What can you do with a major in philosophy?

[me]

I love thinking critically about the human condition- philosophy is fascinating to me! I'm considering majoring in philosophy. What can you do with a philosophy degree, though, other than go to law school?

[sarah p]

A major in philosophy can land you promising careers in many diverse business and industries. I’ll try and explain them all here.

SOCIAL/COMMUNITY SERVICES
* Research
* Fund Raising
* Counseling
* Volunteer Coordination
* Grant Writing
* Administration

EMPLOYERS
* Nonprofit organizations
* Social service organizations
* Public interest research groups
* Museums
* Mental health agencies

RELIGION/MINISTRY
* Clergy
* Administration
* Missions

EMPLOYERS
* Local churches or synagogues
* District, regional, national, and world denominational headquarters
* Religiously affiliated schools, colleges, and universities
* Local, national, and international mission fields
* Religious organizations

EDUCATION
* Teaching
* Research
* Administration
* Student Affairs

EMPLOYERS
* Colleges and universities
* Adult education programs
* Vocational-technical educational programs
* Professional or graduate schools including Medical

GOVERNMENT
* Public Policy
* Research
* Regional Planning
* City Management
* Intelligence
* Foreign Service
* Law Enforcement
* Legislative, Executive, or Judicial Services
* Program Administration
* Elected or Appointed Leadership
* Campaign Management
* Staff Administration
* Special Interest Advocacy

EMPLOYERS
* Federal, state, and local government
* Commission on Civil Rights
* Consumer Product Safety Commission
* Department of Energy
* Federal Communications Commission
* Foreign Service
* Federal Municipal Archives
* National and State Endowments for the Humanities
* Legislative, executive, or judicial officials
* Political action committees
* Special interest groups
* Political parties
* Campaigns (national, state, or local)

ETHICS
* Medical
* Environmental
* Research

EMPLOYERS
* Hospitals
* Medical and professional schools
* Colleges and universities
* Consulting services
* Research organizations
* Health science funding agencies
* Environmental agencies

WRITING
* Editing
* Technical Writing
* Journalism
* Advertising
* Public Relations

EMPLOYERS
* Publishing companies
* Magazine and newspaper companies
* Professional and trade associations
* Advertising agencies and departments
* Electronic media organizations

BUSINESS
* Management
* Sales
* Human Resources
* Market Research
* Finance
* Insurance

EMPLOYERS
* Business firms
* Insurance companies
* Banks
* Retail stores
* Marketing research departments or organizations
* Real estate companies
* STRATEGIES
* Minor in business. Gain related experience through internships or part-time jobs.
* Obtain leadership role(s) in campus organization(s). Develop computer skills in word processing, database management, and spreadsheet programs.

# Philosophy students develop many transferable skills that can be can be utilized in a variety of careers and jobs, demonstrating the flexibility and capacity for growth that employers find valuable. These skills include analytical, organizational, research, as well as oral and written communication skills.
# Other related skills that are attractive to employers are idea generation, problem formulation and problem solving, diverse data integration, adaptation to change, the ability to elicit hidden assumptions, persuasion, and summarization of complicated material.
# An undergraduate degree qualifies one for entry-level positions in business, nonprofit organizations, and government.
# Graduate and/or professional studies usually lead to careers in law, medicine, ministry, finance, psychology, counseling, diplomacy, ethics, and related areas.

Hope this helps.