What is politics? Is man, as Aristotle argued, a political animal? What should the state do? And what happens if the state is about to crumble away? In what way does Sweden act in the EU – and what does Sweden mean for the EU? Who benefits from globalisation? Who is allowed to be a citizen? How are the climate changes to be handled politically? Whose security and what values are protected by the security policy? What is terrorism?

Political conversations take place everywhere – in the UN, in the Swedish parliament, at our on dinner tables, in the media. Whether it is about current politics or eternal philosophical dilemmas, issues concerning the governance of society and how our community should be organised are always of immediate interest and importance. Political science focuses on these problems.

Many areas in society, both in the public and private spheres, are affected by political structures and mechanisms. An education in political science gives you good knowledge of the way in which society is structured and functioning.

The main working areas for political scientists are employments as analysts, investigators, administrators, public relations officers, etc. An increasing need of analyses of the surrounding world has made the demand for political scientists in the private sector grow larger in recent years.

If you have any questions, please contact our student counsellor at studievagledare@statsvet.su.se.

The latest alumni surveys conducted by the Department of Political Science (2019) and Stockholm University's Student Services (2021) show that the department's alumni find employment quickly after graduation, most (70 %) within six months. The results also show that the majority get jobs that are related to their degree at workplaces that are largely engaged in administration or politics. The most common sectors in which our former students work are:

• Public sector: 62 %
  • Government agencies
  • Regions
  • Municipalities
  • Including international organizations (e.g. UN, EU, etc.)
• Private sector: 26 %
  • Media
  • Finance companies
  • Private care companies
  • Consulting firms
• Non-profit sector: 10 %
  • Political parties
  • Advocacy groups
  • Think tanks
• Self employed: 2 %

The alumni's titles and work tasks indicate that their main daily occupation does not differ much from how they studied during their education at the department. Namely to take in a lot of information and then organize, summarize and analyse. The most common work tasks that emerged in the surveys were:

• Analysis: 20 %
• Administration: 17 %
• Communication: 13 %
• Guidance/advice: 12 %
• Research: 10 %
• Processing: 10 %

Internships are highlighted as particularly important for opportunities in the labor market after graduation, and up to 80 % of those who did an internship during their education state that this has been crucial in getting a job. Methodological knowledge and experience of studying abroad were also highlighted as appreciated in the labor market. The surveys also showed that former students tend to have a positive salary development.

Read the report: Alumni report (Swedish) (377 Kb)

Questions and results:

• The department's survey from 2019 (359 Kb)
• SU:s Student Services' survey from 2021 (Swedish) (625 Kb)