South and Southeast Asian Studies (BA)

Career prospects

What is your preferred career path? Do you enjoy coordinating? Would you like to work in marketing? Or do you prefer writing and editing? You will find that your degree in South and Southeast Asian Studies is a perfect preparation for the career of your choice.

These skills will help you

As a South and Southeast Asian Studies graduate you will have developed not only strong academic skills, but also skills that will prove valuable in your future career. These skills include critical thinking, resourcefulness, the ability to work independently as well as in teams, intercultural skills, and skills in verbal and written communication. This set of competences will greatly enhance your appeal for future employers. If you have also gained relevant work experience during your studies, this will help you find the job of your dreams even faster.

The job market survey of the Faculty of Humanities shows that 70% of our master's alumni find a job within two months, of which 83% find a job at academic or higher professional education level immediately.

What will your professional field be?

Your degree in South and Southeast Asian Studies makes you an attractive candidate for a variety of potential employers. For example, you could work in communication and marketing, IT, the public sector or the travel industry.

26 % Government and semi-government organisations
11 % IT
9 % Communication
9 % Education
7 % Banking
6 % Research
6 % Wholesale and retail
4 % Media and journalism
3 % Business services
2 % Information management
17 % Other

Source: Job market survey 2020 among graduates Area Studies 2016-2019. Career Service Humanities.

Where our graduates work: some examples of employers of former South and Southeast Asian Studies students

Ahold Delhaize
Aspen Institute Mexico
Bosman Van Zaal
De Volkskrant
De Groene Amsterdammer
KITLV
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Museum Villa Mondriaan
National Police
Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)
NUFFIC (Dutch Organization for Internationalization in Education)
Panteia (research and consulting organization)
Reinwardt Academy
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (South Asian Art department)
The Indonesia Nederland Youth Society
University of Melbourne