What Do Postgraduate Students Do?
Many students carry on studying at postgraduate level to enhance their career prospects.
The tables below show what postgrad students for each subject do, after full-time and part-time postgraduate study. The tables are ranked by the sum of three 'positive' destinations:
- employed in a professional job,
- employed in a professional job and studying,
- studying and not employed.
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Postgraduate students' destinations after full-time postgraduate study
Professional*
| Subject Group | Job | Job & Study | Study Only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & related subjects | 66% | 8% | 7% |
| Architecture, building & planning | 82% | 5% | 3% |
| Biological sciences | 67% | 3% | 11% |
| Business & administrative studies | 72% | 2% | 4% |
| Combined | 90% | 0% | 0% |
| Computer science | 73% | 2% | 10% |
| Creative arts & design | 67% | 3% | 6% |
| Education | 93% | 2% | 1% |
| Engineering & technology | 73% | 2% | 8% |
| Historical & philosophical studies | 52% | 3% | 17% |
| Languages | 56% | 3% | 14% |
| Law | 69% | 3% | 14% |
| Mass communications & documentation | 72% | 1% | 3% |
| Mathematical sciences | 67% | 3% | 20% |
| Medicine & dentistry | 76% | 2% | 14% |
| Physical sciences | 71% | 2% | 12% |
| Social studies | 71% | 4% | 8% |
| Subjects allied to medicine | 81% | 3% | 8% |
| Veterinary science | 79% | 3% | 11% |
| Averages | 72% | 2% | 9% |
Non-professional**
| Subject Group | Job | Job & Study | Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & related subjects | 13% | 0% | 6% |
| Architecture, building & planning | 4% | 0% | 5% |
| Biological sciences | 12% | 1% | 6% |
| Business & administrative studies | 12% | 0% | 9% |
| Combined | 0% | 0% | 10% |
| Computer science | 6% | 0% | 9% |
| Creative arts & design | 16% | 1% | 7% |
| Education | 2% | 0% | 1% |
| Engineering & technology | 7% | 0% | 10% |
| Historical & philosophical studies | 20% | 1% | 6% |
| Languages | 20% | 1% | 7% |
| Law | 9% | 0% | 5% |
| Mass communications & documentation | 16% | 0% | 8% |
| Mathematical sciences | 4% | 0% | 6% |
| Medicine & dentistry | 4% | 0% | 4% |
| Physical sciences | 8% | 0% | 6% |
| Social studies | 10% | 0% | 6% |
| Subjects allied to medicine | 4% | 0% | 4% |
| Veterinary science | 5% | 0% | 1% |
| Averages | 9% | 0% | 6% |
Postgraduate students' destinations after part-time postgraduate study
Professional*
| Subject Group | Job | Job & Study | Study Only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & related subjects | 76% | 5% | 4% |
| Architecture, building & planning | 94% | 2% | 2% |
| Biological sciences | 77% | 6% | 6% |
| Business & administrative studies | 89% | 4% | 1% |
| Combined | 93% | 3% | 0% |
| Computer science | 82% | 6% | 3% |
| Creative arts & design | 76% | 4% | 4% |
| Education | 88% | 6% | 3% |
| Engineering & technology | 90% | 4% | 2% |
| Historical & philosophical studies | 64% | 6% | 12% |
| Languages | 68% | 4% | 9% |
| Law | 78% | 8% | 7% |
| Mass communications & documentation | 73% | 3% | 4% |
| Mathematical sciences | 79% | 5% | 6% |
| Medicine & dentistry | 90% | 5% | 3% |
| Physical sciences | 79% | 4% | 6% |
| Social studies | 83% | 5% | 5% |
| Subjects allied to medicine | 86% | 6% | 5% |
| Veterinary science | 93% | 7% | 0% |
| Averages | 82% | 4% | 4% |
Non-professional**
| Subject Group | Job | Job & Study | Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & related subjects | 11% | 2% | 2% |
| Architecture, building & planning | 1% | 0% | 1% |
| Biological sciences | 7% | 0% | 3% |
| Business & administrative studies | 3% | 0% | 2% |
| Combined | 0% | 0% | 3% |
| Computer science | 4% | 1% | 4% |
| Creative arts & design | 11% | 1% | 4% |
| Education | 2% | 0% | 1% |
| Engineering & technology | 2% | 0% | 2% |
| Historical & philosophical studies | 13% | 2% | 3% |
| Languages | 13% | 1% | 4% |
| Law | 5% | 0% | 2% |
| Mass communications & documentation | 14% | 1% | 6% |
| Mathematical sciences | 5% | 1% | 6% |
| Medicine & dentistry | 0% | 0% | 1% |
| Physical sciences | 6% | 0% | 4% |
| Social studies | 5% | 0% | 2% |
| Subjects allied to medicine | 1% | 0% | 1% |
| Veterinary science | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Averages | 5% | 0% | 2% |
Published September 2018
Notes
- Date source: HESA 2016–17, Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey (DLHE), which asks UK and EU domiciled graduates what they are doing on a particular reference date roughly six months after graduation.
- Combined – courses that cross more than one subject group.
- *Professional employment refers to a job or occupation which normally requires a degree.
- **Non-professional employment refers to a job or occupation which doesn't normally require a degree.
- Combined – courses that cross more than one subject group.
Next page: What do postgraduate students earn?