Professional Development
We empower °®¶¹´«Ã½ students and alumni with the tools and skills to launch and sustain creative careers as individual as they are.
Introduction
Connecting passions with professions
A student talks with Gensler hiring managers at the Architecture and Interiors: Emerging Talent Job Fair.
Professional development and career readiness aren’t add-ons to your °®¶¹´«Ã½ degree—they’re woven into the fabric of your education. Through the Professional Engagement and External Partnerships Office, you’ll have access to tools, events, and networking opportunities on campus, in the classroom, and beyond—all with students, alumni, and employers in mind. Targeted job fairs, professional programming, and networking opportunities are specifically designed for your field of study.
Top-ranked for art and design
Our commitment to career preparation delivers results. Payscale ranks °®¶¹´«Ã½ as the for return on investment, among , and the .
Fashion student presents their work to a critique panel with industry experts
From theory to practice
We support your creative and professional development from day one. We know you came to °®¶¹´«Ã½ with unique interests, and our approach is not one size fits all but combines:
- Industry-Integrated Curriculum: Professional development courses are embedded throughout our programs, tailored to your chosen industry.
- Personalized Guidance: Work with our team of Professional Development Coaches, including accomplished alumni who understand your journey. They provide individualized support for everything from portfolio development to career strategy.
- Real-World Connections: Our deep industry connections within the San Francisco Bay Area bring potential employers directly to you through job fairs, guest speaker series, critique panels, internships, sponsored studios, and networking events.
Employers who hired °®¶¹´«Ã½ graduates
- Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
- Uber
- NetEase Games
- Time
- Facebook/Meta
- The Crucible
- Kidder Matthews
- Dolby
- FWD.us
- Foresight
- EA Games
- Propeller Health
- Pivot
- Gensler
- Art Practical
- Toyota
- Kia Motors
- Hyundai
- Ruggable
- Braze
- Docusign
- IDEO
- W2O Group
- Meyer Sound
- Razer Inc.
- Ntropic
- Andrew Mann Architecture
- Microsoft
- Urban Outfitters
- Nickelodeon
- Disney
- Pixar
- Tik Tok
- Banana Republic
- City & County of San Francisco
- AKQA
- Adobe
- SOM
- frog
- Decker Brands
- CalArts
- U.S. Bank
- Nike
- Chime
- SFMoMA
- Mulesoft
- Neiman Marcus Group
- Patagonia
Student Resources
Gain a competitive edge in the ever-evolving job market
Interaction Design students prototype during a one-day design sprint sponsored by Google
Build experience while in school
Our location in the heart of the Bay Area's creative economy opens doors to opportunities on campus and off. Job fairs connect students directly with employers across the art, architecture, design, and writing sectors. Industry leaders like Lenovo, Figma, and Google regularly engage with students for sponsored studios or industry panel critiques with mutual benefit.
Internships and career preparation
Our Professional Engagement & External Partnerships team is dedicated to helping you develop the to land that internship. Access a wide range of internship and career opportunities by exploring Handshake, °®¶¹´«Ã½â€™s job board for students, alumni, and employers. The Learning Resource Center also supports resume writing, cover letters, graduate school applications, grant proposals, and professional documentation.
Professional-development tools
The Professional Engagement and External Partnerships Office's covers portfolio development, career-search strategies, major-specific content, pitching, network building, entrepreneurship, and more. Further, the supports student success for our international students and DACA recipients.
Events and workshops
Our team hosts career-readiness and networking events for students and alumni throughout the year, such as professional workshops, trainings, panels, and networking events. Industry partners come to campus regularly, such as our neighbor Adobe, with whom we have programmed panel talks and one-on-one professional portfolio reviews. Open to all students, these cross-disciplinary events support transferrable skill-building and career readiness across industries.
Find mentors in your field
Our Professional Coaching and Development Advisors are artists, designers, entrepreneurs, and alumni who are here to support you individually, bringing their active careers into the counseling. Career counselors often haven't worked in the field—but ours have, so you can get specific advice on your design portfolio from a multidisciplinary designer, entrepreneurship support from a venture capital expert, or creative guidance from a practicing artist.
You can easily schedule appointments with our Professional Development Coaches through the Handshake platform. Alumni mentors provide individualized feedback, career inspiration, and professional advice during these one-on-one sessions. You'll get support on career planning and professional growth to help you find your own creative pathways. Beyond coaching, these professionals serve as mentors who can help you build meaningful connections in your creative field, introduce you to industry networks, and provide insider perspectives on career pathways that will support your success long after graduation.
Alumni pathways
