Queen Mary University of LondonGraduate Attributes You’re going places. Make the journey count.

Make the journey count

What are Queen Mary Graduate Attributes?Queen Mary University of London is committed, through research and teaching of the highest possible quality, to give students opportunities to understand and develop broad skills that are highly valued by employers. From your first steps on campus to your final exams, QML can help you become a distinctive, confident and accomplished graduate.

Queen Mary was one of the first institutions in the UK to launch a Statement of Graduate Attributes. We have worked with Queen Mary academics, current students, alumni and employers to create and develop our Graduate Attributes framework: a set of 32 attributes which fall under 7 key themes. We believe these themes are crucial to your success throughout your studies and future life – developing both subject specific knowledge and broader transferable skills.

Francesco: ‘Through a wide range of unique curricular activities, Graduate Attributes has helped me to develop my leadership and management skills that I will be able to exploit in my professional career.’ (BSc Business Management)

Graduate Attributes

How can I develop my own Graduate Attributes Profile?Across Queen Mary, you’ll find opportunities to develop your distinctive Graduate Attributes profile and develop broader skills to help you prepare for a successful professional and personal future after graduation. Group activities and projects, setting up and carrying out experiments, interpreting data and results, presentations or written work are all examples of the ways in which your degree programme can help you develop important skills valued by employers.

Extra-curricular activities can also enhance your employability, skill set and sense of personal development and fulfilment. Opportunities here on campus include joining a Student Union society or sports club, becoming a course representative, mentor or ambassador, volunteering or taking part in social enterprise projects with QMSU Volunteering.

You’ll also learn how to articulate your Queen Mary Graduate Attributes. You’ll be given opportunities to record and reflect on your progress through your School’s academic advising or personal development planning system, and through reflective workshops and schemes such as the Queen Mary Skills Award.

Olivia: ‘I think Graduate Attributes are important as they not only allow you to see yourself progress both personally and professionally towards career-minded goals, but also help you collect evidence of your achievements for future employers.’ (BSc Medical Genetics)

Graduate Attributes Themes

1 Engage critically with knowledgeThinking isn’t just about knowing. Whatever degree programme you are enrolled on you will be encouraged to think outside the box, to challenge orthodox views, to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Read widely, question everything.

2 Have a Global PerspectiveYou are not alone! With the complexities of the world today, we think it is vital to offer all of our students the opportunity to develop a full sense of their place in and responsibilities to the rest of the planet. Queen Mary has an extremely diverse student body which speaks over 100 languages, and our location in the East End and commitment to the local community means that valuing cultural diversity is integral to our identity.

3 Learn Continuously in a Changing World

We can’t teach you everything you will ever need to know. We don’t just want to give you the opportunity to develop the skills that will ensure you get the best degree result: we also want to make sure that you are equipped for the challenges and opportunities you will face throughout your life.

4 Rounded intellectual developmentKnowing oneself is the root of all wisdom. Queen Mary hopes to not only develop you professionally but to help you grow personally. The Queen Mary student experience should be about broadening your mind and challenging yourself. Know what you do well but know what you need to improve on. Reflection and self-awareness are invaluable skills in the world beyond Queen Mary.

Graduate Attributes Themes

5 Clarity of CommunicationCommunication is the key to understanding. Whether spoken or written, to a friend, to an academic or to an audience, the ability to convey your thoughts confidently and appropriately is a fine art. Here at Queen Mary we recognise the importance of communicating clearly and we encourage you to hone your skills through workshops, presentations, reports and essays.

6 Research CapacityStudying at university is about creating knowledge, not just remembering facts. Use your investigative skills to question established beliefs and use your analytical skills to create your own interpretation. Always use evidence to support your arguments.

7 Information ExpertiseIt’s is not just what you know; it’s what you do with it that helps. Learn how to use the information you gather effectively. Approach a problem logically and critically but be creative and original in your solution. Become a subject expert.

How can I find out more about Graduate Attributes?There are many ways to enhance your student experience and improve your employability at Queen Mary. It is your responsibility to take advantage of these opportunities and to create your individual Graduate Attributes profile. Let us help you achieve your potential.

To find out more about the Queen Mary Graduate Attributes, please visit: www.qmldistinction.qml.ac.uk

Humaira: ‘I have acquired a variety of skills through my degree which will be useful throughout life, not just in my career.’ (MBBS Medicine)