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Careers Support

The world of finance, economics and accounting is highly competitive, and companies around the globe are increasingly selective about their choice of employees. A good first degree will always give you a strong foundation, but the academic rigour of a Masters from Durham University Business School will provide you with a world-class head start.

We are committed to tailoring your degree to make you stand out. We offer a range of career enhancing opportunities such as international exchanges, hands-on trading experience and networking events, whilst the truly international nature of our faculty and students will give you the opportunity to enhance your global network.

Careers Development Service

The University's Careers, Employability and Enterprise Centre works with closely the Business School facilitating student access to job and work experience opportunities, careers and employability events, employer workshops and presentations, skills programmes and tailored individual careers guidance. A dedicated Careers Adviser for MA and MSc students is available to support Business School students individually and collectively.

Information Staff at Durham and Queen's are available during the Centre opening hours to respond to your queries.

The Leading Edge Skills Development Programme

This programme of workshops and speaker sessions has been designed to develop skills that are essential for success, both during your studies and in the world of employment, with a focus on the skills that are valued by employers. Here, we integrate and complement the core academic programme and the wide range of services provided by the Careers Employability and Enterprise Centre by working in partnership with leading experts.

Workshops and events are scheduled throughout the year and include opportunities for reflective and experiential learning.

These cover such topics as:

  • Effective Leadership Skills
  • Delivering Impactful Presentations
  • Building High Performing Teams
  • Creative Problem-Solving & Decision Making
  • Influential Communication & Working in the Global Environment

Further online support is available via our DUO system which provides up-to-date career guidance and access to a wealth of resources. Many students also take advantage of the foreign language courses provided by the University and we offer excellent support for students to develop their written communication skills through the English Language Centre.

International Opportunities

Time abroad can not only provide you with an insight into the life, culture, language and business of another country, it can create new contacts and help you stand out when seeking employment.

So, as part of your programme, you will have the option to enhance your study experience by taking part in an International Study Tour to a European destination. Students this year visited Geneva and attended organisations such as Du Pont, Credit Suisse, UN and Hewlett Packard.. This can broaden your experience by enabling you to travel to another country to meet business leaders from a wide range of organisations. These optional tours are self-funded and take place at the beginning of the Easter vacation (March/April) each year.

Durham Speaker Series

The Durham Speaker Series involves guest speaker events that combine thought leadership and the opportunity to network with leading thinkers, senior business leaders, staff and alumni. The series provides an insight into real world experiences and current practices, thus ensuring that in a rapidly changing environment student learning is up-to-date and relevant. Speakers and topics this year include Sage Group Plc presenting on Developing Leadership and Bell Laboratories on Innovation.

Business Projects

As an alternative to the academic dissertation a pilot for Masters Business Projects was introduced in 2011.  Students work with an organisation and provide insight and recommendations on a real business issue.  This pilot will be reviewed and plans will be put in place for 2012.

Durham University Business School Alumni Network

As soon as you commence your programme at Durham, you'll become a member of our global alumni association. This network sits at the heart of the Durham Experience and can facilitate friendships and business connections, as you join with around 12,000 Durham MA, MBA, MSc, PhD and DBA graduates in over 100 countries. By tapping into the Alumni online community, you'll be able to network with our alumni and business partners to explore new opportunities, search for classmates and establish a base of professional contacts. Through our online community, you will have access to a whole host of resources in our Careers Gateway and Knowledge Portal that can help you to fulfil your career aspirations. To learn more, visit the Alumni website or the 'Durham University Business School Alumni Network' on Linkedin.

Support for International Students interested in working in the UK after their studies

The UK government aims to reduce overall numbers settling in the UK from outside the EEA/Switzerland, and closed the Tier 1: Post-Study Work (PSW) scheme to all new applications in April 2012. However the UK Border Agency is committed to helping the 'brightest and the best' and its reforms are supportive of graduates of UK business schools and universities.

Up to date information can be found on the UK Border Agency website. 

Durham University's Student Immigration & Financial Support Office provides information related  to immigration and has advisers dedicated to helping our students understand the requirements and restrictions of their visas during their studies and can provide limited advice on post-study visa requirements. Durham University Business School Careers team works closely with this Office to provide information and support to our students.