Placements and Employability
To be competitive in the current job market you need more than just a degree - you need to gain and demonstrate key skills for the workplace. Our work placements and employability programme provides valuable work experience, self-confidence and a practical application of your studies.
We offer a Politics Placement module, a Paid Placement Scheme to work within the school, and a range of other placement opportunities with local and national employers which may be paid or voluntary, part-time alongside your studies or as a longer placement during university vacations. These include term-time one day a week placements and summer placements.
Placements are available for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Undertaking a placement will equip you with the following career-ready toolkit:
- A stronger CV with essential work experience listed
- Self-development as a person and understanding of the working environment
- Great networking contacts
- Links to employers to assist you with career opportunities when you graduate
My placement experience has equipped me with practical skills that are needed in a crowded labour market: as well as developing my character, expectations in work, and an overall understanding of how things work outside of University life. I have been lucky to obtain a placement that reflected my passions and aspirations in a comprehensive manner.
All students in the School of Politics and International Relations are eligible to participate twice a year in the exclusive Faculty Placements Programme.
This programme provides over 100 placement across each semester. Each placement is 70 hours duration over a 10 week period, and is flexible to enable you accommodate it alongside your regular academic studies. Students who complete their placement can also gain the prestigious Nottingham Advantage Award. The faculty and school partner with the Careers and Employability Service to provide end-to-end support for these placements, whether that be applications, workshops, CV and interview guidance, and post-placement ‘next steps’.
The programme is open to applications between:
- July – early September for autumn semester
- Mid-October to mid-November for spring semester
Access the vacancies and support and guidance (log-in required)
Placement providers
Current and past placement partners include:
Placement role examples
- Social Impact Researcher
- Parliamentary Intern/Assistant for MP in Parliament
- Political Research Officer
- Social Media, Marketing and PR Officer
- Events and Campaigns Officer
- Research Assistant
- Strategy and Commissioning Assistant
- Partnerships and Networking Assistant
- Global Conflict Resolution Intern
- Communications Officer
- Statistical Analyst and Researcher
Skills and experience
- Communications
- Social Media skills
- Marketing
- Research skills
- Quantitative and qualitative data analysis
- Research design
- Evaluating information
- Formulating reasoned arguments
- Direct experience in UK Politics through Parliament
- Presentation skills
- Teamwork
- Market research
- Critical and evaluative thinking
- Logical argumentation
The University of Nottingham's Politics and International Relations internship programme is an invaluable resource for international organisations, businesses and non-governmental organisations alike.
The student base is one of the most motivated and qualified that I have come across in a long time, a combination which ensures we are provided with dedicated students, eager to learn while simultaneously able to produce high-quality work. The fact that the students can either come to the office or work remotely also adds a highly useful element of flexibility to the programme - for organisations and students.
The university's support streamlines the intern selection process; short-listing applicants whose profiles most fit the job, and remaining a reassuring background presence that you can turn to should anything not be going smoothly - a situation that is yet to materialise! I am extremely grateful for their support.
Josie Lianna Kaye, Director of TrustWorks Global - London
Frequently asked questions
Find answers to frequently asked questions
Contact
Steve Vaccarini, Faculty Placements Manager
Please be aware that study abroad, compulsory year abroad, optional placements/internships and integrated year in industry opportunities may change at any time for a number of reasons, including curriculum developments, changes to arrangements with partner universities or placement/industry hosts, travel restrictions or other circumstances outside of the university's control. Every effort will be made to update this information as quickly as possible should a change occur.