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.

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.

Employability is an important part of our postgraduate curriculum. Through our employability officer, Dr Carol Davis, and the University's Careers and Employability Service, you will be offered the opportunity to attend a variety of employability events such as seminars with careers advisors, presentations given by alumni and graduate fairs where you'll have the chance to meet potential employers.

Career Destinations

The University's Careers and Employability Service is based on the Highfield Campus and offers support in a range of areas:

• impartial advice on occupations and career options
• employability events
• skills checks
• advice on application processes
• information on graduate destinations

• tailored advice for sociology and social policy students

Skills

Our programmes help you to develop important skills which will be valuable in any kind of employment. These include:

• the ability to research, present and communicate your personal work
• the ability to critically analyse a range of information
• the ability to make well-informed and balanced judgements on a range of complex social issues
• problem solving skills (including decision-making and problem analysis)
• teamwork and negotiation skills
• the ability to present information and arguments in written essays and oral presentations
• software analysis skills for quantitative data
• skills in the application of quantitative and qualitative research to examine specialist topics
• organisational and planning skills
• the ability to work to deadlines