Student Directory
Career Services and Resources for MPP/MPA and PhD students
As a professional school, the Ford School places a high priority on the career development and employment success of students. The Graduate Career Services office is staffed with two full-time career counselors and a recruitment coordinator who assist MPP/MPA and Ph.D. students interested in non-academic careers. All Ford School MPP students complete a required 10 week summer internship between the first and second years of the program. Graduate Career Services staff work closely with students to identify and secure internships appropriate to their career goals.
The staff also works with a wide range of employers to develop and enhance recruiting relationships with organizations in the US and abroad. Employer outreach efforts are conducted with peer institutions in the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) as well as specifically for the Ford School.
The mission of the office centers around four priorities:
Information
Provide students with information about the variety of career choices available with a graduate degree in public policy.
Connections
Establish connections between students and policy employers
Strategy
Help students create an individual strategy to pursue their career goals and develop the necessary skills and tools
Support
Provide support for students through the inevitable highs, lows, and plateaus that accompany career planning. The office also provides financial support for students pursuing unpaid internships.
Programs and services include:
- Career panels and programs
Available to help students think through how their interests and skills match with job opportunities, explore the variety of career options available, map out a plan of action for identifying and securing internships, and evaluate and negotiate offers. - The Ford School alumni network
Ford School alums are one of the best resources for career information, advice, and leads to internships and jobs. We offer several alumni networking opportunities (including a DC recruiting trip, alumni career roundtables, and networking receptions) throughout the year. - Programs and workshops
A series of workshops and alumni brown bag discussions that explore career options in public policy and provide advice on the job search and professional skills needed throughout a career. - Career Resource Library
Print and online resources are available for career exploration and decision-making. In addition to computer, phone, and fax access for use in a job search, video-teleconferencing technology allows students to interview with off-campus employers, network with out-of-town alums, and record mock interviews for review and critique. - On-campus interviewing and job fairs
The reputation of the Ford School and the University of Michigan attracts hundreds of employers to campus. Recent employers to the Ford School include:
| California Legislative Analysts Office Catholic Relief Services Central Intelligence Agency Congressional Budget Office Council of Michigan Foundations Federal Reserve Bank of New York Government Accountability Office |
Huron Consulting Group LMI Government Consulting Moody's Investors Service National Park Service Office of Management & Budget U.S. Department of Education U.S. Department of State |
