What is the ASA Virtual Pro-Seminar?
A pro-seminar, or pro-sem, is often offered in graduate programs for the purpose of promoting professional development among graduate students. It is one of the ways that we become socialized into the norms of the academic world and our discipline of sociology. There is much variation, however, in what gets covered in pro-sem in different programs or even in the same program from year to year. And there is also an issue of timing–you might not be thinking about publishing in your first year in grad school, when many students take the pro-sem, but you may wish to revisit some of those pro-sem discussions later in your trajectory.
The idea for the ASA Virtual Pro-Seminar came from our grad student members. During the fall and spring semesters, we offer a monthly series of professional development activities for graduate students and also early-career sociologists. We see it as a way of evening the playing field and uncovering the hidden curriculum of grad school and of academia.
When is the ASA Virtual Pro-Seminar?
During the academic year, ASA Virtual Pro-Seminar meets via Zoom on the third Wednesday of every month, generally at 3:00 pm Eastern. Below is the lineup of Spring 2025 offerings.
| Title | Date & Time |
| Preparing for Comprehensive Exams | February 6, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST |
| Mock Job Interview Workshop (*exclusive to Department Affiliates) | March 20, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST |
| Navigating the Challenges of IRB | May 15, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST |
Who can attend?
Any current student member of ASA can attend unless otherwise stated (by “buying” the free event through the ASA Events page in your membership dashboard). The content of the sessions is geared toward graduate students at all stages, and may also be useful to early-career or recent PhDs.
Previous Virtual Pro-Sem meetings have addressed Demystifying the Writing Process, Negotiating a Job Offer, and Dealing with Rejection in Academia.
Check out the recording of our inaugural session!
Dr. Jessica Calarco (Indiana University), author of A Field Guide to Grad School, joined us on January 21, 2021, to discuss “Uncovering the Hidden Curriculum in Sociology.”
