Get career ready
Dal GradPD is your go-to hub to learn about professional development designed for your specific needs as a graduate student. Together with partners across the university and external providers, the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) assembles an ongoing schedule of free workshops and events aimed to help you prepare for a diversity of careers.
The four pillars of the Dal GradPD program are dedicated to building skills necessary for success in any career — Communication, Career Intelligence, Health and Wellbeing, and Leadership — and are offered exclusively to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Upcoming Dal GradPD workshops and experiential learning
Professional Career Development Group
Graduating this year and feeling anxious about life after university or unprepared for an uncertain job market?
Attend this career development support group facilitated by a career counsellor to build a peer support network and confidence as you prepare to embark on the next chapter of your life!
Registration is now available on the . Go to the next Friday on the events calendar to register, after which you will be contacted to confirm your eligibility and additional details. New registrations will be accepted weekly throughout the term, but space is limited, so students are encouraged to register early!
Date and time: Ongoing weekly; Tuesdays from 3 to 4 p.m.
Partner: Bissett Student Success Centre Academic Advising and Career Services
Type: In-Person
Pillar: Career intelligenceÂ
Location: McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building
Graduating this year and wondering what you are going to do with your degree?
Feeling anxious about life after university or unprepared for an uncertain job market?
Attend this career development support group facilitated by a career counsellor to build a peer support network and confidence as you prepare to embark on the next chapter of your life! Bonus: Participants who complete the group may be eligible to add as an activity on their Co-Curricular Record!
The group will improve your confidence and skills in:
- Self-awareness, career planning and setting career goals
- Building hope and dealing with uncertainty in a changing job market
- Overcoming networking and interviewing anxiety
Partner: Career Services and Health and Wellness
Date:Â Mondays Februrary 2Â -Â March 9, 2026
Time:Â 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. AT
Type: In-person
Location: Studley Campus
The Research Camp is designed to take you through the elements of research from basic to advanced. The program is offered through a combination of asynchronous modules on Brightspace and live sessions offered in-person, hybrid, or online through Teams. Modules may include short video lectures and interactive exercises to help you brush up on your literature searching, writing, information management, and research skills.Â
Partner: Dal Libraries
Date/time:Â Asynchronous and ongoing
Type: Online
The Writing Centre offers daily group online writing sessions every weekday morning. Join Writing Centre staff members, students, and other members of the Dal community to set writing goals and write against the clock in two 23-minute bursts to help you get started on your writing day. No preregistration or commitment is necessary. Come to as many or as few sessions as you like!
Partner: Writing Centre
Date:Ìý°Â±ð±ð°ì»å²¹²â²õ
Time:Â 10:05 to 10:55 a.m. AT
Type: Online
Location:Ìý±¹¾±²¹
Ombudsperson
The Ombudsperson Office is available to all HÂþ» students for free, confidential, impartial, and independent support to help resolve any university-related concerns. Some examples include:
• Providing general resource information and making appropriate referrals
• Identifying and explaining relevant university processes/policies
• Working with students to explore and strategize options for problem-solving
• Listening and providing an objective perspective
Partner: International Centre & Ombudsperson Office
Date:Ìý°Õ³Ü±ð²õ»å²¹²â²õ
Time:Â 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. AT
Type: In-person
Location:Â International Centre, 1246 LeMarchant St., Main floor
Drop-in immigration advising (in person)
The IC offers drop-in immigration advising on a first-come, first-served basis. Drop-in sessions are no longer than 30 minutes. If you need to book advising for longer than 30 minutes, you can book an appointment with an Immigration Advisor. Drop-in sessions are also available on the Sexton Campus (Melda Murray Student Centre) on Wednesdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Partner: International Centre
Date:Â Monday to Friday
Time:Â 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. AT
Type: In-person
Location:Â International Centre, 1246 LeMarchant St., Main floor
Drop-in Writing Advising (in person)
Our International Student Writing Advisor will be at the IC for virtual and in-person writing appointments.
Partner: Writing Centre and International Centre
Date: Wednesdays
Time:Â 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. AT
Type: In-person
Location:Â International Centre, 1246 LeMarchant St., Main floor
This workshop aimed at graduate writers identifies the qualities and characteristics of traditional academic writing and offers participants techniques and strategies for finding their own unique academic voice within graduate writing genres. The workshop will ask participants to reflect on and apply the knowledge presented through a short, independent writing activity. For this, they should bring a paragraph or two of recent academic writing to the session. Participants will leave with tangible resources as well as techniques to further develop and hone their academic voice. No registration required.Â
Partner: Writing Centre
Date: April 9, 2026
Time:Â 2 to 3 p.m. AT
Type:Ìý°¿²Ô±ô¾±ne
Do you think working in a group is a nightmare but you have to participate in a group project? This workshop will help you work effectively in a team environment by teaching you about group roles, good communication skills, cultural sensitivity, and how to avoid (and solve) common group work problems. No registration required.
