The Field

Philosophy studies of all aspects of the world. Hence the range of topics is broad: science, metaphysics, knowledge, ethics, aesthetics, reiligion, psychology, linguistics, logic, and more. 

While many Philosophy Majors do go on to academic careers, most have other successful careers in a wide variety of fields:  business, finance, government and politics, law, computer science, medicine, publishing, sales, news and journalism, arts and entertainment … and, yes, teaching at all levels. Philosophical training is the ultimate transferable skill, and an essential part of the toolkit for leadership.  

Employers want—and reward—many of the capacities that the study of Philosophy develops: the ability to solve problems, to communicate, to organize ideas and issues, to assess pros and cons, and to boil down complex data. These capacities are transferable not only from philosophy to non-philosophy areas, but from one non-philosophical field to another. For this reason, people trained in Philosophy are not only prepared to do many kinds of tasks; they are particularly well prepared to cope with change in their chosen career field, or even move into new careers. And as the world becomes ever more automated in various ways, the ability to think creatively and analytically will be at a premium.

Philosophy Majors outperform on entrance exams like the GRE, LSAT, and MCAT, and have high earnings potential comparable to Engineering Majors.  

Thus the Philosophy Major is practical according to just about every measure of success: financial, intellectual, civic, and human.