Graduate destinations
Our graduates have entered a variety of exciting and rewarding careers.
Our graduates have gone on to become city brokers and accountants, chief executives and company directors, business analysts and marketing specialists, journalists and television producers, university professors and school teachers, museum curators and event planners, government advisors and NGO professionals, interpreters and translators, to name but a few.
Following graduation, some students have chosen to do further study in the UK, specialising in subjects as diverse as law, international development, sociology, nursing and teaching.
Others have returned to their country of study to follow advanced level postgraduate courses, often subsidised by prestigious international scholarships from the Chinese Ministry of Education, the Japan Foundation or the Korea Foundation.
- Translator
-
Transcreating may also be part of the job, which is a mix of translation, localisation and copywriting, where the text is culturally and linguistically adapted to suit the reader.
Translators usually need an excellent command of two or more languages. Those most in demand are the official languages of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN).
Translators work on commercial, educational, legal, literary, scientific and technical documents.
Most translators work freelance from home, either for translation agencies or directly for clients, although some organisations employ in-house translators
Read the full job profile on Prospects
I am now working as an in-house translator and liaison officer for an alternative investment company, splitting my time between offices in Manchester and Tokyo. I feel very lucky to be employed in a role which is directly related to my degree, but also a job which is allowing me to improve the language skills that I acquired during my time at Sheffield
Jonathan Paton
Japanese Studies BA graduate | In-house Translator and Liaison Officer
- Broadcast journalist
-
Broadcast journalists research, investigate and present news and current affairs content for television, radio and the internet. Their aim is to present information in a balanced, accurate and interesting way through news bulletins, documentaries and other factual programmes.
Broadcast journalists can occupy a number of roles within the media including:
- editor
- reporter
- presenter/news anchor
- producer
- correspondent
Read the full job profile on Prospects
My day job is producing all the audio entertainment for Virgin Atlantic Airways amongst other airlines – I have a hand in all things musical on board, from producing radio shows with celebrity hosts like George Ezra or Lily Allen, to hand-picking the boarding music you hear when you walk onto the plane
Kelly Harlock
Japanese Studies BA graduate | Audio Producer
- International aid worker
-
International aid workers focus on meeting the needs of people and communities in the developing world.
You will seek to work with developing countries to set up long-term, sustainable solutions to problems. You could also work on development projects in fields such as education, sanitation, health and agriculture, as well as in urban, rural and small business development.
Work in this sector is diverse and encompasses:
- conflict
- disaster
- preparedness
- economics
- education
- environment
- forced migration
- gender equality
- governance
- healthcare
- human rights
- infrastructure
- livelihoods
- security
Career areas include:
- administration
- research
- fundraising
- training
- consultancy
- advocacy
- relief work
- economist roles
- medicine
- engineering
- planning
- Diplomatic services
-
A Diplomatic Services operational officer works within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to protect and promote UK interests throughout the world in a variety of ways.
The FCO deals with issues such as:
- climate change
- conflict resolution
- counter terrorism
- forced marriages
- human rights
- trade and investment
Operational entrants specialise in the practical side of diplomatic work and will work in foreign policy and service delivery overseas. There will also be the opportunity to influence international and diplomatic development.
An initial period will be spent in London before the operational officer is posted overseas in a British embassy, high commission or consulate. Each posting lasts for three to four years
- Secondary school teacher
-
Secondary school teachers teach national curriculum subjects to pupils aged 11 to 18.
Teachers support, observe and record the progress of their class. They also plan lessons in line with national objectives, with the aim of ensuring a healthy culture of learning.
A secondary school teacher must keep up to date with developments in their subject area, new resources, methods and national objectives. The role involves liaising and networking with other professionals, parents and carers, both informally and formally.
Read the full job profile on Prospects
I use a great deal of my history knowledge in my day to day job, as well as many of the skills I gained at university such as presentation skills, researching, and managing time effectively. I also run a small Japanese club in the autumn term and privately tutor one other pupil at the moment
Laura Wilkins
Japanese Studies and History BA graduate | History Teacher
- Interpreter
-
Interpreters convert spoken or sign language statements from one language to another.
Interpreting involves listening to, understanding and memorising content in the original 'source' language, then reproducing statements, questions and speeches in a different 'target' language.
This is often done in only one direction, normally into the interpreter's native language, but may be on a two-way basis.
Interpreters work in the following settings:
- Business functions such as meetings, conferences, exhibitions and product launches
- Criminal justice proceedings, known as public service interpreting (PSI), including police and probation service interviews, court hearings, solicitor interviews, arbitration hearings and immigration tribunals
- Community-based events and assignments within the education, health and social services sectors
- Marketing executive
-
Marketing executives are involved in developing marketing campaigns to promote a product, service or idea. It is a varied role that includes:
- planning
- advertising
- public relations
- event organisation
- product development
- distribution
- sponsorship
- research
Many organisations have marketing departments, meaning that marketing executives can be found in both the private and public sectors, ranging from the financial, retailing and media industries to voluntary and public sector organisations.
The responsibilities of marketing executives vary depending on the size of the organisation and sector and whether the focus is on selling a product or service, or on raising awareness of an issue that affects the public.
Marketing executives may also be known as marketing officers or coordinators.
Meet our graduates
International Merit Scholarships
We offer a generous package of financial support for international students including 75 undergraduate scholarships worth £10,000 towards the annual tuition fee and 125 postgraduate taught scholarships worth £5,000 towards the tuition fee. Applications are now open for existing offer holders.