Getting ready - Kingston University London

Getting ready for your future

We know that the graduate job market is becoming increasingly competitive, and that in tough economic times it's more important than ever to stand out from the crowd. So here at Kingston we place great importance on giving you the opportunity to do so. Your degree is a great investment for the future.

Even courses that are not vocational include work-related skills. We'll make sure you're properly trained in:

• career management;
• IT and communication;
• numeracy; and
• teamwork.

Plus many of our courses feature:

• study abroad opportunities;
• links with employers;
• placements;
• employability advice;
• help for talented athletes;  and
• postgraduate opportunities.

 

Study abroad opportunities

The world is becoming a smaller place, and a year studying overseas can add real value to a CV. Many courses at Kingston offer you the opportunity to spend some time studying abroad – courses are often taught in English so you don't even need to be fluent in a particular language to apply. Learn more about studying abroad, including the Erasmus programme.

Links with employers

Our links with employees keep our courses up to date with modern workplaces. We also work with outside companies who involve our students in 'live' projects. This gives you real-world experience. Past projects have included:

• computer science students developing an information system for clients such as London Zoo;
• journalism students producing a campus newspaper;
• architecture students working on a 'Space for Waste' project, which led to a flagship recycling initiative; and
• art and design students being commissioned by publisher Random House to produce animated films based on a new novel by Salman Rushdie.

Placements

We know real-world experience is important and can help give that extra depth to your CV. Many of our degrees at Kingston are vocational and offer you the chance to undertake a work placement year.

Work placements (or sandwich year placements) give you the chance to:

• gain practical experience;
• learn what the working world is like;
• improve your employment prospects;
• earn a salary; and
• work for companies such as Disney, Royal Mail and BT.

Employability advice

Every faculty has an employability co-ordinator based on your main campus of study. They can offer advice on all aspects on the recruitment and selection process, including:

• different work sectors;
• what employers are looking for and how to market yourself to them;
• job hunting;
• CVs, covering letters and application forms;
• interviews; and
• further study.

They even offer support and advice even after you have graduated.

Visit the Careers and Employability Service website to find out our latest information.

Help for talented athletes

The Sports Performance Programme helps talented sports people at the University balance their sporting and academic commitments. If you currently compete at regional or senior club level up to senior International level or similar you can apply to join the scheme. Read more.

Postgraduate opportunities

Even though you're only just starting to think about a degree, it’s also worth considering the future and whether you might want to study for a postgraduate qualification after your first degree.

Here at Kingston we offer a large range of postgraduate courses, some enabling you to specialise further in your area of interest, others which are required for certain careers (teaching, architecture etc). There are also some conversion courses which enable you to specialise in an area you did not study at degree level (eg law).