The Student Room Group

Work experience

How much work experience must someone have to stand a good chance of doing a masters at a top 10 uni? My cousin showed me a form for york uni which only provided two lines for work experience details. They didn't seem to put much emphasis on it.

If someone wants to do a masters in politics want sort of stuff should they have? What would you expect? What would you expect to see or hope to see if you were an admissions tutor? (its these last few questions i'm most interested in).
if you go to university websites and go to postgraduate prospectus you can find allot of information on requirements and what they look for...look at LSE, Warwick, UCL, etc.

IT can vary from uni to uni
Reply 2
Speaking from personal experience (LSE MSc Government) I don't think work experience is that important. I had summer jobs in government departments during my undergrad, but nothing exceptionally relevant - mostly just administrative. I don't know for sure, but I don't think that experience had anything to do with my admission because friends of mine also got in with absolutely no relevant work experience (retail, summer camps, etc.). So basically I wouldn't worry if you have no experience, but I'm sure if you have something really relevant it can't hurt.
Reply 3
depends...

for pre-experience Masters (MSc, MA, etc.): obviously not important (as the name "PRE-exp." already suggests
but even in this case...it can most probably only be to your advantage to have work exp. (just sell it right)

for MBA: absolutely neccessary (although some individuals manage to get in w/o any work exp.)
Eton333
How much work experience must someone have to stand a good chance of doing a masters at a top 10 uni? My cousin showed me a form for york uni which only provided two lines for work experience details. They didn't seem to put much emphasis on it.

If someone wants to do a masters in politics want sort of stuff should they have? What would you expect? What would you expect to see or hope to see if you were an admissions tutor? (its these last few questions i'm most interested in).


I am going to a masters at UCL with no work experience except for summer internships and term-time work. But there are definitely people on the course who have worked and are older than me. If you have good recs and good grades I don't think you need to have worked, unless it's an MBA.
Reply 5
shady lane
If you have good recs and good grades I don't think you need to have worked, unless it's an MBA.


i totally agree. as long as you have good grades you dont have to have any work experience in order to get admitted to a good MSc. however, it can be an advantage, and can make up for a slightly low GPA.

i have been accepted to MSc in Management and Regulation of Risk at the LSE on the basis of my grades only as i do not have any experience. and i will be one of the youngest in the programme as there are many with experience in risk management.
Reply 6
shady lane
I am going to a masters at UCL with no work experience except for summer internships and term-time work. But there are definitely people on the course who have worked and are older than me. If you have good recs and good grades I don't think you need to have worked, unless it's an MBA.


it's internships that im talking about not a career before a masters.
Eton333
it's internships that im talking about not a career before a masters.


Oh OK.
I'm doing a masters in international public policy, and I have a BA in international relations. I spent one summer as a volunteer teacher about HIV/AIDS in Tanzania, and another summer as a research intern at a think tank in Ghana. I also worked in ad sales at my university newspaper.

Latest