Political Science » Prospective student » Careers and employment

Careers and employment

An education in political science gives you solid skills and knowledge of the political conditions of society, and a fine ability to citically judge these conditions. You may use and apply this competence both in general terms as a citizen of society, or more specifically in a professional context where knowledge of politics and public administration is valuable.

Labour market and employment opportunities

Many areas in society, both in the public and private spheres, are affected by political structures and mechanisms. An education in political science gives you good knowledge of the way in which society is structured and functioning.

The main working areas for political scientists are employments as analysts, investigators, administrators, public relations officers, etc. An increasing need of analyses of the surrounding world has made the demand for political scientists in the private sector grow bigger and bigger.

If you have any questions, please contact our student counsellor at studievagledare@statsvet.su.se.

New survey shows that political science graduates get employed

In the autumn 2010 and spring 2011 the Department has conducted a survey among previous students in order to find out how well they have succeeded in the labour market. The investigation shows that no less than 96,6 percent of the magister students and 83,1 percent of the master's students who had applied for a job had been employed.

The investigation shows that the most common areas for employment for the magister and master's students are the following:

• public administration, state level (17,5 percent)
• universities and university colleges (14,2 percent)
• private companies (13,3 percent)
• ministries, etc. (8,5 percent)
• public organisations (8,1 percent)
• NGO's (7,6 percent)
• public administration, local and regional level (5,2 percent)
• media (4,7 percent).

The survey also shows that the internship is considered to be very qualifying and significant for the employment.

Read the whole report: Alumni survey 2010 »

Useful links and reports

Below you may find information about the labour market for political scientists. Please note, however, that most links and reports are in Swedish.

• Framtidsjobb i staten 2011-2016
   (Kartläggning från ST, 2011)

• Studenterna får jobb - men var och hur?
   (Kartläggning från Jusek, 2010)

• Hur tänker en rekrytere?
   (Sammanställning från Jusek, 2010)

• Rapport om magisterutbildningen och arbetsmarknaden
   (Department of Political Science, Stockholm University, 2007-2008)

• Salaries and jobs for recently graduated - Jusek's yearly investigation 2009
   (http://www.jusek.se/templates/JK_SimplePage.aspx?id=53699)

• What does the labour market look like? Jusek's investigation of recently graduated 2009 (http://www.jusek.se/upload/PDF/delrapport_arbetsmarknad.pdf)

• SACO's page "Välja yrke", SACO's description of social scientists:
   http://www.saco.se/templates/Ocupation.aspx?id=3979&epslanguage=S

• SACO's prognoses up to 2012, social scientists among others:    http://www.saco.se/templates/OcupationStandardPage.aspx?id=4131&epslanguage=SV

• HSV's "Högskoleutbildning och arbetsmarknad", social scientists among others:
   http://www.hsv.se/download/18.47873ee11827f812de8000129346/0802R.pdf

• Labour market investigation, graduates 2005, SU and Studentkraft:
   http://www.su.se/content/1/c6/02/92/90/Arbetsmarknadsundersokningforexaminerade.pdf

• Jusek, yearly labour market investigation, 2008 (pdf)

• Jusek, mapping of the labour market:
   http://www.jusek.se/upload/PDF/arbetsmarknad/samhällsvetare_delgrupp06.pdf

• Jusek, about unemployment among university graduates:
   http://www.jusek.se/upload/PDF/diverse/amu_2007_arbsloshet_jusek.pdf

Hard to know what to choose...