The Ministry of Defence has been voted the favourite government department for graduate schemes.

In the Universum UK Graduate Survey, the MoD was voted third favourite by humanities and engineering/science graduates.

Other public sector organisations that fared well were the Environment Agency, voted second favourite by engineering and science graduates; the civil service, voted second favourite by humanities graduates; and the NHS, voted fourth favourite by engineering and science graduates and fifth place by humanities graduates.

An MoD said its success was down to the strength of its graduate scheme. "We invest very heavily in graduates making it very possible for them to get a chartership status in their chosen profession within just four years of joining the MoD."