Has anyone done a degree in Politics?

[ssd]

what sort of jobs do you do now, was the degree useful?

ds wants to do this.

What about this degree at Leeds in Politics and Parliamentary Studies?

What kind of GCSEs did he get, in terms of grades? Has he just started his first A level year?

We found that entry grades for Politics courses were quite high. There were plenty of places asking for A*AA to AAB, and relatively few asking for ABB and below. It was quite a trawl through WhatUni for DD to find a CCC place. She ended up applying for 2 AABs, 2 ABBs and 1 CCC.

Work in finance and generally we look for a 2.1 or above from a top 20 university. Subject can vary but as long as not too soft a subject like media studies etc. good to see lots of extra curricular stuff going on too.

we are in Scotland , so just finished highers.

I did politics at a RG uni in Scotland. I had lots of fun but struggled to find a job on graduation. The people I graduated with had a mixed experience. Personally I'd rather my own dcs did something vocational now that uni is so much more expensive.

Its free for us, but I can understand what you mean, Lauren. Can I ask, what sort of something vocational do you mean, like an apprenticeship or something similar?

Dh did a politics degree and became an actor, now a sports journalist. He thoroughly enjoyed his degree. Did his dissertation on the Third Reich. What that man doesn't know about the Nazis is not worth knowing.

Politics degrees carry more weight if they are from a better university. That usually means at least AAA at A level. The degree does not lead to any job in particular and few work in politics. PPE is fundamentally different from Politics. It includes Economics!!! Highly desirable degree subject.

A 2:1 degree from a RG University in a serious subject, including Politics, is better than one from a non RG university. Non RG Universities have great courses and offer very good courses with a year in industry, but Politics would not be one of them. CCC at A level will not look good with top level employers when other competitive universities require AAA to do the same subject. Employers know this! Doing a course that requires CCC can be an expensive because all the people with AAA are getting the desirable jobs.

I have a degree in International Politics (from Aberystwyth which at the time at least was very well respected in the field if not in general). It didn't lead into a job because I didn't have the language skills to progress but I graduated into a recession and very few of my peers got jobs without personal connections of some sort. I got a job in the health service in quality assurance, then took a masters in Public Health. I'm now a risk manager (director level so perfectly reasonable pay/prospects).

My ds is very interested in politics, and I have encouraged him to pursue a humanities degree, but I think he'll probably do something in IT as he's worried about getting a job so wants to do something vocational. I think it's a bit sad, but I'm a bit of an academic at heart so think he should choose a degree in something he is passionate about, not just for a job.

I think we have been told that only STEM subjects are valued and that has come from employers. Therefore History, English, Philosophy, Anthropology, and Geography graduates find it tougher to get the best jobs, except possibly in the public sector. Economics is sought after but employers largely do not care about languages or most arts degrees it seems to me. If you want one of these degrees, go to the very best universities to do it. Then you have the name of the university behind you. But then you need the high A level results......

I'm really confused now.

"My ds is very interested in politics, and I have encouraged him to pursue a humanities degree, but I think he'll probably do something in IT as he's worried about getting a job so wants to do something vocational."

"I think we have been told that only STEM subjects are valued and that has come from employers. Therefore History, English, Philosophy, Anthropology, and Geography graduates find it tougher to get the best jobs, except possibly in the public sector"

....I know everyone has a different perspective, but don't the above statements totally contradict each other? Its too early for me to make sense of this!

My interpretation is that there is a view that is gaining ground that arts and social science degrees are less likely to lead to well paid employment than more numerate and otherwise employment orientated degrees. Hence the young man thinking of IT.

My second hand anecdote: The one politics grad in my family had to compromise and go into a non-graduate job (with good prospects thank goodness) and is working her way up! From what I heard a masters is expected now to progress as well as the unpaid internship model of getting a foot in the door. For a kid from a poorish family despite an RG degree, it was not feasible.

The one advantage in Scotland is there will I guess be opportunities in Edinburgh, so not so entirely London orientated as England - interning in London was the financial (and hope!) killer I think.

ssd I mean something related to a particular job eg teaching, law etc. It may be free for you in Scotland but there are still living expenses and loss of earnings over 4 years. Moreover if you struggle to find employment after graduation so go back to uni, like many of my friends, you will pay tuition fees for that course. Tbh when I started my politics degree, I intended to go all the way to Phd and become a researcher. I took a year off as I was sick of the ivory tower and never went back. I never really saw it as being useful for much else.

Thanks

What else do you wish you had done Lauren, if you don't mind me asking? I really don't know what to advise ds, I didn't go to uni and am really clueless.

Tbh I wish I'd done slightly better in my highers and done law!! One thing I will never regret is that I got to do a year in the U.S. as part of my degree which you can't do with something like law/accountancy. That led me to travel further. I can't imagine my life if I hadn't travelled.

I did and never really found my feet afterwards. I did a law conversion course but a series of events meant I never got to practice law (and the conversion course has now experimental). Between university and that I did a series if dead end retail jobs,

If I had my time again I would have done something more vocational or useful. I would discourage my own Dcs from doing something like politics unless they had a clear career in mind for afterwards.

I did. I am a teacher. Other people I know who did the same course are either special advisors to ministers, work in PR, are academics, work for charitable ngos or are journalists. I'm not sure how representative these jobs are, but hope that is some help.

I have a politics degree and I work as a spin doctor.

I'd love ds to do law, but am not sure what the entry requirements would be, will have a look.

Good friend of mine did Politics (many moons ago, mind you) and has always worked in advertising/brand agencies.

I agree that a good CV with interesting extra curricular stuff is really important.

ssd it just reflects that people think about university in different ways. To me university is primarily about broadening your horizons, studying something that you find fascinating and growing up. To others it is primarily a way to become qualified for a specific job, a route to a career.

I find it a bit sad that the 'get a job' emphasis has become so strong, but I think that is a result of so many people going to university now. In the past a degree was itself a ticket to employment.

When I was choosing courses I was advised to pick something I was passionate about as I'd spend the next three years studying it, and that's the advice I'm giving to my children, but as I said I'm a bit of an academic at heart. Also our children will likely graduate without debt so won't need to get a good job immediately. The long term prospects for Arts graduates are still pretty good.

DB did a politics degree (non RG), loved it, was the making of him. He did lots of very interesting but unpaid internships, think tanks, working for MP's and the like. He is now a policy writer and loves it. The only thing I would say is that his ability to take up unpaid positions was helped by living near London (where they all seemed to be) and living at home so having minimal living costs. Good luck to your DS OP

thanks

My DH has a degree in politics but he too a postgraduate degree in Information Systems afterwards and has worked as systems architect ever since. But that was before tuition fees!