Instructor and student perspectives on a graduate professional development course: Career issues for women in engineering

Abstract

A discussion-based professional development course was developed and taught in Spring 2009 to a diverse group of female chemical engineering graduate students. The goal of this course was to assist the students in their professional growth by providing the opportunity for open discussion (group and one-on-one settings) combined with constructive and positive feedback. The students guided the course content and were active participants in the class discussions. Course structure and content are presented along with the tangible outcomes. The perspectives of the instructor and the students are presented side-by-side and offer a view of the effectiveness of a course geared towards increasing the students' career success. Self-examination and discussion brought to light many common issues and concerns faced by female engineering students. Pre/post course assessments of the targeted course outcomes showed a positive change in the students' knowledge, attitudes and habits, as related to professional development. Some of the strongest student-perceived changes over the course duration were focused around graduate program planning, the job search process, work-life balance, conflict resolution, and negotiation. Tangible outcomes included curriculum vitae, Gantt chart for progression through the graduate program, academic application packet materials, and outreach activities targeted to prospective and first-semester graduate students. The course was considered to be a success by the instructor and students, and can be used as a model for the implementation of similar courses within engineering departments or colleges. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2010.