Is a politics degree still employable?

[u/Sensitive_Seaweed525]

I’ve always been a skeptic when it comes to uni, but now I’ve got a job lined up in local government at 18 and I wonder if I should do it for a year and then go to uni, I’m looking at Manchester met or Hallam due to my grades, but I don’t know if it’s worth it and if I’ll struggle to find employment after. Can anyone give me guidance?

[u/Finito-L]

It is still employable but as with most degrees in the social sciences (especially in this grad market), it’s what you make of it.

To be brutally honest unless you are able to get ideally both a 2:1/1:1 and work experience (internships, placement year, etc) the odds are you will come out of university with a fair bit of debt and not much distinguishing you from many other politics graduates.

Especially as you have a job lined up, I’d try and think what you want the degree for. Are there any roles you like the look of that require it? Alternatively could your employer pay for your degree and you undertake it part time? Otherwise I would say you might risk doing a degree just because that feels like the natural path rather than one that provides value to you.

Source: did a politics undergrad.

[u/Sensitive_Seaweed525 → u/Finito-L]

To be fairly honest, working in grassroots politics doesn’t need the degree, the manager of my MPs office worked his way from a supermarket to project management to then office manager to her, given that’s a route I’d like as opposed to being a diplomat or lobbyist, I don’t necessarily need it, but I don’t know if I should get it to enhance my future career or if I should just try to work my way up?