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A philosophy major may be interested in attending
LAW SCHOOL, BUSINESS SCHOOL, MEDICAL SCHOOL,
or another profession school after earning an undergraduate degree.
By properly choosing undergraduate electives, a philosophy major may be
able to obtain the necessary background to enter graduate school in an area
other than philosophy but in most cases this will require great effort. If you
are considering doing graduate work in a major other than philosophy, you
may well want to change your major although perhaps obtaining a minor in
philosophy.
WHY MAJOR IN PHILOSOPHY
http://www.cal.nau.edu/philosophy/html/why_philosophy.htm
http://www.scu.edu/cas/philosophy/whystudy.cfm
http://www.philosophy.eku.edu/virginia.htm
http://www.unc.edu/depts/phildept/practical.html
http://www.csus.edu/phil/whyphil.htm
http://philosophy.nd.edu/undergraduate-program/documents/Why%20major%20in%20Philosophy.pdf
http://www.uic.edu/depts/phil/why_major.htm
http://www.aum.edu/Academics/Schools/Liberal_Arts/Departments_and_Programs/English_and_Philosophy/index.aspx?id=4189
http://liberalarts.udmercy.edu/philosophy/why1.html
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THE UNDERGRADUATE
PHILOSOPHY MAJOR
WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY? |
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| LINK. THE FIELD OF PHILOSOPHY |
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Philosophy is the study of the most basic moral, legal, aesthetic,
religious, and metaphysical ideas by which we understand ourselves
and our universe. It is a reasoned pursuit of fundamental truths, a
quest for understanding, a study of principles of conduct. It seeks to
establish standards of evidence, to provide rational methods of
resolving conflicts, and to create techniques for evaluating ideas and
arguments.
Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) Department of Philosophy |
Philosophy dates back to ancient times when Confucius and Plato
walked the earth. Yet it is very much alive today in such questions as
whether or not computers think. Philosophers question issues that
others either take for granted or find too difficult to ponder. If you
choose this major, you'll find yourself asking everything from why we
should be good to how we know what we know. You'll even question
your own questions.
CollegeBoard.com |
Philosophy is the study of the most fundamental questions that arise
in our reflection on ourselves and our place in the natural world. Most
students who major in philosophy study it for its intrinsic interest.
Nonetheless, relatively few people become professional or academic
philosophers. For most of us, our professional lives are spent in other
endeavors.
University of Florida's Career Handbook for Philosophy Majors |
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THE UNDERGRADUATE
PHILOSOPHY MAJOR
GENERAL INFORMATION |
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FROM COLLEGEBOARD.COM |
Are You Ready To...?
- Tackle challenging books
- Master logic
- Write clearly about complex
abstract ideas
- Join study groups
- Learn a second language
- Contribute to class discussions
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It Helps to Be...
Willing to discuss and debate. You'll
also need patience, organizational
skills, and attention to detail as you
study logical arguments and build
your own. This is a good major for
people who love to read and write.
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Typical Major Courses
- Epistemology
- Ethics
- History of philosophy
- Logic
- Metaphysics
- Political theory
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Related Majors
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THE UNDERGRADUATE
PHILOSOPHY MAJOR
WHY STUDY OR MAJOR IN PHILOSOPHY? |
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LINK. WHY MAJOR IN PHILOSOPHY (University of Detroit Mercy)
concisely attempts to answer this question. |
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The virtue of a liberal undergraduate education, with philosophy at its
center, is that the student is not trained or channeled into one particular
career or industry. Rather, philosophy students are prepared with the
basic communication skills, analytical reasoning, normative argument,
and appreciation of our intellectual heritage necessary to excel in many
different careers.
Kansas State University Philosophy Study Guide. |
[A] philosophy degree is typically a stepping stone to further
training, not an admission ticket to a job?and you should be
aware
of that before making philosophy your major.
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Department of Philosophy and Liberal Studies |
Philosophy is not job-training for an entry-level position. It is
education for a lifetime. What fits the job description of entry-level
positions is rarely what is required for career and life fulfillment,
especially given how rapidly the needs of employers, social and
economic patterns, And personal circumstances change. Philosophical
training, in its development of valuable transferable skills, is significant
for its long-term benefits. It teaches skills that enable you to take
on new responsibilities and to adapt to changing careers and life
demands. The value of philosophy is in its capacity to broaden the
range of things you can understand and enjoy.
