Most students will change careers multiple times in their lives. Philosophy majors have skills that will serve them throughout their lives in any chosen career.
A recent survey of employers conducted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found that, of all the practical and intellectual skills that employers are looking for in potential employees, the “ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing” and “critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills” are the most important. These are precisely the sorts of skills that the standardized exams for admittance to graduate, business, and law school are designed to test for, and the data demonstrate that philosophy majors do extraordinarily well on them.
Preparation for Graduate, Business, and Law School
Philosophy majors outperform all other majors on both the Verbal Reasoning section and the Analytic Writing section of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), and all humanities and social science majors except Economics on the Quantitative Reasoning section. Philosophy majors outperform Business, Finance, Marketing, Information Systems, International Business, and Accounting majors on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and outperform every undergraduate major except Mathematics and Physics. Although they make up a small percentage of the applicant pool (.5 percent), philosophy majors have the second highest acceptance rate to medical school.
Philosophy majors outperform all other pre-law majors on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), and all other majors except physics/math. Here’s what Brian Leiter, Karl N. Llewellyn Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Chicago Law School, says about the value of studying philosophy (you can also view the full article):
“We talk about a liberal arts education teaching critical thinking. And sometimes it does—I think a lot of times it doesn’t. But philosophy always does. A legitimate department, engaged with the major figures of the history of Western philosophy as well as with contemporary work in philosophy, really does teach people to think, read and analyze at a very high level—and I’m inclined to think that’s a good intellectual skill. I think that philosophy teaches it more reliably than almost any other major. ... What we do in most law school classes is we read the judicial opinion and then have an extended argument with it. The students who come out of a philosophy major know how to do that because what you do in philosophy is you argue with everything you read—it’s just an ongoing argument. There’s no such thing as ‘Plato said, therefore.’ It’s rather ‘Plato said. Why did he say it? Does it make any sense? What were the reasons for saying it? Is it correct? How does it square with this other thing he says? Philosophy cultivates the intellectual skills that are very useful for legal analysis.”
And here’s what the American Bar Association says about the value of taking philosophy courses for admission to law school (you can also view the full publication):
“In assessing a prospective law student’s educational qualifications, admissions committees generally consider the chosen curriculum, the grades earned, and the reputation of the colleges attended. They also view favorably scholastic honors, awards, and special recognition. Solid grades in courses such as logic, philosophy, and abstract mathematics are generally considered a plus. ... Contrary to popular belief, law schools do not favor political science, criminal justice, and government majors over others. Choose major and elective courses that you will genuinely enjoy, instead of those you were told were required for prelaw students. You are likely to get better grades in a field you find interesting. And even if you don’t, law schools will respect your pursuit of subjects you find challenging. This is especially true if the courses you take are known to be more difficult, such as philosophy, engineering, and science. Also, look for courses that will strengthen the skills you need in law school. Classes that stress research and writing are excellent preparation for law school, as are courses that teach reasoning and analytical skills.”
Note that although the data above demonstrate that philosophy majors do extremely well on standardized tests, the data don’t show that majors’ training in philosophy is entirely responsible for this. It may be that the students who choose to major in philosophy tend to have strong critical reasoning skills.
Give Yourself an Edge in the Job Market
Whatever your chosen career path, majoring or double-majoring in philosophy can give you a competitive edge in the job market. Philosophy majors are well trained in ethics and in critical thinking. Philosophy majors are good communicators and are well trained in the basic skills of reasoning and problem solving. They’re disciplined, determined, ambitious, agile, open minded, and highly intelligent. These are the traits that will take you beyond entry-level positions into mid- and high-level positions. Indeed, a recent study of 1.2 million people reported in the Wall Street Journal found that the mid-career median salary of philosophy majors is $81,200—the highest among all humanities and social science majors except economics. As a recent article in Forbes magazine points out, “if you looked at the pay of people 15 years out, philosophy is in the top 10%.” Whether you’re headed for a career in business, information technology, social services, law, or the health professions, having majored or double-majored in philosophy will help distinguish you from the pack.
