Free online course 

Career Management for Early Career Academic Researchers Online distance learning

Students in the JMS Building

Explore different career options, learn what you want out of a career and understand how to implement good career decisions.

  • Length: 4 weeks; 3 hours per week
  • Start date: anytime
  • MOOC pathway

Why this course

Intended learning outcomes

  • Develop an awareness of what is important when considering future career development, including reflection on key drivers, skills, interests, personality, and values and how these impact on career choice
  • Identify the experience, skills and qualifications that will aid progression in an academic career; assess individual experience; identify gaps in light of what is required for moving on; and consider how to build relevant experience.
  • Explore some of the more common career areas researchers enter outside academic research and develop strategies to help generate and research individual career ideas
  • Describe how to adapt a CV for different roles and have improved confidence in presenting experience effectively when applying for academic and non-academic jobs
  • Discuss what to expect at academic and non-academic interviews, how to prepare effectively for these, and develop an awareness of how to present research experience to different types of employers

Course structure

Week 1

Making career plans

Week 2

Exploring career options

Week 3

Careers in higher education

Week 4

Job search and application process

How to register

The course is hosted on an external learning platform, Futurelearn.

Register now

Registration for this course is free, with free time-limited access to content: charges may apply for additional features and extended study.