Career Paths for Women with a Philosophy Degree
This paper examines the career possibilities available to women who study philosophy, arguing that a philosophy background develops critical thinking and analytical skills applicable to a wide range of professions. Drawing on sources including the American Philosophical Association, the Occupational Outlook Handbook, and admissions guidelines from Harvard Law School, the paper surveys five specific fields: college professor, attorney, minister, mathematician, and journalist. For each field, the paper outlines educational requirements, typical job prospects, and the ways in which philosophical training provides a relevant foundation. The paper concludes that while academic positions in philosophy are competitive, the discipline serves as a versatile launching point for diverse and rewarding careers.
- Introduction: Philosophy as Career Foundation: Philosophy builds skills applicable across many careers
- Professor of Philosophy: Academic teaching roles and uncertain job market
- Attorney: Law school requirements and legal career categories
- Minister: Ministry roles and women's growing presence
- Mathematician: Philosophy-mathematics links and career requirements
- Journalist: Journalism fields and self-employment possibilities
- Conclusion: Philosophy as versatile foundation for diverse careers
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper organizes each career field consistently, pairing educational requirements with job possibilities, making it easy for readers to compare across fields.
- It draws on credible, varied sources — professional associations, government handbooks, and university admissions pages — to ground each claim in authoritative information.
- The opening effectively establishes philosophy's broad utility by citing GRE data, giving the argument an empirical anchor before moving into specific careers.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates the use of a structured survey format: rather than writing loosely about career options, the author creates a repeating framework (field → educational requirements → job possibilities) that signals systematic research and allows direct comparison. This technique is especially useful in career-exploration and informational essays where breadth of coverage matters.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a brief introduction establishing philosophy's value and the rationale for the career survey. It then moves through five discrete career sections, each self-contained with sub-headings for requirements and prospects. A short conclusion ties the survey together by reaffirming philosophy's versatility as a foundation degree. The Works Cited section follows MLA conventions.
Introduction: Philosophy as Career Foundation
Philosophy is not a hard science requiring that problems be worked out with formulas and centuries-old givens. The American Philosophical Association describes it this way: "Philosophy is a basic field of inquiry. Its range encompasses ideas and issues in every domain of human existence, and its methods apply to problems of an unlimited variety. The major in philosophy can develop not only philosophical skills and sophistications but also intellectual abilities that are readily applicable to pursuits in everyday social and personal life." (APA)
The options open to women in philosophy are nearly endless. Because the study of philosophy develops critical thinking and analytical skills, it provides a background for careers requiring problem-solving, along with the ability to view issues from other perspectives and to develop logical arguments with a sensitivity to the values of others. Philosophy can be the starting point for any number of careers. This is verified by the results of the 1990–1993 Graduate Record Exam, which is taken by students who seek higher education in any area. The results showed that philosophy students ranked 6th out of 50. (GRE)
The career possibilities explored here include teaching, law, ministry, mathematics, and journalism.
Professor of Philosophy
Master's and doctoral degrees in philosophy are needed to teach at the college level.
The Philosophy Department at one university notes that "employment prospects in this area have not been very good for several years, and it is uncertain how much they will improve in the coming years." Instead, the department concentrates on the applications of philosophy to other career areas, pointing out through its graduates list the wide variety of careers that philosophy majors have chosen.
Attorney
Harvard Law School prefers that its students have a four-year educational background in a "cultural field" such as economics, literature, government, or philosophy. (Harvard) The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) is required before applying. Although no specific score is required, it is viewed as part of a whole application package that includes college grades and extracurricular activities. The school's website notes that students they accept generally have LSAT scores in the top five percentile and have graduated in the top ten percent of their class.
Harvard Law School is a three-year program. First-year courses include Criminal Law, Contracts, Civil Procedure, Torts, Property, and Legal Reasoning and Argument. To receive the Juris Doctor degree, students must successfully complete all three years of coursework and produce a "satisfactory piece of written work." Attorneys must also pass a written bar exam administered by the state in which they practice.
The legal profession is divided into several categories. General practice covers the legal needs of individuals on a daily basis in areas such as divorce, adoptions, probate, family law, and real estate transactions. (Missouri) Many general practice attorneys are sole practitioners who work for themselves. The job possibilities are wide open for sole practitioners, who need only open an office and advertise their services; however, there is no guaranteed regular paycheck.
Corporate law is confined to businesses, with the attorney handling the day-to-day legal matters of a single company. Job possibilities for corporate lawyers depend on the job market, the employment rate, and the state of the economy. Many governments at the federal, state, and local levels keep attorneys on the payroll for the myriad legal matters that must be handled, with job possibilities depending on need and the specialized skills of the attorney. The legal profession is expected to see growth in the areas of healthcare, intellectual property, international law, elder law, environmental law, and harassment. (Outlook)
Conclusion
It's difficult to secure an academic position in philosophy even with a doctorate, but philosophy can serve as the basis for any number of other careers because of the skills it develops. Critical thinking, logical argument, and sensitivity to multiple perspectives make philosophy graduates well suited to law, ministry, mathematics, journalism, and many other fields.
APA. American Philosophical Association.
GRE. Graduate Record Exam.
Harvard.
Minister. http://www.ministrycareers.com/
Missouri.
Niebuhr, Gustav. "Following Mothers, Women Heed Call To Nation's Pulpits." New York Times, 25 April 1999, late ed.: Section 1, Page 1, Column 2.
Occupation. "Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2002–03 Edition." http://www.bls.gov/oco/
Outlook. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Oxford. University of Oxford, Mathematics and Philosophy. [institutional reference]
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