Advising & Career Center
Students at graduation with their arms in the air in celebration as The School of Human Ecology is announced.

Post-Graduation

Whether you are moving on to your first-full time job, graduate or professional school, or a year of service, post-graduation transitions can be stressful. The Advising & Career Center is here to help you. Use these resources to get started.

Considering Your Next Steps

Thinking about graduate school?

Deciding whether or not to go to graduate school should be a process of careful reflection and planning. Graduate school focuses exclusively on one area of study and is oriented towards either research or professional preparation. It’s a great step if you know what you want to study and what your goals are for obtaining your advanced degree.

Read the SoHE Graduate School Guide and use the resources below to begin your search for the right graduate program. Your SoHE Career Advisor can also serve as a resource throughout this process!

Looking for post-graduate employment?

Use this worksheet to guide your job search strategy.

Then, take a look at our Job Search Resources page for comprehensive major-specific career guides designed to walk you through the job search process, along with links to local, nationwide and worldwide job sites.

You can also learn about different types of careers related to your SoHE major or field of interest via the lists below:

Considering a year of service?

UW–Madison continually ranks as one if the top schools in the nation for students who volunteer with service organizations post-graduation. A year of service can be a great way for new grads to develop hands-on skills working with and serving a wide variety of communities.

Check out this document for suggested questions as you explore service program opportunities.  Here are a few sites mentioned in the video and documents to start exploring possibilities for service years.

First Destination Survey Results

[Top, center] 2021-2022 FDS Survey Results (Based on 63% response rate) [Top left with briefcase icon] 74.2% planning to work, serve in the military, or a volunteer program; 52.7% secured employment within the first 6 months of graduation. [Top right with graduation cap icon] 25.8% planning to continue their education; [Middle right with pie chart] 23.1% pursuing a PhD, 76.9% pursuing a Master’s. [Middle left] 91% completed and internship. [Bottom left with thumbs up icon] 90% agreed/strongly agreed that UW-Madison prepared them for the next step in their career path [Center with world map icon] Graduates reported employment in 20 states/territories and 2 countries

2021-2022 School of Human Ecology’s First Destination Survey results, based on a 63% response rate, show that 74.2% of respondents were planning to work, serve in the military, or a volunteer program. Of that 74.2%, 52.7% had already secured employment within the first 6 months of graduation. Additionally, 25.8% of respondents were planning to continue their education, with 23.1% pursuing a PhD and 76.9% pursuing a master’s degree. Graduates reported employment in 20 states/territories and 2 countries. 91% of respondents completed an internship and 90% of respondents agreed/strongly agreed that UW-Madison prepared them for the next step in their career path.

Post-Graduate Positions: Where Are They Now?

This map provides an overview of the various positions that recent graduates from the School of Human Ecology (SoHE) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) have landed 0-3 years post-graduation. Please note that this is a just a sampling of positions from students who reported post-graduate employment outcomes on the First Destination Survey administered at the time of graduation and the SoHE Alumni Career Development Survey. This map represents information collected between Fall 2019-Summer 2023.

View a Google Sheet of these experiences.

Visit wisc.joinhandshake.com to explore additional jobs in your desired field!

Map symbol key:
A green circle showcasing an upward graph trend that symbolizes the Personal Finance Major on the map Personal Finance

An orange circle showcasing a house that symbolizes the Interior Architecture Major on the map Interior Architecture

A blue circle showcasing two humans walking that symbolizes the Human Development and Family Studies Major on the mapHuman Development & Family Studies

A dark pink circle showcasing two buildings that symbolizes the Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies Major on the map Cnsr Behavior & Marketplace Studies

A yellow circle showcasing a smaller white circle that symbolizes the Community and Nonprofit Leadership Major on the mapCommunity & Organizational Development

A purple circle showcasing a white hanger that symbolizes the Textiles and Fashion Design Major on the mapTextiles & Fashion Design

SoHE Alumni Career Map

SoHE Continuing Education Programs Map

 

Many students at the School of Human Ecology choose to continue their education at different programs around the world. This map showcases the different programs students have attended over the past few years. To learn more about the programs our students continue their education at, expand the map in the upper right hand corner and filter by your major! 

Map symbol key:
A green circle showcasing an upward graph trend that symbolizes the Personal Finance Major on the map Personal Finance

An orange circle showcasing a house that symbolizes the Interior Architecture Major on the map Interior Architecture

A blue circle showcasing two humans walking that symbolizes the Human Development and Family Studies Major on the map Human Development & Family Studies

A dark pink circle showcasing two buildings that symbolizes the Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies Major on the mapCnsr Behavior & Marketplace Studies

A yellow circle showcasing a smaller white circle that symbolizes the Community and Nonprofit Leadership Major on the mapCommunity & Organizational Development

A purple circle showcasing a white hanger that symbolizes the Textiles and Fashion Design Major on the mapTextiles & Fashion Design