Career

Graduates from the Master's Programme in English Studies have found employment in a wide variety of fields. After graduation you can apply for doctoral studies, and combining your degree with pedagogical studies may qualify you to be a language teacher. English is used globally as the language of science, culture, business and tourism, and experts in English are required in all of these fields.
Career opportunities for graduates

Upon graduating from the Master's Programme in English Studies, you have:

  • developed your expertise in linguistic or literary studies.
  • strengthened your understanding of theoretical approaches and research methods within English Studies.
  • developed important working life skills such as presentation, analysis, group work and project management along with your language and writing skills.

English Studies prepares you for different types of careers in business and culture, as well as in public administration and education.

  • With a careful selection of supporting studies, you can find employment in government, the media, libraries and other cultural institutions, national and international organisations, or tourism.
  • If you complete 60 credits of pedagogical studies in conjunction with English studies, you may be qualified to teach English in Finnish schools as well as in adult education in Finland.
  • After completing your Master’s degree, you can also apply to continue your studies as a doctoral student and later build a career as a university researcher or teacher.

The University of Helsinki has the most comprehensive selection of disciplines in Finland, which allows you to select from a diverse selection of supporting studies to best benefit your future career. 
You’re never going to run out of things to talk about or research, and there’s not going to be a shortage of jobs for professionals in English anytime soon.
Career profiles

Have a look at our career profiles to get a small sampling of the most prevalent fields our alumni head towards after graduation – what directions to consider, what supporting studies are valuable, and what our degree programme offers you in the job market.
Qual­i­fic­a­tions to be­come a language teacher

When combined with pedagogical studies, a Master’s degree in English Studies may give you the qualifications required to become a language teacher.

To qualify as an English teacher in Finland, you must complete: 

  • basic, intermediate and advanced studies in English (120 credits)
  • studies in another discipline taught in schools, such as another language (60 credits, not mandatory but recommended)
  • pedagogical studies (60 credits; separate selection procedure)
  • a Master’s degree.

Please note that you will not be able to apply for a study right in pedagogical studies during your Master's degree. However, you can apply for a study right after you have completed the Master's degree (so-called "non-degree studies").
Everyone is extremely nervous for their first few lessons. You’ll gain more confidence as you continue teaching. If you are even a little interested in becoming a teacher, I would wholeheartedly recommend doing pedagogical studies.
Doc­toral stud­ies

After completing your Master of Arts degree, you can apply for a doctoral programme at the University of Helsinki or other universities. 

Suitable doctoral programmes at the University of Helsinki's Faculty of Arts include:

The Faculty of Arts at the University of Helsinki is Finland’s leading centre of research in the humanities. The Faculty has a strong research orientation, and its research represents the top level in many fields, both in Europe and globally.
My studies also helped to develop universally transferable skills, like writing, critical thinking and empathy.
Career services

Studies are part of your career. The Career Services at the University of Helsinki supports, in cooperation with the degree programmes, the growth of your expert identity as part of your studies and with separate services. 

From the start of your studies until one year after the completion of your degree, the Career Services supports your career path by:

  • giving career counselling and job-seeking support, 
  • arranging info sessions, workshops and events, 
  • providing suitable job and traineeship offers for students,
  • sharing the university’s subsidy for traineeships and  
  • facilitating group mentoring programmes.
Group mentoring programme: UNITalent

Do you want to build a career in Finland? Get valuable insight into Finnish working life and build your professional networks by applying to our group mentoring programme. 

In the HelsinkiUNI International Talent Programme (UNITalent), a group of international talents is hosted by a local company or organisation. 

Successful applicants will get to:

  • learn about expert work first-hand from a local organisation.
  • hear about different kinds of career paths in a specific sector in Finland.
  • start building their professional network in Finland.
  • support the host in gaining an international perspective by sharing their perspective. 
  • learn career management skills. 

International master’s degree students at the University of Helsinki can apply as well as Finnish students who have completed their degree abroad.
Improve your career options with Finnish

Although international students get by with English in the Helsinki region, learning Finnish significantly improves their career options after graduation. It is challenging to find a job without any knowledge of the local language.

The University of Helsinki offers free Finnish language courses for enrolled international degree students. The beginner and intermediate level courses are not only a way to learn the language, but you also learn more about Finnish culture and network with other international students across fields.
Alumni of the Uni­versity of Helsinki

After graduation, the world is wide open and full of possibilities. How can you venture forward to make the career path you want? What kind of work would you like to do? What kind of life should you lead? The Helsinki alumni community is there to support you as you transition from the University to the world of work.

All previous University of Helsinki degree and exchange students, as well as staff, are our alumni. As a member of the University of Helsinki alumni network, Finland’s largest network of experts, you get valuable support, knowledge and contacts for your working life.
More about the programme