Philosophy as a Second Major: A New Perspective on Your Primary Major
Coursework in metaphysics (PHIL 420), the philosophy of science (PHIL 330), and the theory of knowledge (PHIL 421) can deepen your understanding of the methods and assumptions of natural science and social science. Coursework in the history of ideas can deepen your understanding of academic pursuits, generally (PHIL 324, 325, 326, and 410). Coursework in ethics (PHIL 222) and political philosophy (Phil 323) will provide you orientation for work in social science, business, criminology, the health professions, or safety science. Philosophers also take a distinctive perspective on aesthetic questions of interest to fine arts majors (PHIL 223) and questions about the mind of interest to psychology majors (PHIL 360).
What IUP Philosophy Alumni Say
We recently completed an anonymous survey of IUP Philosophy alumni as part of a self-study of our program. Here are a few of the questions and responses:
How has the Philosophy major at IUP changed your views about yourself and the world?
“Even though the department itself is small in number, I feel that the professors are diverse and of great assistance. Beyond that, as a woman, I am so happy to have female professors who are brilliant and (as corny as it sounds) a positive influence in my decisions as a student in philosophy. I always feel comfortable in the philosophy classrooms and that I can consult my professors for assistance or more information. I suppose, quite simply, it’s opened my mind up to so many ideas that I had longed to discover, and I feel a great sense of enthusiasm to keep learning more after I graduate.”
“On a conceptual level, the Philosophy program at IUP offered an opportunity to consider carefully and systematically myself and my perception of the world. I learned to question assumptions and evaluate arguments, especially regarding the relationship between the world and the way I think about it. On a practical level, the work required for completing the major is difficult, and the students are appropriately held to high standards. It is a valued fact that this program taught me to meet deadlines.”
“One thing I learned is that careful, critical consideration of my beliefs, and the many presuppositions underlying those beliefs, can show you that some of your deepest commitments are often no more than mere prejudices. How did philosophy do this? That’s what philosophy does—it teaches you how to critically engage any and all claims no matter the discipline. In particular, I found the most ‘esoteric’ areas of philosophy to be the most helpful in teaching me how to think critically about extremely difficult and abstract concepts. If you can think and write clearly in a metaphysics class, then you can think and write clearly on almost anything.”
“I don’t think I can even begin to explain why and how philosophy has changed my views without devolving into generic answers that don’t really do justice to what studying philosophy really means to me. It has changed my views about everything and in the deepest of ways, and this is just because it asks the most basic of questions about everything. Nothing can escape its domain.”
List ways you have grown or developed as a result of IUP Philosophy.
“For me, what always appealed to me most about philosophy was searching for an understanding of ‘the good life,’ trying to look into things as closely as possible in order to figure out how best to live our lives and just to have a better understanding of what are lives are. At first I had dreams of discovering some grand ethical theory that would give a definitive course of action to be followed for any situation. The more I studied philosophy, the more I began to feel that it was more about recognizing the limits of our understanding rather than coming to any absolute conclusions. Sometimes unlearning the things you thought you knew can be more beneficial than learning things you don’t know. In spite of the limits of our understanding, we still have to act, so ethics is still important; but life is much more nuanced than words on a page could ever be.”
“My Philosophy major is something that I am extremely proud of, and I feel as if I am able to think critically and logically about every instance in my life and career. Philosophy has given me a great launch into leading group discussions and being able to articulate my own views quickly and effectively. Most importantly, philosophy has made me a generally happier person because what I learned applies to everyday life and everyday situations.”
“One, I am a much clearer thinker and writer than I was before going through the Philosophy program. Two, I learned that kindness and encouragement can coexist with strict and uncompromising intellectual standards. Three, I learned to never (initially) be certain that my intuitions or beliefs are correct. That is, I am a much more humble, open person than I was before taking philosophy.”
“(1) I can formulate arguments to support an assertion more readily. (2) I actively engage in the exploration and analysis of arguments that disagree with my own, rather than presume their falsity, and am able to formulate effective rebuttals. (3) Relevant to (1) and (2), I have developed a level of mental dexterity that I never imagined I would achieve in college.”
