Introduction. The article is devoted to one of the most urgent problems of modern education – the professional self-determination of undergraduates in the process of university education. The article provides a historical and pedagogical analysis of the state and development of the problem of professional self-determination in Russia from the 20s of the last century to the present. In the context of the formation of a new system of higher pedagogical education in Russia, the authors attempt to consider the professional self-determination of future masters as the need for their effective professional training. Materials and Methods. As research methods, the method of analysis and systematization of psychological and pedagogical theoretical and experimental and scientific and methodological studies of domestic scientists on the problem of professional development of a future specialist in the conditions of modern domestic higher education system was used. When describing the specifics of the professional training of undergraduates, the emphasis is placed on the use of methods of systematization and generalization of psychological and pedagogical research and regulatory documents. Results. Considering the professional self-determination of future specialists as the need for their professional training, based on the analysis of philosophical and psychological and pedagogical research, the authors clarified and specified the key categories of research: "self-determination", "professional self-determination", "readiness for self-determination". The article reveals the features of modern learning youth at different levels of professional self-determination. The types of self-determination (professional, social, personal, family, life, religious, etc.) are identified. Such important aspects of vocational training as: changes in the content of vocational training of a university student, the influence of socio-cultural factors on the professional training of future specialists, the formation of competencies and competence, the psychological component of vocational training in the educational environment of the university are revealed. Discussion and Conclusions. The problem of professional self-determination of undergraduates at the present stage of development of society and the creation of a new system of Russian pedagogical education in the context of globalization and digitalization is significantly updated and requires the search for new forms and methods of professional training of specialists.