensure your success.
Center for Career Development Website Resources (Center for Career Development)
Whether you’re just beginning to explore majors, you’re deep in your job search, or you’re about to hit the interview room, examine some of the best resources out there to help you on your way.
Connecting with the Marketplace (Center for Career Development)
Take your education outside of the classroom and build your professional skills through experiential opportunities such as internships, research, and/or leadership activities.
Exploring Careers (Center for Career Development)
Once you’ve identified what’s important to you through self-discovery, you can begin to make connections between your skills, interests, and values with the activities, classes, and career paths open to you.
Graduate School Options (Center for Career Development)
It’s important that you explore your motivations and decision making. Study the pros and cons for pursuing an advanced degree and how graduate school might enhance your career goals.
Handshake (Center for Career Development)
A comprehensive online platform offering students access to all BU career development services, resources, events, and connections to thousands of employers.
Self Discovery (Center for Career Development)
Whether you’re starting your undergraduate education, entering a graduate program, or switching fields, self-discovery is the place to start shaping your future goals.
COM Careers 101 (COM)
Online course resource for resumes, cover letters, and job resources for COM students only.
Feld Center for Industry Alliances Resources (Questrom)
Online resource that provides industry insights, company lists, and more.
Undergraduate Academic & Career Development Center (Questrom)
Online resource for career exploration, job and internship searches, resume and cover letter samples, and more.