Systematic literature review explores non-academic career paths for STEM and HSS PhD holders, suggesting implications for preparation.
While in the past an academic career has been a prominent option for PhD graduates, careers have diversified and transformed within and beyond academia. In this chapter, we discuss careers external to academia among holder of PhDs in humanities and social sciences and science, technology, engineering, and maths. The chapter draws on a systematic literature review applying the PRISMA protocol on PhD holders’ non-academic career experiences. The results can be help facilitate the preparation of PhD candidates and those in their early PhD careers for prospective careers outside academia including a view to field-specific differences. Practical implications are envisioned.
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Sundström et al. (2026) studied this question.
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