Many of our recent graduates are now working for organisations such as the United Nations, the OECD, the European Union, the European Investment Bank and the Asian Development Bank. All over the world you can find Sussex alumni working in government departments, as diplomats and desk officers in foreign ministries, or as political assistants. Journalism has always proved a popular choice, either with newspapers, press agencies or as special correspondents for TV stations. Some graduates choose to stay in academia by undertaking further studies (PhD) and working as lecturers or researchers in public or private institutions. There is also an increasing trend for our students to aim for careers in NGOs such as Oxfam, CAFOD, Amnesty International, the Red Cross and so on.
Graduates from the MA in Conflict, Security and Development have also found careers in international development and peace-building. The MA in Geopolitics and Grand Strategy is relevant for those wishing to pursue a career in the analysis of current international affairs as policy-advisors, journalists, researchers, and global and country risk-analysts in the security and private sector. The MA International Security aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice, and is intended both for students intending to pursue postgraduate research in international security, and for those hoping to pursue, or who are seconded from, a professional career in the area.
For more information on careers such as advice on creating and developing a CV, networking, strategy as well as work opportunities while studying here at Sussex, visit the Careers and Employability Centre. For those interested in careers in the international development or humanitarian sectors, or in working in a Think Tank, refer to our short guides included in the International Relations handbook.
Profiles of recent graduates
Frances’ career perspective
After completing the M.A. in Global Political Economy (GPE) at Sussex, I went on to teach at the Autonomous University of Manizales in Colombia. My experience as a student in the GPE Masters motivated me in my work as a teacher. The course transformed my understanding of the global political economy, and left a lasting and deep imprint on me as a person. The teachers at Sussex showed unwavering dedication both to the subject matter and students’ learning. As a result, I was driven to enable my own students to have a similar transformative experience in education.
The M.A. at Sussex also pushed me to develop critical thinking and writing skills, which were essential in my continuing research. For instance, I revised my dissertation for publication as an article in an academic journal here in the UK.
I recently returned to Sussex as an ESRC funded student on the 1 + 3 (Msc in Social Research Methods to 3 years of PhD study) program. I hope to continue with an academic career (teaching and researching), as I believe that education is key to progressive social, political and economic change.
Frances Thomson (GPE, 2009-2010)
Joel's career perspective
After graduation, I worked at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), the leading security, IPE and IR postgraduate school/thinktank in Singapore. My research focused on norms in regional institutions, such as the human rights and the rule of law, where I was involved in an ASEAN-wide survey on rule of law that was published in July 2011 as well as presenting papers in Addis Ababa and Jakarta on the subject. I also worked on a project on global governance, humanitarian interventions, and human rights in ASEAN and the AU, focusing on Thailand, Myanmar, Sudan and Cote D’Ivoire. I will be pursuing a DPhil at the University of Oxford from October 2013. I believe the education I received at the University of Sussex has played a vital role in my understanding of global issues and enabled me to take a tremendous step up in working in international affairs.
Joel NG (CSD, 2009-2010)
Daniele's career perspective
My name is Daniele Malerba, I am 24 and I am currently working as an IT Consultant for the United Nations World Food Programme in Rome.
My Academic Research has always been focussing on the role that Informatics can cover in difficult situations such as famines, civil wars and destabilising events in general. The job I am doing now is giving me the opportunity to better understand how computers can change the evolution of a crisis and what happens behind the scenes during these delicate situations.
Although I still have to learn a lot on the job, I feel that my experience at Sussex was vital in preparing me for this “real life experience”.
The most important value I got from my tutors is the concept of adaptability: after my Master I was able to work in environments which were completely different from the ones I was prepared to deal with. A good University should teach you not only subjects, but also some practical skills that help you to stand on your feet after your academic life is over. The people of the University of Sussex were great in doing this!
