Many MAPH Students use their year to make career transitions, to revitalize their intellectual lives, or to explore new career options.
MAPH’s Emphasis on critical writing, analytical thinking, and scholarly research proves invaluable for those interested in positions in business, government, teaching journalism, cultural institutions, and non-profit sector work. On AfterMAPH, the alumni blog, you can see profiles of alumni and the wide variety of careers they have pursued since completing MAPH.
Left to Right: Suzanne Gallo (‘02), Manager, Attorney Audit Team at Discover Financial Services, Austin Gilkeson (’04),Education and Exchange Coordinator at Consulate General of Japan at Chicago, Justine Nagan (‘04), Executive Director Kartemquin Films, Starr Marcello (’04), Director of Operations Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, David MacIntire (’04), Wine Country Real Estate, Carlos Fernandez (’03) National Representative at the American Federation of Teachers, Adam Richardson (’97), Principal Product Marketer, Financial Engines.
Career Preparation
MAPH sponsors successful courses meant to provide students with skills in such areas as community college teaching, journalism in the digital age, and writing about academic issues for a broad audience.
MAPH maintains strong relationships with Chicago area community colleges in order to open teaching opportunities for our graduates, both short-term opportunities for students who plan to pursue doctoral study eventually, and long-term, tenure-track teaching positions. MAPH now offers a course called "Teaching in the Community College". We compile an annual Community College Teaching Resume Book and hold a winter reception to introduce current MAPH students to area administrators and faculty, who are then likely to interview MAPH graduates for open teaching positions.
Because our students can design their academic programs to suit, they can use coursework outside the Humanities Division to prepare for specific careers. For example, a student interested in gallery or art museum careers could combine art history and language coursework with the Law School's course on arts and the law (which covers, among other things, intellectual property issues, free speech issues, and provenance issues), and with Harris School courses on management. Such a student could gain hands-on experience in any of several internships at a museum. Two members of the class of 2006 combined academic coursework with yearlong internships at the Smart. One was the primary curator for the University of Chicago MFA show, working under the supervision of a senior curator; the other engaged in crucial research on recent acquisitions.
Alumni Career Connections
MAPH's alumni listserve is a continual source of jobs in the humanities posted by alumni across the country. If you would like to subscribe to Irony you can join now to get in on the action.
MAPH also has groups on Linkedin and Facebook that allow students past and present to connect and network about careers. Finally, each year Alumni are invited to attend an annual reception and various Chicago meet-ups.