Careers and employability
Our degrees connect you with real-world experiences and knowledge, generating opportunities for you to understand cutting-edge developments in society, politics and international relations.
Skills for your future
All of our courses are designed to support your development of key employability skills, transferable across a range of industries, as well as providing you with advanced knowledge of the fields you’re interested in.
Throughout our courses you will develop skills in:
- organisation
- communication
- critical analysis
- research
- numeracy and IT
- cultural, political and social awareness
By tackling real-life case studies within your modules, you’ll also learn the necessary knowledge and methods to operate within your chosen subject, whether that be sociology, digital media, politics or international relations.
Where do our graduates go?
Digital Media and Society
Our digital media and society students graduate equipped to take on a range of roles across a variety of industries.
Recent graduates have gone on to become insight analysts, digital experience consultants, digital marketing specialists, journalists and even youth workers across industries, from entertainment all the way to public defence.
Whether you’re interested in working within your local community or on an international scale, our graduates are proven to be able to secure positions from top employers, including Unilever, Dyson, Deloitte, Sky and the NHS.
Sociological Studies
Sociological studies lends itself to a wide range of careers. Some of our graduates have gone on to become charity fundraisers, digital ad-operations executives, teachers, journalists, support officers, marketers and HR professionals.
The type of sectors our graduates work in range from education, social work and support services to manufacturing, technology and public administration. You’ll find our students have been employed by institutions such as the NHS, Unilever, the Home Office and Amazon.
Politics and International Relations
Many of our politics and international relations graduates have gone on to take up key roles in commerce, government, policy and charity.
Some of the job roles our students hold include: civil servant, social researcher, business development executive, social worker, data officer and editorial assistant.
We are proud that many of our students have secured positions in institutions such as the Home Office, PwC, Teach First, IBM, Deloitte and the United Nations Development Programme.
Increase your employability
The School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations offers students several ways to get involved in extracurricular activities, projects and work opportunities so that you can set yourself apart from other graduates in the job market.
Placements
You will have the opportunity to undertake a year in industry in between your second and third year of your degree.
A placement year provides an excellent opportunity to apply the knowledge, understanding and skills that you’ve developed during the earlier stages of your degree.
Internships and volunteering
Internships and voluntary work can be a great way to gain additional experience alongside your degree while also building your own professional network in the industries that interest you.
The University of Sheffield has one of the largest volunteering programmes in the UK and our careers service can put you in touch with organisations who regularly recruit students.
Read some of our student’s volunteering stories:
- Julia Gregersten, Anchor Project and Food Works
- Ruben Brown, Ignite Imaginations
- Sara Hedenskog, Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice
Additional career support
Politics mentoring scheme
All politics students have the opportunity to be matched with a mentor in their final year of study. Our mentors come from a variety of career paths and are often alumni from the school.
You will have the opportunity to gain insight into their job, discuss your potential career options with an experienced professional and receive advice on how to apply your skills from university to a wide range of careers.
Faculty of Social Sciences Employability Hub
We have our own specialised employability hub based in The Wave building. This hub offers bespoke support for social sciences students, helping you explore your career options and providing information on opportunities to build your skills and experience outside the classroom.
Many events are run throughout the year, including networking opportunities, workplace insights and workshops.
Faculty of Social Sciences Employability Hub
University Careers Service
In addition to your own specialist social science careers hub, you will also have access to our University Careers and Employability Service. Our experts can help you at every part of your journey, from deciding what you want to do, to securing your ideal job in time for graduation. It offers a range of services, including workshops, presentations, careers fairs and 1-to-1 appointments.
Visit us
Discover what sets Sheffield apart at our undergraduate open days on Saturday 21 June and Saturday 5 July 2025.