“I have developed in the following ways: (1) I’ve become much more critical, but also more humble; (2) I’ve become much more aware of myself, the world, and others. In other words, I’m not on autopilot; and (3) the philosophical education I got at IUP has had its most significant and long-lasting impact on my growth and development in that it has allowed me to ‘become who I am.’ Studying philosophy has made me more autonomous, more passionate, and it has given me the tools to find meaning and purpose in my own life and to develop myself in the ways that express who I really am and who I want to be.”
“I’ve actually noticed (recently, in fact) that there are things I want to accomplish now that I did not see as priorities before. I think these priorities are of a more ethical nature and inspired by philosophical ideals. I’ve also been doing more research politically to make sure I understand the upcoming election and don’t vote haphazardly . . . I think philosophy has influenced me to become more responsible for my opinions and how my decisions could effect others, as well as my potential to be a better worldwide citizen.”
“I have learned how to find the main points of an argument or idea and the assumptions that underlie the idea. I can now do that with any idea, which helps me to assess and effectively interact with the statements in any discipline or in daily life. As I said above, I have also grown a lot in confidence about my own abilities as a thinker! So I don’t need to shy away from hard or technical texts wherever I encounter them. I have learned how to ask good questions. All of these things will benefit me for the rest of my life in any field of study and in daily life.”
How has IUP Philosophy helped prepare you for your career?
“I think you teach some of the only skills that will help any career path: critical thinking and self-reflection. These are methods of examination and inquiry, rather than mere bundle of facts or statistics. I would say that any student hoping to enter a creative field in which problem solving is a requirement (engineering, business, teaching—anything, really), you better have a damn strong ability to think critically, question the ideas of others as well as yourself, and recognize how some decisions, actions and positions are either tenable or untenable.”
“I am confident that my hypothetical future career as a physician will involve cases that I am not going to be prepared for. The dexterity and nimbleness that is being fostered in my mind as a result of pursuing Philosophy coursework will, in my opinion, translate well into the field of medicine, because I will be able to respond quickly and appropriately to unforeseen problems, and also because discussions in the classrooms will better prepare me for discussions with patients.”
“Philosophy, more than many majors, teaches you skills that make you an incredibly flexible employee. If you have the ability to think critically and clearly (which philosophy trains you to do), then you’re in good shape no matter where you go.”
“I believe the Philosophy Department has taught me the most important skill any person could develop—how to think. This is done by coming alongside the greatest minds in history and learning to think like them and ask questions like them. How could this not help me in my career path, whatever it may be? Beyond the ‘career path,’ this is a skill essential to living a better life!”
Articles on the Value of a Philosophy Degree:
“Salary by Major” — Wall Street Journal. Of the undegraduate majors offered at IUP, Philosophy majors are seventh overall for mid-career median salary, behind Economics, Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Finance, and MIS.
“In a New Generation of College Students, Many Opt for the Examined Life” — New York Times. “If you study humanities or political systems or sciences in general, philosophy is really the mother ship from which all of these disciplines grow.”
"30 People With 'Soft' College Majors Who Became Extremely Successful" — Business Insider. List includes the following philosophy majors: Peter Theil, CEO of PayPal; Carly Fiorina, CEO of Hewlett-Packard; Carl Ichan, Ichan Enterprises; Sheila Bair, FDIC Chair; George Soros, Soros Fund Management; Herbert Allison Jr., CEO Fannie Mae.
"Top Students Commit to Using Their Knowledge" — USA Today. "I honestly believe philosophy better prepared me for a career in public service than any other major could."
“I Think, Therefore I Earn” — The Guardian. “A philosophy degree has trained the individual’s brain and given them the ability to provide management-consulting firms with the sort of skills that they require and clients demand. These skills can include the ability to be very analytical, provide clear and innovative thinking, and question assumptions.”
“Philosophers Find the Degree Pays Off in Life and Work” — New York Times
“The Management Myth” — The Atlantic. “If you want to succeed in business, don’t get an M.B.A. Study philosophy instead.”
“The College Degrees with the Biggest Salaries” — Forbes. "For starting salaries, engineering and things like nursing are pretty strong. ... But the list reorders further into people's careers. ... If you looked at the pay of people 15 years out, philosophy is actually in the top 10%."
“50 Ways to Improve your Life.” On the list? Study Philosophy. — U.S. News and World Report
