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
Results from the 2023-24 campus-wide First Destination Survey show that based on a 46% response rate, 78.7% of respondents from the School of Human Ecology indicated they were planning to work, serve in the military, or a volunteer program. Of that 78.7%, 52.9% secured employment within the first 6 months of graduation. Additionally, 21% of respondents indicated they were planning to continue their education, with 83% pursuing a Master’s degree, 8% a doctorate, 4% a second Bachelor’s degree, and 4% a certificate. Human Ecology graduates reported employment in 16 states/territories and 10 Wisconsin counties. 100% of respondents participated in a workplace experience while at the UW (internship/co-op, employment, volunteer work, research, clinical, practicum, or student teaching). 88% 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 have landed 0-3 years post-graduation. 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:
Personal Finance
Interior Architecture
Human Development & Family Studies
Consumer Behavior & Marketplace Studies
Community & Organizational Development
Textiles & Fashion Design
SoHE Alumni Career Map
Continuing Education Programs Pursued Post-Graduation
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:
Personal Finance
Interior Architecture
Human Development & Family Studies
Cnsr Behavior & Marketplace Studies
Community & Organizational Development
Textiles & Fashion Design