1. P O S T G R A D U A T E D E S T I N A T I O N S
SOCIAL SCIENCE DOCTORAL GRADUATES
IN THE UK
Sally Hancock
Department of Education, University of York
Postgraduate Study and Employability
University of Edinburgh, 19 May 2017

2. Institute for Employment Research, Warwick
Acknowledgements
Dr. Heike Behle
Institute for Employment Research, Warwick

3. M E T H O D

4. Dataset
Secondary data analysis of the Destinations of Leavers of Higher longitudinal survey (LDLHE)
2008/9 and 2010/11 UK doctoral graduates
Activity and employment at 3.5 years
Linked to Student Record
- Academic and socio-demographic characteristics
- E.g. age, gender, ethnicity, parent, school, POLAR

5. Dataset Responses (n) Response rate (%) 2008/9 2060 38.3 2010/11 2285
40.6
Total
4345
39.4

6. S A M P L E

7. Sample 1 Social Sci STEM Arts Hum All sample 10.9 70.1 19.0
Social Sci
STEM
Arts Hum
All sample
10.9
70.1
19.0
≤ 25 on entry
34.6
63.6
32.3
Taught Master's
56.3
31.1
60.3
Parent HE
47.7
55.7
59.7
POLAR 1 or 2
8.1
7.8
6.7

8. Sample II Social Sci STEM Arts Hum Male 51.1 50.6 45.4 Female 48.9
Social Sci
STEM
Arts Hum
Male
51.1
50.6
45.4
Female
48.9
49.4
54.6
White British
92.3
89.3
93.2
Asian
3.1
6.5
1.1
Black British
2.3
0.8

9. Subject Area by Institution Mission Group

10. D E S T I N A T I O N S

11. Employment (ft/pt)
88.1 of sample
87.0 of Soc Sci
Graduate employment (ft/pt)
92.5 of employed sample
92.6 of employed Soc Sci
NSSEC 1& Soc Sci (96.6 STEM; 91 ArtHum)

12. Higher education teaching professional 20.4 46.1
All
Soc Sci
Higher education teaching professional
20.4
46.1
University research (discipline unspecified)
9.4
6.3
Natural and social science professionals 
4.7
1.5
Medical practitioners
4.2
0.0
Clinical psychologists
4.1
Biochemists, medical scientists
3.6
Programmers and software development professionals
2.4
Social and humanities scientists
2.2
4.3
Senior professionals of educational establishments
1.9
4.6
Secondary education teaching professionals
1.7
n=2343

13. A C A D E M I C C A R E E R S

14. Progression into HE teaching professional
Within Soc Sci…
Russell Group
White British
Male (p < .001)
n=876

15. White Male Russell Group = £60292
Salary of higher education teaching professional (x̄)
Soc Sci range = £ £73000
Male = £45270
Female = £31229
White = £40675
Black British = £26300
White Male Russell Group = £60292
n=876

16. Career satisfaction 91% of doctoral graduates very or fairly satisfied
94% of doctoral graduates working as HETP
Social Scientists happier than Arts Humanities, but STEM happier still!

17. R E F L E C T I O N S
Tentative association between PhD subject area and socio-demographic characteristics
Clearer association with HEI type
Social Science graduates reporting relatively positive outcomes
Persistence of socio-demographic inequalities even within academic roles

18. T H A N K Y O U