Should I compare graduate destinations by department rather than by university overall?
If you have a particular department or major in mind, reviewing that department’s graduate destinations can make it easier to compare them with your goals. University-wide data can also be useful supplementary information about the range of destinations. Compare both using the same reporting year and definitions where possible. Check official information separately for details of career support, since destination data alone do not show what support is provided.
Key points
- Check whether the department’s main destinations, industries, and occupations match your interests.
- Use university-wide data as supplementary information about the range of destinations.
- Look beyond the employment rate to the number employed, numbers progressing to further study, and how main employers are reported.
Things to check
- Where a department has few graduates, results may vary substantially from year to year.
- Reporting methods and years differ among universities, so check official information.