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The University of Southampton
EnglishPart of Humanities

Careers & employability

Whatever career path you decide to follow, you will be able to move on with a wealth of skills and a real competitive edge. Where you choose to study is of key significance for your future career options.

A careers fair at the University of Southampton
Postgraduate careers

Whether you want to pursue an academic career or follow a path in business or other sectors, undertaking postgraduate education that develops your personal and professional skills will give you the edge.

Postgraduate study at the University of Southampton will enable you to push the boundaries of knowledge in your chosen field and make a real contribution to your subject. 

Whatever your situation, the Career and Employability Service offers a wide range of services and support for postgraduate students. Visit the Careers and Employability Service website for more details.

Humanities postgraduates meet recruiters to discuss career opportunities
Career Destinations day

Your employability

Our English graduates are equipped to take a cutting-edge approach to a range of texts, cultures and critical viewpoints, and our academic syllabus has student employability in mind. Our teaching methods are designed to foster the self-awareness, confidence and social vision that all successful professionals need to have. They will also teach you a range of language, communication, problem-solving and team-work skills that would be difficult to acquire in any other way.

Postgraduate study in English at Southampton presents you with a wealth of opportunities to enhance your employability. Not only will networking be a prerequisite of your course, allowing you to liaise with leaders in a variety of strands of English studies, but  employers will look favourably on the enhanced time-management, research and commitment to study that a Master's or a Doctorate demonstrates.

If you wanted to enter teaching as a profession, postgraduate study provides an excellent platform. Many students choose to teach undergraduate or international students alongside their studies. Conversely any part time work alongside your degree will further demonstrate your employability post-graduation. 

Career options 

Over a third of the 2011 English postgraduate cohort entered the education sector, with many teaching across all levels. A further 15% utlilized their transferable skills and entered Human Resources. Other areas included the media industry, hospitality and health and social care.

Humanities careers support

Humanities works with the Careers and Employability Service to develop opportunities for our postgraduate students.

Through events such as our annual postgraduate career day we explore the pathways available to those with higher degrees in the humanities with postgraduate recruiters such as IBM, to local and national government, from the BBC to the EU. The additional skills acquired through a masters or PhD in one of our disciplines can take you where you want to go.

Once I complete my PhD, I hope to pursue a career in academia teaching at university level.

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