Find out more below about what careers our students have gone on to pursue after graduation.

Fiona Gliddon, BA Thai and Southeast Asian Studies and International Development, graduated 2011

I have gained a lot of new skills and knowledge and most importantly, now as I reach the end of my time in Leeds I am faced with a whole plethora of options, interests and opportunities for the next step of life that I could never have imagined or accessed previously.
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Daniel Whitehouse, BA (Hons) Thai and Southeast Asian Studies, graduated 2011

Studying Thai and Southeast Asian Studies at Leeds provided me with a wealth of opportunities, experiences and abilities that will be invaluable throughout my life and future career. During my studies I had the opportunity to give a presentation to the Thai Foreign Minister, arrange The University of Leeds Thai Forum, meet lifelong friends and learn to read, write and speak a language of which I had absolutely no previous knowledge.
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Avrohom Simons, BA Sociology and Thai and Southeast Asian Studies, graduated 2011

While Thai is admittedly a lesser studied language at university, its benefits are undeniable, both in terms of personal development and prospects for future career goals. Along with its challenges, the degree has given me a range of skills and experience needed to work well in an international environment.
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Marcus Yau, BA (Hons) Economics and Japanese, graduated 2010


The four years I spent at Leeds were the highlight of my educational career. Leeds had everything for an eager student, boasting one of the largest student populations in England, and with a huge range of modules on offer, it was certainly going to keep someone like me very busy.
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Michael Downey, BA (Hons) Japanese and Philosophy, graduated 2009

Current position: Coordinator of International Relations (CIR), JET Programme.

If you're reading this, most likely you are thinking about your future, the course you wish to take and the career opportunities it will bring to you. Being just a recent graduate myself, I'm no expert on career paths or long-term strategies, but I can tell you where I am now and what I wish I'd known back then.
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Ben Clarke, BA (Hons) Japanese Studies, graduated 2008

Current position: Electronic Media Executive, Nikkei Europe Limited.

The four years I had studying at Leeds were fantastic; the city is lively, the course was stimulating and exciting and the student atmosphere on and off campus was excellent, I had mixed emotions at graduation when I realised that my student life was over and now I had to move on to a career.
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Heather Knight, BA (Hons) Thai and Southeast Asian Studies, graduated 2008

Having completed the fourth and final year studying Thai and Southeast Asian Studies, I could not have wished for a better university experience.
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Nicholas Cropper, BA (Hons) Japanese and Management, graduated 2007

Current position: Global Human Resources Dept., SATO Corporation.

It’s been three years since I graduated from Leeds, and I would say that everything I have been able to accomplish so far has been built on the foundations of my degree.
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Christopher Allen, BA (Hons) Modern Chinese Studies, graduated 2005

Current position: Researcher, Granada Television China Serie.

My only reason for choosing to study Chinese was that I loved it. However, on graduation I realised that it was also pretty useful when looking for a job. In fact, organisations needing Chinese-speaking graduates regularly contact the Department of East Asian studies asking for help. So if you study Chinese, you might find that a job comes looking for you. This is how I was recruited by Granada Television to work on a documentary on contemporary China.
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Jonathan Axup, BA (Hons) Chinese and Management, graduated 2004

Current position: Client executive with Burson-Marsteller (a leading WPP-owned PR agency) in the Shanghai office, working on BenQ, eBay, Johnnie Walker.

Jonathan Axup graduated from the University of Leeds in 2004 with a 1st in Chinese and Management. This degree program proved to be excellent in allowing him to develop unique language and management skills, which paved the way for his entry into a career in Public Relations in China's rapidly emerging economy.
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