The successes of our students attest to the fact that a philosophy degree can help get you a job – often a very good job.  But very few jobs depend on getting an undergraduate degree in a specific academic discipline.  Rather, university graduates get jobs because they are articulate and have the kinds of reasoning skills needed to identify, analyze, and solve problems.  Philosophy offers an exceptional training in this regard because it requires a mastery of logic, a willingness to grapple with complex and often highly contentious issues, and a familiarity with the work of some of the world’s most seminal and challenging thinkers.  Studies of the scores achieved on standardized tests like the GRE (used for admission to US graduates schools) and GMAT (used for admission to MBA programs ) show that philosophy majors typically perform better on these tests than students majoring in other academic disciplines.

Some philosophy graduates choose to continue their study of philosophy at the post-graduate level, but most do not.  Instead, they use their degree as a springboard into law school, medicine, government, or business.   But we would like to encourage you to resist looking at a university education merely as a means of job-training.  Of course seeking a specific career is an important goal in life and the university can help in the achievement of this goal, but this is only because it serves its original purpose, which is to be a place where people can seek their highest potential, become more reflective about their own beliefs, and participate in the quest for new knowledge.

Henry Thoreau insisted that people ought not merely to have a living, they ought to have a life rich in experience.  Philosophy helps you to achieve that kind of life.  It is one of the oldest disciplines in the western academic tradition and it continues to be a critical element of a liberal education today.

Philosophy’s makeover Why job prospects for philosophy grads are brightening
An article from University Affairs

Help wanted: Serious thinkers
An article from the Ottawa Citizen

Philosophy Students 'A Happy Lot'
An article from BBC News

Philosophy Is A Quintessentially Modern Discipline
An article from the London Times

Philosophers Find The Degree Pays Off In Life And Work
An article from the New York Times

How Does Philosophy Relate To My Career?
Quotes from business leaders on the advantages of having a background in philosophy

What Can You Do With A Philosophy Degree?
A detailed discussion of the professional skills philosophy provides and their value

Philosophy Rocks the Graduate Record Exam
Most philosophy graduates do well on this standarized test