Passion pays off: Bayreuth alumni study confirms the high career relevance of cultural studies degree programmes

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Those studying cultural and social sciences are often asked what career prospects these subjects offer. A recent graduate tracking study conducted by the Chair of Social Anthropology at the University of Bayreuth provides a clear answer: graduates of the programmes in African Culture and Society (KuGeA), Ethnology, and Social and Cultural Anthropology (SKA) go on to pursue successful and diverse career paths.

The study was carried out as part of a two-semester practical seminar led by Prof. Dr Erdmute Alber and PD Dr Tabea Häberlein. It is based on responses from 113 alumni out of a total population of 477 graduates who have obtained a degree since 2004. The survey data was supplemented by qualitative interviews conducted at the first alumni reunion in the summer of 2025.

A key finding is that most respondents make a swift transition into the labour market. Of the 85 people providing usable data, 25.8 per cent entered the workforce immediately after completing their studies, whilst the vast majority found employment within a year. Around 68 per cent of respondents also stated that they felt their degree had prepared them well or very well for their career. The alumni rated analytical skills, scientific methodological competence, intercultural skills and interdisciplinary thinking particularly highly.

“The study impressively demonstrates that our graduates, who have an intrinsic interest in their subject, go on to find their way into a wide variety of professional fields and continue to benefit in the long term from the skills they acquired during their studies. Analytical thinking, intercultural competence and the ability to understand complex interrelationships and shape them independently are proving particularly valuable in a changing world of work,” says Prof. Dr Erdmute Alber, holder of the Chair of Social Anthropology at the University of Bayreuth. “At the same time, we take the feedback from our alumni seriously. A greater practical focus, stronger career guidance and dialogue with graduates are key drivers for the ongoing development of our degree programmes.”

The career fields of our graduates are wide-ranging. They are particularly likely to work in development cooperation (24 per cent), followed by roles in education and social services (17 per cent) and academia, research and teaching (13 per cent). The spectrum also extends from cultural and educational work, through administration and politics, to IT, media and start-ups.

The career paths taken by graduates are wide-ranging. They are particularly likely to work in development cooperation (24 per cent), followed by roles in education and social services (17 per cent) and academia, research and teaching (13 per cent). The spectrum also extends from cultural and educational work, through administration and politics, to IT, media and start-ups.

At the same time, the study shows that professional success depends less on a clearly defined job profile than on the ability to chart one’s own course. The researchers refer to this as ‘individual agency’: the ability to actively make use of open study structures, to set one’s own priorities and to apply the skills acquired flexibly in changing professional contexts.