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Career Advising and Planning Services at the University of Chicago

The office of Career Advising and Planning Services (CAPS) offers a wide array of programs and workshops to students throughout the year, regardless of their major or their career interests. In addition to career exploration workshops, career fairs and our Industry Immersion Camps, which expose students to the arts, sciences, public service and business fields, CAPS professional staff also offer one-on-one resume, cover letter and graduate school application reviews.

CAPS’ Frequently Asked Questions

At what point during my student's academic career should he or she begin thinking about career planning?

Students in all phases of career development are encouraged to visit CAPS and meet with a career advisor at any time during their academic career. There are many resources available for students exploring their interests, as well as targeted internship or job searches.

Where should my student look for internships and research opportunities?

CAPS offers a wide range of resources for students interested in internships and research. Encourage your student to make an appointment with a CAPS career advisor to begin the discussion about where his or her interests lie. There is also a variety of College-sponsored internship opportunities available to undergraduate students, including:

  • College Internship and Research Grants: 
    Summer Action Grants: As more employers look for a history of substantive work or internship experience while students are in school, students are responding by seeking or creating internship and work experiences over the summer. An increasing number of University of Chicago students are interested in the non-profit and public sectors, places where experience and networking are key, but internships are traditionally unpaid. The College supports these students by offering these non-thematically focused grants that enable students to continue to engage in meaningful learning - by doing. Students are required to identify an internship opportunity and provide a detailed budget when applying for these grants.
    International Experience Grants: The globalization of information, peoples and experiences is well known by University of Chicago students and faculty. Many of our undergraduates want to experience this theory in action and growing numbers of students have sought out international internship opportunities that supplement their learning in the classroom. The College has responded to this increasing interest by creating this new educational grant program that provides funding for international travel and internship experiences.
  • SummerLinks: Summer Links is an intensive 11-week, paid internship program for 30 returning College and graduate students committed to public service, community building and social change. Summer Links interns work in Chicago-area community organizations.
  • Journalism Internship Grants: These grants provide support for University of Chicago undergraduate and graduate students who want to gain the real-world, hands-on experience in preparation for a successful career in Journalism. The Program provides each intern $3,000 to pursue their individual Journalistic interests in an internship that would otherwise be unfunded.
  • Human Rights Internships: The Human Rights Internship Program offers a select group of Chicago students the opportunity to learn the skills and understand the difficulties inherent in putting human rights into practice. The Internship Program is unique in its flexibility, awarding $5000 grants to afford all interns the freedom to explore their interests, whether thematic or regional in focus. Students work internationally at organizations of their choice.
  • Jeff Metcalf Fellows Program Internships:  The Jeff Metcalf Fellows Program provides paid, substantive internships exclusively to students in the College at the University of Chicago. While the actual opportunities may differ slightly each year, internships are available throughout the United States and other countries with opportunities offered in a wide variety of fields, including arts and culture, business, government and public policy, research and education and social change.

In addition to these College-sponsored opportunities, your student should search Chicago Career Connection to search for a broad range of internship and full-time opportunities in a variety of fields. Chicago Career Connection is an on-line database of over 10,000 internship and job postings across the United States and the world.

What if my student is interested in graduate school in the arts or humanities?

For students interested in Arts & Sciences graduate programs, one of the most important resources for them is their faculty, as graduate admissions committees weigh heavily faculty letters of recommendation. In addition, CAPS’ advisors are available to review students’ graduate school application materials and offer guidance regarding which graduate programs to pursue. The Graduate and Professional Studies Initiative (Chicago GPS) offers programs and resources to supplement students’ coursework, research and advising from faculty, and mentors to help explore career choices, identify educational and extracurricular options and strengthen students’ skills and application profiles.

What if my student is interested in a program in business, law, health professions or journalism?

CAPS and the College offer four pre-professional programs designed to supplement students’ liberal arts education with professional skills development and personalized career advising.

What have other University of Chicago students gone on to do after graduation?

University of Chicago students have gone on to a wide range of careers and graduate and professional school programs. In general, the top industry areas that students have indicated they go onto to work in include banking, teaching, consulting, healthcare, government, technology, arts and communications and social and community service. For more information about student outcomes, please click here.

How can I become more involved with CAPS?

There are a variety of ways in which parents can become involved with CAPS programs and initiatives. We are often seeking volunteers for a variety of our programs, including speakers, resume reviewers and practice interviewers at programs such as our Industry Immersion Camps and our Diversity Events. Parents are also encouraged to volunteer as resume reviewers or interviewers for the Jeff Metcalf Fellows Program and as panelists for our Chicago Careers in…pre-professional programs. For more information about volunteer opportunities for parents, please contact Caryn Carter or download our Volunteer Opportunities Brochure.

CAPS also invites you to join us in building a stronger network for all of our students. If your company or organization does hire interns or recent college graduates, we welcome new opportunities to make positions available to University of Chicago students. Organizations can recruit candidates in a variety of ways, including via on-line job postings, on-campus recruiting and by attending our job and internship fairs. Please contact Marthe Druska for more information and to discuss opportunities for University of Chicago students at your organization.

I have more specific questions about CAPS. Where can I go for more information?

Please visit the Parents’ Section of our website for more detailed information about our services. In addition, CAPS Director Meredith Daw is happy to speak with parents on an individual basis.
CAPS has also created some guidelines for students and parents as they enter each of their four years at the University of Chicago. These guidelines are suggestions for what resources your student may take advantage of during each of his or her time at the University of Chicago. Parents should remember that each individual student will reach the different phases of career development at different times. There is no "correct" timeline or career path that your student should be following. CAPS recommends that parents talk with their children about what types of internships and jobs interest them and encourage them to take advantage of the many programs and resources that CAPS has to offer.

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