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Politics, International Relations & Philosophy

What next for SPIRE Students?

Completion of your studies is not the end, but just the beginning of a successful future.

There are many different routes to consider and SPIRE staff can help you chose a career path.

Contact : Dr Liz Carter, Careers Officer for SPIRE

OR University Careers Guidance

Career Opportunties

Graduates in Politics, International Relations and/or Philosophy go into a wide variety of jobs.

To get a better idea of the options open to you with a degree in these subjects, visit the Prospects ‘Options with your Subject’ page

Other websites that have advice on possible careers include:
GET http://www.get.hobsons.co.uk/adviceCareer.jsp
Inside Careers http://www.insidecareers.co.uk/

In addition, visit the Careers Service careers information page for general information on careers and specific information on careers in central and local government, environmental organizations, legal careers, social policy research and many more areas.
 
Other websites with specific opportunities for politics, international relations and/or philosophy graduates include:

Work Experience:

Before entering a career, it can be a good idea to gain some work experience first. Many SPIRE students do a short internship with a company or organization – either during a summer holiday or directly after graduation.
For information on work experience in general and on opportunities visit the Careers Service website.

Other useful sites include:
The Prospects work experience webpage
The National Council for Work Experience www.work-experience.org/
Aspects Internships www.aspectinternships.co.uk/
Work experience placements at the BBC www.bbc.co.uk/workexperience

Postgraduate Taught Study

If you are wondering on how to embark on an MA or MRES to enhance your career prospects, SPIRE holds an annual Postgraduate Study Information Session which takes place in the Autumn semester.

There will be a presentation by staff from the University Careers Office, talks by members of staff about popular MA courses run by SPIRE (such as Diplomatic Studies and Environmental Politics), discussions about research funding, and a chance to pose any questions about how to find the right course and university for you.

In addition, a further SPIRE MA Event is held each Spring, which provides information about postgraduate study in Politics and International Relations and a chance to meet current postgraduate students in SPIRE.   

Masters courses (MA and MRes) in SPIRE:

  • Diplomatic Studies
  • Environmental Politics
  • European Politics and Culture
  • Global Security
  • Human Rights, Globalisation And Justice
  • International Relations

For further information on these courses (including funding possibilities), see our Taught Masters webpage.

Postgraduate Study elsewhere:
To find out about what courses might be right for you, visit the Prospects website where you can search by institution, geographical area and subject.

Once you have an idea of what is on offer, visit the websites of universities and departments that run appropriate courses.

Get an idea of the content of each course and of the assessment methods (e.g. What are the core modules? How much choice will you have? Will you be taking exams? Will you be writing a dissertation?)

Find out what the entry requirements are.  Keep a close eye on deadlines.

Be clear about the application procedure (e.g. Will you have to prepare a personal statement? Will you have to send a CV? Will you have to send some sample work? How many references will you need?)

If you need references, be ready to approach teaching staff early to ask them to write you one, and to give them enough time to do so.

Thinking of postgraduate study in the USA?
If so, please bear in mind that the application process can take a long time. For further details, visit the relevant Careers Service website.

Postgraduate Research

To develop your knowledge further through research you might consider studying for a PhD/doctorate.

A PhD requires you to complete a thesis on a substantial piece of research that makes an original contribution to existing research and knowledge in the subject. During your PhD studies, you will mainly be engaged in independent research, although you will also receive research training.

In terms of applying for a PhD, you will normally require a 2:1 degree or better, especially if you hope to receive funding for your PhD studies. It is also very advantageous to have done an MA, or even better, an MRes, prior to applying for a PhD.

In social science subjects you are usually required to submit a research proposal when applying for a PhD. As well as coming up with a research idea, you will need to make contact with a potential supervisor to discuss ideas before you apply to a department.

The first step, therefore, is to consider what research you would like to conduct for your PhD. Then, try to identify a potential supervisor with the appropriate subject expertise at a university you would like to apply to. Your current tutors may well be able to help you in this task. Once you have done that, visit the relevant department’s website to find information on the application process, and make contact with the potential supervisor you have identified to enquire whether he or she would be willing to supervise you and to discuss research ideas.

A PhD can be an extremely rewarding experience. However, do bear in mind that undertaking a PhD represents an enormous commitment. The PhD process usually takes a minimum of 3 years full time study and many universities now require students to complete within 4 years.

For more information on what is involved in writing a PhD, on possible sources of funding, and on tips for applying, see the FindAPhD.com page and the relevant Prospects page

Doing a PhD in Politics, International Relations or Philosophy at Keele
At Keele, research in politics, international relations and philosophy is organized through the Research Institute for Social Sciences. The Research Institute also oversees and manages the supervision of postgraduate research students.

For more information on the Research Institute and on areas of research in which supervision is available see the Institute’s webpage

For full details of the PhD application procedure see the Graduate School’s website

Cost of study and funding possibilities:

For details of the cost of postgraduate study, see the Graduate School’s webpage.

There are a number of external organizations (such as the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)) that will sponsor students to study for a research degree. In addition, Keele offers a number of studentships and bursaries for research leading to a PhD.

For more information on these opportunities, visit the Graduate School’s webpage.
or for specific advice on Research Council (AHRC or ESRC) PhD studenships contact Helen Farrell in the Faculty Research office h.farrell@ilpj.keele.ac.uk

Please bear in mind that, if you wish to apply for funding for a PhD, either at Keele or elsewhere, you will need to allow plenty of time.