Partner: Study for Success
Date: April 10, 2026
Time:Â 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. AT
Pillars: Career Intelligence
Type:Ìý±õ²Ô-±è±ð°ù²õ´Ç²Ô
Location: Mona Campbell building, room 1107
Engaging in effective peer review provides value not only to the work being reviewed, but to the reviewer. This workshop will focus on guided peer feedback techniques that allow your reader to get the most out of your comments; it will include take-away skills that are transferrable to other review situations.   Â
Partner: Writing Centre
Date: April 15, 2026
Time:Â 2 to 3 p.m. AT
Type:Ìý°¿²Ô±ô¾±ne
Whether you are writing a lengthy paper, working on a graduate thesis or dissertation, or preparing a manuscript, it can sometimes be difficult to undertake a big writing project. This workshop will provide goal setting and time management techniques to help you stay on track.Â
Partner: Writing Centre
Date: April 22, 2026
Time:Â 2 to 3 p.m. AT
Type:Ìý°¿²Ô±ô¾±ne
The abstract is often the first-read but last-written support document of a larger manuscript/paper, and it can be the key document to gaining acceptance to present at a conference. This comparably tiny document therefore needs to make a big impact. This session will provide a basic understanding of abstracts: the reasons we write them and the structure(s) they take in various fields. It will also demonstrate using the abstract as a writing and organizational strategy for larger projects. We will also discuss using verbal presentation strategies to enhance your writing (and vice versa).
Partner: Writing Centre
Date: April 23, 2026
Time:Â 2 to 3 p.m. AT
Type:Ìý°¿²Ô±ô¾±ne
These sessions cover key statistical methods for medical research. These sessions will increase in complexity and allow for students to incorporate their own data sets into the training exercises.
This program is offered as a three part series:
Part 1:Â Introduction to statistical analysis and using R | Wednesday, April 29, 2026 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Part 2:Â Hypothesis testing and study design | Wednesday, May 6, 2026 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Part 3:Â Model building | Monday, May 13, 2026 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Partner: PREP
Date: April 29, 2026
Time:Â 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. AT
Type:Ìý°¿²Ô±ô¾±ne via Teams
This workshop guides you through the process of writing an effective personal statement and will provide strategies for helping you begin your draft as well as revision and refinement. Statements of intent or personal statements can be part of applications to graduate programs, co-op placements, and funding applications.Â
Partner: Writing Centre
Date: April 29, 2026
Time:Â 2 to 3 p.m. AT
Type:Ìý°¿²Ô±ô¾±ne (no registration required)
Curious about how to use AI effectively in your graduate studies without crossing academic boundaries? This Lightning Talk will introduce practical ways AI tools can support your learning, research, and productivity—from understanding complex readings to improving your writing and planning your work. We’ll also explore common pitfalls, ethical considerations, and what you need to know about HÂþ»â€™s expectations around AI use. Whether you’re new to AI or already experimenting with it, this session will help you use it more confidently, responsibly, and strategically in your academic journey.
±Ê²¹°ù³Ù²Ô±ð°ù:ÌýBIPOC Mentoring Academy
Date: April 30, 2026
Time:Â 1 to 2 p.m. AT
Type:Ìý°¿²Ô±ô¾±ne (no registration required)
These sessions cover key statistical methods for medical research. These sessions will increase in complexity and allow for students to incorporate their own data sets into the training exercises.
This program is offered as a three part series:
Part 1: Introduction to statistical analysis and using R | Wednesday, April 29, 2026 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Part 2: Hypothesis testing and study design | Wednesday, May 6, 2026 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Part 3: Model building | Monday, May 13, 2026 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Partner: PREP
Date: May 6, 2026
Time:Â 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. AT
Type:Ìý°¿²Ô±ô¾±ne via Teams
These sessions cover key statistical methods for medical research. These sessions will increase in complexity and allow for students to incorporate their own data sets into the training exercises.
This program is offered as a three part series:
Part 1: Introduction to statistical analysis and using R | Wednesday, April 29, 2026 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Part 2: Hypothesis testing and study design | Wednesday, May 6, 2026 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Part 3: Model building | Monday, May 13, 2026 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Partner: PREP
Date: May 13, 2026
Time:Â 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. AT
Type:Ìý°¿²Ô±ô¾±ne via Teams
Participate in the Dal GradPD certificate program
To help you navigate your PD journey, we have created a free certificate program to recognize your efforts and help you identify the opportunities you need to take you where you want to go.
What you’ll do during the certificate program:
Individual development plan (IDP) workshop: In this session, you’ll explore the skills and experiences you need to achieve your professional goals and map your plan to get there. IDP workshops will be held every month, so don't worry if you missed an earlier session. An asynchronous video of the IDP workshop is also available in the Dal GradPD Brightspace.
Pillars workshops: Participate in two hours of workshops from each of the Dal GradPD pillars: Communication, Career Intelligence, Health and Wellbeing, and Leadership. You can select from options provided by Dal GradPD partners or find other opportunities you think will best suit your goals.Â
Experiential learning: Take on four hours of hands-on experience from each pillar. Write a blog, go to a networking event, practice a time management strategy, organize an event – the possibilities are vast and the experiences priceless.Â
Professional identity workshop: Wrap up the certificate with this session that will empower you to articulate the value of the skills you've gained at graduate school to prospective employers.Â
When done, you’ll receive a certificate signed by the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and recognition on your transcripts. More importantly, you’ll have developed a plan for where you want to go with your career and assembled the professional and personal skills you need to get there.Â
