Politics

A politics degree can open doors to a range of careers, including political work, social and political research, journalism, PR and marketing

Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree include:

• Civil Service Fast Streamer
• Government social research officer
• Policy officer
• Political risk analyst
• Politician's assistant
• Public affairs consultant
• Social researcher
• Trade union research officer

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

• Academic researcher
• Advice worker
• Business development manager
• Charity officer
• Diplomatic service officer
• Forensic accountant
• Local government officer
• Market researcher
• Marketing executive
• Newspaper journalist
• Public relations officer

Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Work experience

You can get valuable work experience by volunteering with charities and not-for-profit organisations. These include:

• local, national and international charities
• Citizens Advice
• global development bodies, such as WaterAid and Oxfam
• human and civil rights organisations such as Amnesty International
• environmental and conservation organisations
• political campaigns and political parties.

Check their websites for details of what they offer and how to apply.

Campaigning organisations or pressure groups and UK-based charities with an international presence are particularly suitable if you wish to pursue an international career.

If you're a student, consider running for office in your university students' union or getting volunteering experience through the university community and student societies. This demonstrates initiative and can provide leadership experience and opportunities to further develop your written and oral communication skills.

Many degrees offer the opportunity to undertake professional work experience on a placement or sandwich year.

Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships.

Typical employers

Politics graduates are typically employed by:

• accountancy and banking organisations
• charities
• commercial businesses - particularly within marketing or PR departments
• councils
• law firms
• local and national government
• lobbying and campaigning organisations
• public affairs consultancies
• schools, colleges and universities
• retail companies
• media organisations.

Other employers include the United Nations (UN), the Civil Service, think tanks, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and voluntary organisations, and the public sector in general.

Find information on employers in the charity and voluntary work, marketing, advertising and PR, public services and administration and other job sectors.

Skills for your CV

Studying politics enables you to develop specific subject knowledge, such as how different political systems work, how organisations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations (UN) operate, and to interpret global political issues and events.

A degree in politics also gives you many useful transferable skills including:

• the ability to research, source and examine information thoroughly
• the ability to critically analyse evidence and construct coherent arguments
• excellent written, presentation and oral communication skills
• intellectual independence and autonomy
• teamworking skills
• IT skills
• a flexible and open-minded approach to work
• self-motivation and self-reliance
• a creative approach to problem solving
• organisational and time management skills.

Further study

You may choose to undertake postgraduate study in order to further develop your knowledge, or to specialise in a particular area.

Subjects at Masters level include:

• environmental politics
• human rights
• international relations and European politics
• international security
• political communication, advocacy and campaigning
• politics.

Alternatively, you could choose a more vocational course or training to help you move into careers such as accountancy, journalism, law, management and teaching.

For more information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters degrees and search postgraduate courses in politics.

What do politics graduates do?

The top five professions for politics graduates include PR professionals (4%), HR officers (4%), national government administrative occupations (4%), finance and investment analysts and advisers (3%) and advertising and marketing associate professionals (3%).

For a detailed breakdown of what politics graduates are doing after graduation, see What do graduates do?

Graduate Outcomes survey data from HESA.