Career Advising and Preparation

The College of Arts and Sciences offers important resources to help you chart a path towards a career goal, prepare holistically for that goal, and successfully take the first steps down the path towards a career.

UVA Catalyst is a program in the College, open to all majors, that prepares students for successful work and civic engagement after graduation. Catalyst combines career-relevant skills courses with core courses that synthesize the critically important intellectual abilities and habits of mind you develop over four years at UVA, teaching you to articulate and apply them in the world of work. The program also features a variety of opportunities for mentorship and networking, as well as close relationships with faculty and peers in small classes.

UVA’s Career Center exists to prepare students for professional careers after graduation. Below are some of the wide range of opportunities they offer.

• Career Counseling aims to acquaint you with the range of resources available and can help narrow down your interests. You can also practice your interview skills, get feedback on a resume, or ask about internships at these appointments.
• Career Fairs bring a range of employers to Grounds with the goal of giving you the chance to network, apply for jobs, and practice your interviewing skills.
• Internship Opportunities abound: You can apply to a variety of possibilities depending on your interests, availability, and career direction.
• Career Communities offer you guidance and opportunities related to specific sets of careers: public service and government, education and youth development, the creative professions, the law, science and sustainability, or healthcare (They also offer pre-health advising).

Finally, throughout your time here at UVA, remember that academic engagement, however important, is only part of the experience. Studies support our confidence that any major in the College—the culmination of your exploratory journey across the depth and breadth of the liberal arts and sciences — is the best preparation for your future success in work and civic leadership after graduation, but the richness of your experience here will go beyond that. UVA is a place where you will develop as a thinker and an engaged global citizen; and as a friend, mentor, and community member. Give yourself the time to attend to all of these important roles.