In 2005, 41,725 Masters degrees were awarded to UK-domiciled graduates by UK universities. Of them, 70.5%, or 29430, gave information to HESA's Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey. Women made up 53.3% of the respondent population, and 52.7% of Masters qualifications were the result of full-time study. Masters degrees continue to be studied part-time as a component of professional development, particularly in highly vocational areas. Just over half, 50.9%, of Masters graduates were over 30 years old when they graduated. Table One below summarises the number of graduates gaining degrees in each subject. 4,390 graduates reached Masters level in business studies in 2005, giving it 10.5% of the qualifying population. This represents a substantial fall compared to 2004 figures, but still leaves the subject as comfortably the most popular Masters degree. 2,240 management Masters were awarded, or 5.4% of the total, and 5.0% were achieved in subjects relating to the academic study of education - equating to 2,070 Masters graduates. All three top subjects had large proportions of mature and part-time qualifiers. | Subject | Number of graduates | Percentage of graduating cohort |
|---|
| Business studies | 4390 | 10.5% | | Management studies | 2240 | 5.4% | | Academic studies in education | 2070 | 5.0% | | Law | 1605 | 3.8% | | Psychology | 1545 | 3.7% | | Computer science | 1395 | 3.3% | | History | 1395 | 3.3% | | Politics | 1365 | 3.3% | | Others in subjects allied to medicine | 1165 | 2.8% | | English studies | 950 | 2.3% | | Human resource management | 905 | 2.2% | | Clinical medicine | 845 | 2.0% |
Table One: Most popular subjects of UK-domiciled masters graduates from 2005 69.3% of masters graduates were in work in the UK 6 months after graduating. Another 9.5% of masters graduates were combining work and study - meaning just under four in five masters graduates - 78.8% - from 2005 were working at the start of 2006. (See Table Two) – a small increase from 2004. Of the remainder, 7.5% of masters graduates had gone on to study further in the UK, and 3.0% had gone overseas to start their careers in work or study. 3.3% were unavailable for work or study - mainly travelling - and 4.2% were unemployed - a fall from the 2004 figure, but still slightly up from the rate in 2003. | First destination | Percentage of graduates |
|---|
| Entered work in the UK | 69.3% | | Working and studying | 9.5% | | Entered study or training in the UK | 7.5% | | Working or studying overseas | 3.0% | | Not available for work or study | 3.3% | | Believed unemployed | 4.2% | | Other | 3.2% |
Table Two: Survey responses of UK-domiciled masters graduates from 2005 Of the graduates from 2005 who replied to the survey, 23,410 entered work in the UK. Just under a quarter of graduates, 5,090 or 22.0% of the population, had entered a management role six months after graduating. Although this is an obvious product of the importance of business and management subjects, many other subjects also saw significant numbers of graduates entering these jobs. Education accounted for one in eight graduates, 2,900, many of whom had studied part time. The popular field of ‘other professionals’, was largely made up of general researchers in academia; town planners; and architects. Table Three below shows the types of work that the whole masters group went into. It is significant to note that, relative to undergraduate study, relatively few Masters graduates went into work that would be considered 'non-graduate'. In 2005, 13.2% of Masters graduates started work in jobs that did not require a degree, mainly in entry-level office work. However, for some subjects, especially in the arts and humanities, this figure was much higher. | Type of work | % of graduate population | Number of graduates |
|---|
| Marketing, sales and advertising professionals | 2.7% | 625 | | Commercial, industrial and public sector managers | 22.0% | 5090 | | Scientific research, analysis and development professionals | 3.1% | 710 | | Engineering professionals | 3.1% | 720 | | Health professionals and associate professionals | 7.1% | 1645 | | Education professionals | 12.5% | 2900 | | Business and finance professionals | 9.0% | 2080 | | Information technology professionals | 4.3% | 990 | | Arts, design, culture, media and sports professionals | 5.2% | 1200 | | Legal professionals | 1.2% | 275 | | Social and welfare professionals | 5.8% | 1340 | | Other professionals, associate professional and technical occupations | 11.9% | 2745 | | Numerical clerks and cashiers | 0.9% | 215 | | Other clerical and secretarial occupations | 5.8% | 1350 | | Retail, catering, waiting and bar staff | 1.7% | 400 | | Other occupations | 3.6% | 830 | | Unknown occupations | 0.1% | 35 | | Total | 100% | 23140 |
Table Three: Types of work undertaken by UK-domiciled masters degree students graduating in 2005 and working in the UK |