Likewise, studies have shown that Philosophy majors do well
in business, tending to advance faster into middle and upper
management positions than students from most other majors. For
careers which require high level management and other business skills,
a great route is a Philosophy undergraduate major followed by an MBA
(Master of Business Administration) degree from a first-rate graduate
school of business. Philosophy students tend to do particularly well
also on the GMAT, the aptitude test used by business school
admissions departments.
Texas A&M University Philosophy Department |
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THE UNDERGRADUATE
PHILOSOPHY MAJOR
LINKS |
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WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?
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THE UNDERGRADUATE
PHILOSOPHY MAJOR
PHI SIGMA TAU
PHILOSOPHY HONOR SOCIETY |
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| LINK. PHI SIGMA TAU |
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Phi Sigma Tau is the national philosophy honor society. The purpose of
Phi Sigma Tau is to serve as a means to award distinction to students
with high scholarship and personal interest in philosophy, to promote
student interest in research and advanced study in the field, to provide
opportunities for the publication of student research papers of merit, to
encourage a professional spirit and friendship among those who have
displayed a marked ability in the field, and to popularize interest in
philosophy among the general collegiate public. The Emblem of the
Society is a pentagon inscribed in the center with the letters Phi Sigma
Tau. Each of the five angles contains a symbol representing each of the
five main streams of world thought: Chinese, Indian, Islamic, Hebrew,
and Greek.
Central Washington University
(Washington Alpha Chapter of Phi Sigma Tau) |
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THE UNDERGRADUATE
PHILOSOPHY MAJOR
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES |
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Some philosophy undergrads become philosophers. But most by far build
careers in other areas, such as law. And thanks to all that pondering, all
develop great skills in logic, problem solving, and creative thinking that
pay off in any field.
From CollegeBoard.com |
Should an undergraduate philosophy major be anxious about getting a job?
The short answer is 'no'. The long answer is that, while you shouldn't be
complacent about it, you should expect to be successful if you approach
your job search intelligently and put some work into it. Job availability
any given year depends on factors that are largely out of your control.
Sometimes graduates can experience some difficulty in finding a first job
to their liking. At other times, a job you really like may come your way
without too much trouble. The important thing to keep in mind is that
persistence pays off. You will get a job, and as you gain experience and
explore your opportunities, you will be able to find a job which is to your
liking. Approach your search with optimism, and confidence in your
abilities: think of (and present) yourself as someone who is an achiever.
Work hard, use your head. You will find opportunities in unexpected
places sometimes. Don't be rash: but have the courage to pursue what
you are interested in doing. Expect to have to be flexible along the way,
but remember Spinoza's dictum to view things sub specie eternitatis
(under a certain species of eternity).
Your philosophy degree will prepare you generally for any career or
position which does not presuppose a fairly high degree of technical
training, of the sort which would be required to get a degree in
mathematics or one of the sciences. Of course, your academic work
outside of philosophy may include enough training in technical subjects
to open up for you careers in technical areas. If you are interested in
pursuing a career in such an area but still want to major in philosophy,
you should plan your other course work carefully, and if you can it might
be a good idea to pursue a double major. While pursuing a double major
requires careful planning, many students complete double majors in
philosophy and another subject.
University of Florida Career Handbook for Philosophy Majors |
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The Department of Philosophy at Illinois State University considers and
answers the THREE THINGS TO CONSIDER when you think about the
career opportunities available to a philosophy major. The three things are:
What professional or career skills will I gain from majoring in Philosophy?
Why/how are these skills valuable?
What types of employment will be open to me?
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No special course work is required for law school, but philosophy is a
good major for preparation for the study of law. Many of the skills you
need in law school, such as the ability to read difficult and closely argued
written material quickly and to extract the main line of argument, and to
analyze and to give arguments, are skills which are very important in the
study of philosophy as well. Even though no specific course work is
required in preparation for laws school, it is still a good idea to consult
both the undergraduate advisor in philosophy and the college's Prelaw
advisor for advice on preparing [for law school] and on the application
process.
The University of Florida Career Handbook for Philosophy Majors . |
Why/how are these skills valuable?
What types of employment will be open to me?
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