Daniele Malerba (CSD, 2009-2010)
Matthieu's career perspective
I completed the MA in International Relations at the University of Sussex in 2008––without the original intention of further postgraduate study. I found the programme of critical historical inquiry undertaken by the department highly intriguing and its political promise inspiring. Moreover, the lively tradition of a politically active student body, and a faculty willing to challenge typical academic conventions and norms illuminated the possibilities of doctoral research and intellectual life at Sussex. Consequently, the choice to pursue PhD in the department was relatively straightforward. I am currently in the final year of the doctoral programme, and I have had the opportunity to teach on IPE courses in the department with renowned scholars, attend and deliver papers at international conferences as well as enjoy a period as a visiting researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne, Germany.
Matthieu Hughes (IR, 2008-2009)
Katie's career perspective
After living in South Africa, I wanted to build a career tackling poverty and inequality - but first, I wanted to understand their root causes. The MA in Global Political Economy was challenging, eye-opening and exciting - the perfect place to achieve that goal. My year at Sussex empowered me to engage critically with concepts, especially in finance, that had previously felt out-of-reach. I sharpened my writing and research skills. I gained a well-rounded understanding of where power lies in the global economic system, how it is exercised, and what that means for people around the world.
Today, I'm back in South Africa, working at a grassroots level as the Development Manager of a local education non-profit, SAEP - the South African Education and Environment Project. The skills I learned at Sussex have served me well: the ability to approach a new topic critically and analytically; the ability to write clearly and purposefully for multiple audiences; and an understanding of the architecture of power and wealth - both locally and globally - that helps me raise funds to give young people living in poverty a quality education.
Katie Huston (GPE, 2008-2009)
Sara's career perspective
I decided to study the master’s programme CSD at Sussex because of my great interest in violence prevention and development studies. The CSD programme was the perfect match with the area I wished to be specialized in. The University of Sussex is a top ranked University in Europe. Although education is free of charge in my home country, I chose to study at Sussex because of the good reputation and excellent quality. Since graduating with my CSD degree from Sussex, I have amongst other things completed an internship at the UNESCO Caribbean Cluster Office in Jamaica, where I developed policies to strengthening community responses to urban violence in the inner city communities of Kingston. Today, I work at the Embassy of Egypt in Stockholm. I thank Sussex for strengthening my analytical skills and allowing me to develop a critical thinking to complex issues. What I appreciated most about my master’s programme, apart from the many benefits you get by studying with students from all over the world, was the both theoretical and practical character of the programme. To have such experience is of great value, especially if you aim for a career in international development work.
Sara Estin
Secretary to the Ambassador, Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Stockholm
Archie's career perspective
Archie Lightfoot, a part-time MA student in the School of International Relations, is the Chief Operating Officer for G4S Risk Management, a business of some 4,300 people involved in armed protection, mine and other ordnance clearance, risk consulting and specialist training. The company operates in several countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Sudan. His previous role was as Chief of Operations for the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Archie says “The University of Sussex’s flexible teaching arrangement was (and continues to be) useful for me at a time when I wanted to continue working whilst preparing for a career change.”
For the previous twenty years or so, Archie worked in a variety of roles in the Oil & Gas industry; in Exploration & Production as well as in Refining & Marketing. Latterly he ran his own consulting business and was an Associate Director for PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Energy Practice in London.
Archie served in the British Army’s Royal Tank Regiment and before that spent a short time in the Merchant Navy.
Archie D Lightfoot
Robbie’s career perspective
When I took the Masters in International Relations (IR) in 2001, I found the famous 'critical' orientation of the Sussex IR Department so inspiring that I stayed on to do a PhD, which I finished in late 2005. Since then, my Sussex PhD has provided the perfect foundation for my academic career. I became a Junior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford for a couple of years before taking a lectureship in IR at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Finally, in late 2011 I returned to the UK and am currently a Senior Lecturer in IR at Queen Mary, University of London. The Sussex Masters in International Relations turned out to be a doorway into both an exciting career and some truly global life experiences. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Robbie Shilliam (IR, 2001)