uwloo

PD 1Career Fundamentals

Units
0.50
Subject
Professional Development

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 7 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 3 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

This course is a combination of career development advice and work search information. Topics include preparing résumés, developing interview skills, and preparing for success in the workplace. Program-specific information is provided for students pursuing different forms of work integrated education.

Prerequisites

None listed.

Antirequisites

  • Not open to students enrolled in Faculty of Engineering programs

Leads to

No course lists it as a requisite.

Fall 2026 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 08176311893 / 3500Online or by arrangement
LEC 083764319 / 1000Online or by arrangement

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 08172081558 / 3500Online or by arrangement
LEC 08372150 / 1000Online or by arrangement
LEC 70126838 / 9999Online or by arrangement

Reviewed on UW Flow

8% liked it80% easy18% useful

From 1,367 ratings and 264 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • Half of the class teaches you about how to choose jobs that fit your interests and goals, meanwhile students are struggling with even landing a single job, let alone interviews

    Oct 2023 · didn’t like it · 6 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • This course is a deadly trap for the chronic procrastinator

    May 2015 · didn’t like it · 5 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Loved this course! PD 1 introduces very fundamental concepts to helping you find a job. Would highly recommend staying on top of the work as it can help you in developing critical interview skills and help you perfect your resume. There are also a lot of resources that they provide, such as mock interviews and resume reviews. Make sure to do at least the first half of the course properly, as it can be very useful. Overall, would highly recommend!

    Mar 2024 · liked it · 4 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • This course truly demonstrated the craftsman skills and creativity of the instructors at UW, where they expanded a very useful 2 hours speech into a complete course with 8 units and 9 assignments. If this sounds good to you I suggest you add the course to your course selection list during the course selection period, but no worries if you don't add it to your course selection, because you will be automatically enrolled if you are in co-op.

    Jul 2020 · didn’t like it · 4 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Worst possible course. Not even literally, entirely realistically, a waste of my time and energy. This would have been better spent doing anything else on the face of planet Earth. For instance, I could have watched a movie or made up for lost sleep, instead I died on the inside... think of my heart and soul as a shriveled prune... completely dried and devoid of hope and vibrance. I now radiate pure and unadulterated hatred at the thought of those bitter cold memories. #NeverAgain #NeverForgetPD1

    Mar 2016 · didn’t like it · 4 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

692 posts and comments in 471 threads mention PD 1, January 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Fall 2024

Overloading 1B Courses 1 point, 6 comments

u/4yan_6: “… This means that if I were to add STAT to my schedule, I would be looking at a total of 3.75 units (cuz of CS136L and PD1). …”

u/ClarkeVice: “Even with the extra allowable credit count, your limit should only be 3.25, although if you’re counting PD toward that, all PDs are 0 credit courses.”

u/4yan_6: “So if PD1 doesn't count towards that, then adding the STAT course should only make my credit count 3.25, which then makes me wonder why Quest still won't allow me to add the course.”

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Anyone have experience going from cs115 to cs136? 2 points, 4 comments

“I was talking about going directly from 115 to 136 with one of the ISAs and they said its still a tricky thing to do. Has anyone done this and what are your thoughts on it?”

u/Fun_Advertising_6604: “… Especially if you're looking for coop and doing PD1, it's quite a challenge. cs 115 is one of the least of my worries, then cs 136 was my biggest worry by far. …”

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TN visa 5 points, 28 comments

“I’m in the process for getting a co-op in the us and my prospective place of employment has us immigration lawyers who are processing me for TN status. I thought canadians were supposed to get the J1?”

u/_Andoroid_: “Canadians can get either”

u/_Andoroid_: “You will have no support from ceca either way. Should have figured that out in the first week of pd1”

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No classes for winter 2025 1 point, 1 comment

u/Inevitable_Ad3623: “Do I need to just wait for it? It says I can view mine today but I only see PD1 in it. Did I accidently not submit my course selection? I rememebred I did and I have a screenshot of showing my friend what I picked. What should I do, should i be worried?”

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I think CECA is over-estimating its usefulness 146 points, 27 comments

“https://preview.redd.it/d071v1puzytd1.png?width=592&format=png&auto=webp&s=d871137493bdb4b1ea867b54c81eae0e41ea488e The audacity to claim 30% of your success at work comes from them is insane”

u/MadDoctor5813: “I don't know if things have changed since I was in first year, but that resume assignment they give you in PD1 should start them at negative 10 percent right off the bat.”

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FUCK PD OMFGSG 123 points, 16 comments

“LITERALKALY WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS ANNOYING ASS COURSE LIKE IM ON CO OP BRO LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE I DONT GIVE A FUCK ABOUT YOUR STUPID QUESTIONNAIRES AND DUMB REFLECTIONS HOLY SHIT. …”

u/SkeebeedeeToileet: “Is PD really that bad? I take PD 1 next term..”

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Spring 2024

does pd1 have to be taken the term directly before your first co-op term ? 1 point, 4 comments

u/GlitteringBat6741: “… theres one course im taking this fall that i really dont wanna take anymore and i dont need it so i was thinking abt switching it out w pd1”

u/highranking123: “you must take it before a co op term, so in the winter for you”

u/batson2002: “usually you’re automatically enrolled in pd1 the term before your first coop term. if you want to do it earlier then ask ceca if you could. usually they want you to do it the term before as it helps you get used to the job search routine”

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HOLY FUCKING FUCK PD FUCK PD IM GOING TO FUCKING FUCK PD! FUCK FUCK PD FUCK! PD! FUCK! PD! 273 points, 40 comments

u/amongus44: “… storytime: I was taking PD1 and this shit made me take some janky ass personality test from the 1950s when psychology was at the stage where [I have since removed this part of the post.] and that THAT IS IMPORTANT TO FINDING A JOB HOW??? …”

u/Big_Steak7381: “i passed pd 11 but failed pd 1, smth im pretty embarassed about lmao. you gotta swallow your pride and just half ass it once and get it out of your way in hopes to never to do it again (like i didnt with pd 1 💀)”

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Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar