The Learning Edge
Internships can play a crucial role in graduate student professional development. They provide valuable experience for graduate students, and can be beneficial in multiple ways. An internship offers an opportunity to gain relevant experience, and to get a realistic perspective on what it is like to work within a given field. If you decide to seek employment in your internship area, employers know you are making an informed choice, rather than a last-ditch, “anything other than academia” leap.
Not only are internships valuable in terms of skill development, another key advantage is that you can gain an insider perspective of the profession. This kind of exposure to the field can make the difference between being regarded as a viable candidate, as opposed to an enthusiastic, yet relatively uninformed applicant.
Employers place a high value on relevant skills and work experience. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found that graduates who completed paid internships were more likely to receive job offers than those without internship experience.
Career Center Internship Resources
- Search Handshake our online database of jobs and internships.
- Make an appointment with a PhD Career Counselor for help identifying and applying for internships.
Internship Programs
The following list contains just a few organizations that offer internships for graduate students.
Remember that many companies offer internship programs. Visit the websites of organizations that interest you to search for internship and summer job programs for graduate students.
- Asian Development Bank
- HASTAC – Find internships in digital humanities for doctoral students. Fellowships and other opportunities are listed as well.
- Microsoft – Many internships are available for PhD students. The laboratory locations include Silicon Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, Redmond, Washington and Bangalore, India
- National Cancer Institute – The National Cancer Institute offers a variety of internship and fellowship training programs.
- Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) – See the summer internship and dissertation fellowship programs.
- RAND Graduate Student Summer Associate Program
- United Nations University PhD Internships
- World Bank – The World Bank features several training opportunities for PhD students, including a Bank Internship Program, and a Junior Professionals Program.
PhD Experiential Programs
Community College Diversity Mentoring Program
The UC Berkeley Career Center and Santa Rosa Junior College have collaborated to offer a program for graduate students interested in exploring diverse careers in higher education leadership. Mentees are matched with management/staff mentors from SRJC. Participants gain both mentoring support and an introduction to the range of career paths within higher education.
Mentees are matched with mentors based on their expressed interest in areas such as:
- Student Services
- Academic Affairs/Instruction
- Health Services
- Human Resources
- Workforce Development
Program Elements
– Experiential Component and Knowledge Sharing –
Mentees may engage in projects, case study exercises, observations, and/or program governance activities. Topics may include: overview of career pathways, best leadership and management practices and the shared governance structure at California community colleges
– Mentoring Sessions –
Mentor and mentee pairs coordinate their schedules for meetings and professional development activities, typically 1-2 times per month
Eligibility and How to Apply
Currently enrolled UC Berkeley graduate students are eligible. To apply, please complete the form below. Review the mentor list and indicate your mentor preference on the application form.
To apply, click on the Mentee application form.
2022 Mentors
- Vice President, Student Services/Assistant Superintendent
- Director, Human Resources
- Manager, Human Resources/Employment Equity The HR Mentorship will provide an opportunity for two mentees to work with two HR mentors in exploring HR leadership roles in a community college setting, from Manager and Director perspectives.
- Dean, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
- Dean, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Culinary Arts
- Director, Student Health Services
- Dean, Workforce Development
- Dean, Instruction and Strategic Program Development
- Dean, Kinesiology, Athletics and Dance/Athletics Director
- Director, Southwest Santa Rosa Center
PhD Externship Program
The PhD Externship Program is on hold until visits can be conducted in person. The “Day in the Life” job shadowing experience connects PhD students and postdocs to professionals for an insider view of organizational cultures.