Philosophy majors go on to have satisfying careers in a variety of different fields. The study of philosophy provides you with a number of transferable job skills — the capacity for reasoning, argumentation, critical analysis, problem solving, and the ability to consider issues from multiple perspectives. Such skills make you a more creative and nimble thinker, capable of adapting to the ever-changing demands of the contemporary job market. In an environment in which most people will have multiple jobs over the span of a lifetime, such skills are, and will continue to be, in demand.Philosophy and Graduate School
Philosophy majors do very well on all graduate admissions exams, including the GRE and the GMAT. There are many professional programs for which Philosophy majors are qualified to apply, and philosophy majors have gone on to secure advanced degrees in Health Administration, Health Informatics, Public Policy, Public Health and Business Administration. These programs prepare students for administrative and leadership positions.Some small percentage of philosophy majors go on to study philosophy at the graduate level in hopes of securing an academic teaching position. Should this be your choice, there are many faculty members who can advise you on how to proceed. But career options in academic philosophy are limited; most philosophy majors find career opportunities in other areas.
Philosophy and Law
Philosophy provides an excellent preparation for the study of law, and the department offers many applicable courses such as Philosophy of Law, Ethics, and Social/Political Theory. Philosophy majors earn some of the highest scores on the LSAT and have excellent rates of acceptance to law school.Philosophy and Medicine
Many of our majors go on to study medicine. Courses like Bioethics can be a welcome addition to, or change of pace from, the many mandatory courses in the hard sciences. Additionally, the new MCAT emphasizes critical analysis and moral reasoning skills, so philosophy majors are uniquely trained to excel.Philosophy and Computer and Informational Technology
Our emphasis on logical analysis appeals to students who go on to find jobs in Computer and Informational Technology. Interested students can take courses in Logic, Philosophy of Mind, and the Philosophy of Artificial intelligence.Philosophy and Writing
Some of our students go on to find careers which involve editing, publishing, or journalism. Philosophy courses require students to develop the capacity to think and write with clarity and precision and thus serve as an excellent foundation for any job related to the printed word. Philosophy majors have gone on to earn advanced degrees in Library Science and Technical Writing.Additional Opportunities
Most of our majors seem to find rewarding careers that are just as varied as they are. We have alumni who work in the public school system, for the government, for major corporations, for public service organizations, and in many other capacities. Majoring in philosophy provides the sorts of skills that can enable the motivated student to find success.