PhD Career Pathways is a nine-month fellowship program for doctoral students in the arts, social sciences and humanities to explore careers in public art and humanities, community outreach, program evaluation, writing, editing and more.
Fellows are employed for 10 hours per week, on or off campus in project-based internships. Examples of past projects include curating exhibits, conducting public outreach projects and developing humanities initiatives. In addition to building their networks and gaining work experience, fellows also receive significant career support through the Office of Career and Life Design, with monthly professional development seminars and a dedicated career coach for the duration of the fellowship.
Fellows are employed and paid by their organizations and are awarded a professional development fellowship for participation in the cohort.
2026-2027 Application Process
Application
Applications for 2026-27 are now closed.
Timeline
Applications Open : June 10, 2026
Applications Close : 11:59 p.m., June 28, 2026
Interview with PhD Career Pathways Team: July 15-24, 2026
Final Decisions Announced: July 30, 2026
Orientation: August 14, 2026
Fellowship start date: September 1, 2026
Requirements
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Current doctoral student at UT Austin. Contact Colleen Gleeson with any questions.
Enrolled as a full-time student (at least 9 credit hours) during the 2026-27 academic year.
Able to be employed for at least 10 hours during both the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters.
In good academic standing with approval from academic/graduate advisor.
About the PhD Career Pathways Fellowship
Launched in 2020, PhD Career Pathways is a collaborative initiative by the Graduate School Office of Career & Life Design and partner organizations that helps Ph.D. students in the humanities, arts and social sciences prepare for a broader range of careers within, alongside and outside of the academy.
Inspired by the AAU PhD Education Initiative, PhD Career Pathways is a professional development and project-based internship opportunity for students to gain experience working in community and professional organizations.
Fellows are paired with a dedicated graduate career advisor and participate in professional development seminars throughout the academic year, enabling them to:
- Build a community with fellow graduate students from different departments who are exploring similar career experiences.
- Learn how to translate their skills into a variety of professional contexts.
- Explore career options outside of academia.
2026-2027 Fellowship Sites
Participating organizations and internship positions for the 2026-2027 PhD Career Pathways Fellowship can be found below.
Past Projects
We work with Pathways sites to scope projects for 9-month internships and facilitate their collaboration with Ph.D. students.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about PhD Career Pathways Fellowship, please contact Annie Maxfield.
Meet the Team
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Annie Maxfield, M.S.
DirectorThe Graduate Office of Career and Life Design -
Colleen Gleeson, MA
Associate Director for Employer IntegrationThe Graduate Office of Career and Life Design
2026-2027 PhD Pathways Fellows
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Shelby Bruun
Iberian and Latin American LinguisticsConsulting Fellow, Affirma, LLC -
Knowledge Grey Moyo
HistoryPublic Service Engagement Consultant, UT Graduate Office of Career & Life Design -
Yanni Jiang
PsychologyProgram Evaluation Analyst, Innovative Learning Center -
Eleni Mercer
Communication RhetoricDigital Content, Fundraising & Social Media Strategist, I’m From Driftwood -
Varnika Sharma
Communication StudiesDigital Communications Fellow, APRO -
Keerthana Stanley
Speech & Language PathologyProof of Concept Intern, Discovery to Impact -
Hailing Wang
Human Development & Family SciencesProgram Evaluation Analyst, UT Office of Postdoctoral Affairs -
Yuer Wang
Public PolicyResearch Analyst, Sol to Soul Harvest Foundation -
Jingwen Wu
GovernmentConsulting Fellow, Affirma, LLC -
Ziyan Zhu
EconomicsGraduate Research Assistant, Texas 2036
Past Fellows
Learn about previous fellows, their areas of study and the experiences they gained through the PhD Career Pathways Fellowship.
Past Site Partners
Learn about previous site partners, their work and PhD Career Pathways Fellowship positions.