Students’ employment and its relation to career engagement, study success and progress among law and social science students

Working during higher education studies is common in many countries and its positive and negative effects are widely discussed. This study investigates the relationship between student employment and career engagement, study success and progress among Finnish law and social science students, while also exploring differences within these fields. A total of 314 master’s students completed a questionnaire and the data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis, independent samples t-tests, and One-Way ANOVA. Our research reveals that 89% of participants worked during their studies, with law students engaging in more field-related employment compared to their social science counterparts. The findings indicate that law students reported higher levels of career planning and networking than social science students. Additionally, the amount of work was not significantly related to study success in law, whereas in social sciences, it was. The amount and nature of work were not related to accumulation of study credits. This study emphasises field-specific differences in students’ employment and its impact on study success and career engagement. Furthermore, it highlights the necessity for universities to support students, especially in non-professional fields, in acquiring relevant work experience, which can foster career engagement and potentially improve academic outcomes.