Warwick PAIS department top for employment

**Warwick’s department of Politics and International Studies (PAIS) has been ranked joint first for employability in the Russell Group, a new report says.**

The department was rated joint top for employability compared to similar departments at other universities, according to a survey of undergraduate alumni by the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) published in _the Guardian_.

Warwick was placed alongside the University of Edinburgh and the London School of Economics, which both scored 76 out of 100 for graduate jobs or further study after six months.

This comes shortly after it was reported that [graduates from the University were targeted by more of the UK’s top 100 graduate employers](https://theboar.org/news/2013/jan/23/employers-warwick-we-want-you/) than those from any other UK university.

Another report from Unistats found that approximately 90 percent of graduates from PAIS proceeded to either graduate-level jobs or further education within six months of graduating. This is the highest percentage in the UK compared to similar departments.

Binita Mehta, 22, studied PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics) and graduated last July with a 2:1. She is now working in communications for think tank British Future, but will soon move to a public affairs and communications position for the Advertising Association.

Ms Mehta said that the wide range of courses offered by the PAIS department – such as Politics, Politics with International Studies, and Politics with French – probably contributes to the employability of its graduates.

However, she emphasised the crucial nature of getting work experience while studying: “If you’re not making the most of all the aspects of university life available to you in the short time that you’re there, prepare to have even more of a struggle to break into the ever-challenging job market.”

Rupert Price, 22, studied Politics and also graduated last year with a 2:1. He has just returned from backpacking around Central America and is now starting a graduate scheme at investment bank Citigroup, which he secured while still studying.

Mr Price said that while the PAIS department equips students with the “classic set of analytical skills that pretty much all graduate employers look for”, extra-curricular activities are still very important.

“Warwick PAIS is such an entrepreneurial community that it would be difficult to graduate without having contributed or managed any of the academic student journals, events, conferences, or the busy campus politics scene,” he said.

Christopher Hughes, head of department for PAIS, attributed the department’s high ranking to “the inherent top quality of our student cohorts, the recognised quality of our degree programmes, our cutting-edge research-led teaching, our study abroad programmes and international opportunities, along with a strong emphasis on employability and personal development.”

He added: “Data and league tables fluctuate and we can never afford to be complacent, but I think we can be pleased at such a strong showing which demonstrates the very high quality of PAIS and its students.”

But not all PAIS graduates have been immediately successful after graduation. Jonathan Frayman, 22, graduated with a 2:1 in History and Politics last year. He originally planned to go to law school, but after deciding it was not for him he has been spending his time doing part-time work for the money and applying for graduate schemes.

“I’ve really been focusing on trying to get a grad scheme sorted for September which is hopefully close to fruition now,” he said, “and then I will go travelling.”

While he said that besides two modules the course was ‘generally excellent’, he thought that departmental feedback could have been better and more prompt and that the administrative services could be improved.

The average salary among PAIS graduates is £22,675 per annum, the second highest out of all of the universities surveyed.