How to Decide What to Do with a Degree from Harvard Divinity School

Career discernment is a process that involves all sorts of reflective decision-making. More than career exploration or coaching, thinking through the next steps of life invites us into a process of slowing down and orienting ourselves in the world and the possibilities that are available to us. Engaging in long-term planning begins with questions centering on commitments—asking yourself what inspires you or considering how your career choices will align with your values, priorities, and the needs of your relational responsibilities. Recently, I have been grappling with these questions despite my best attempts to avoid thinking about what’s next as I ground myself in the present—a time that is important to enjoy as we only travel this particular journey once. Being at Harvard Divinity School (HDS) has planted me in a variety of spaces that have helped eased the tension I once felt between my degree (Master of Theological Studies) and the career ideas I had fixated on. Before entering HDS, I was aware of the flexibility of the degree program, especially the MTS program. Now that I am here, I’ve been provided with a wealth of resources and lived experiences from students nearing their graduation and alumni, all of whom have shown just how wide-ranging the opportunities can be. In this blog post, I’ll be leaning heavily on resources from the Office of Career Services. I want to answer the age-old question: What can I do with a degree from HDS? I’ll be focusing on career paths outside of academia, or rather, pursuing a PhD, ministry, and chaplaincy. Prospective and admitted students will be able to see how the education that HDS students receive prepares them for important work across many different fields.

The Office of Career Services (OCS) offers events like: discussion panels on fellowships, doctoral programs, Roundtable Sessions with alumni to discuss their career paths, opportunities to meet with career advisors to discuss career discernment, receiving résumé/CV reviews, and mock interviews to help students prepare for job or academic interviews. There are also several online tools provided by OCS during the semester like career panels, discussions on traveling/research fellowships and doctoral programs, a summer opportunities spreadsheet that lists over 100 internships and fellowships students can apply for, and a weekly OCS newsletter that lists opportunities centered on career development. HDS Alumni Career Stories and Advice Video Library is another important resource that HDS students have access to from their Canvas dashboard that offers reflections on an array of career paths undertaken by alumni at least ten years out from their HDS graduation. There are more than 550 videos recorded that grants students the opportunity to re-envision vocational goals and gain advice from individuals who were once in their shoes.

Alumni Career Snapshots is a page on the HDS website that is a similar replica that is public and presents professional pathways after HDS. I’ve been able to lean on this resource as I discern whether or not I will purse another graduate degree. As an undergraduate student, I always envisioned myself attending law school after completing my degree. After becoming involved in anthropological/ethnographic work, my vision changed. Narrative ethics, Afro-Caribbean cosmology, and Islamic feminism brought forth approaches, concepts, and ideas I wanted to explore further and, thus far, HDS has provided me the tools to do so with Bioethics and Persian philosophy becoming important extensions of my work. In (almost) one academic year, I am a better advocate for and of marginalized and vulnerable communities. Religious and cultural traditions remain strong identity markers for people, and through my HDS training, I am more equipped in interfaith and intercultural dialogues. Through meeting with OCS, I learned that writing, research, and using my voice not only gives me fulfillment, it’s also the skills that I value the most and should find opportunities that will allow me to use those abilities. With this newfound perspective, I wanted to know what professional/academic journeys HDS Alumni with similar skills and interests embarked on.

Through Alumni Career Snapshots, Alumni’s have become successful lawyers, business owners, government relations specialists, psychotherapists, and other types of professionals. In reading about their backgrounds, it was interesting to see how each person credited HDS differently, yet, they all agreed that receiving their HDS degree set the foundation for their later careers that would not have come into fruition without the humanistic and ethical approaches they engaged in when taking HDS courses, participating in student organizations, and interacting with faculty members. Seeing real-life occupational examples comforted me in knowing that I am not limited in career choices, but rather, there is an exhaustive list of who I can become and where I can be in just a few years! I must admit that I am still undecided on what exactly it is that I want to do next, but with these resources and real experiences, I know that my decision(s) will be comprehensive and realistic–and so will yours.

Ultimately, HDS students can look forward to exploring professional fields beyond ministerial work and PhD programs. At HDS, a deep commitment to pluralism means that diversity in both thought and action isn’t just valued—it’s fully embraced. Whether you graduate with an MDiv or MTS, your degree opens doors across a wide range of professional sectors. Some students may pursue additional graduate degrees, launch directly into the job market right after their commencement ceremony, or embark on a fellowship that elevates their research. In short, the sooner you start envisioning your career path, the better you can shape your HDS experience to support it, and create a truly, enriching journey that brings you one step closer to your ultimate goals.