| What
can I do with a major in....?
Philosophy
The
philosophy program offers students the opportunity to study principle
figures in the major periods of the history of philosophy (ancient, medieval,
modern, and contemporary). Special attention will be given to the thought
of Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas.
Required
Courses for the Philosophy Major
Transferable
Skills
| Information
Management Skills |
Design
and Planning Skills |
| Sort
data and objects
Compile and rank information
Apply information creatively to specific problems or tasks
Synthesize facts, concepts, and principles
Understand and use organizing principles
Evaluate information against appropriate standards
|
Identify
alternative courses of action
Set realistic goals
Follow through with a plan or decision
Manage time effectively
Predict future trends and patterns
Accommodate multiple demands for commitment of time, energy and resources
Assess needs and set priorities |
| Research
and Investigation Skills |
Valuing
Skills |
| Use
a variety of sources of information
Apply a variety of methods to test the validity of data
Identity problems and needs
Design an experiment, plan, or model that systematically defines
a problem
Formulate questions relevant to clarifying a particular problem,
topic, or issue.
|
Assess
a course of action in terms of its long-range effects on general human
welfare
Make decisions that will maximize both individual and collective good
Appreciate the contributions of art, literature, science, and technology
Identify one's own values and assess their
relation to important decisions |
| Communication
Skills |
Human
Relations and Interpersonal Skills |
| Listen
with objectivity and paraphrase the content of a message
Use various forms and styles of written communication
Speak effectively to individuals and groups
Use media formats to present ideas imaginatively
Express one's needs, wants, opinions and preferences without violating
the rights of others
Identify and communicate value judgments effectively
Describe objects or events with a minimum of factual errors
Convey a positive self-image to others
|
Keep
a group "on track" and moving toward the achievement of
a common goal
Maintain group cooperation and support
Delegate tasks and responsibilities
Interact effectively with peers, superiors, and subordinates
Express one's feelings appropriately
Understand the feelings of others
Use argumentation techniques to persuade others
Make commitments to persons
Be willing to take a risk
Teach a skill, concept, or principle to others
Analyze behavior of self and others in a group situation
Demonstrate effective social behavior in a variety of settings and
under different circumstances
Work under time and environmental pressures |
| Critical
Thinking Skills |
Management
and Administration Skills |
Identify
quickly and accurately the critical issues when making a decision
or solving a problem
Identify a general principle that explains related experiences or
factual data
Adapt one's concepts and behavior to changing convention and norms
Apply appropriate criteria to strategies and action plans
Take given premises and reason to their conclusion
Create innovative solutions to complex problems
Analyze the interrelationships of events and ideas from several perspectives |
Analyze
tasks
Identify people who can contribute to the solution of a problem
or task
Identify resource materials useful in the solution of a problem
Delegate responsibility for completion of task
Motivate and lead people
Organize people and tasks to achieve specific goals |
Career
Opportunities
| Communication |
Government |
| Communication
Public relations specialist
Editor
Publisher
Librarian |
Public
policy analyst
Public administrator
Intelligence officer
Foreign service agent
Legislator
Foreign diplomacy representative |
| Research
and Development |
Education |
| Research
analyst |
Teacher
(college/high school)
Higher education administrator |
| Human
Services |
Other |
Social
worker
Program coordinator
Community developer
Philanthropic organizer |
Artist
Broadcaster
Entertainer
Writer
Secretary |
| Business/Industry |
Top-
and mid-level managers, executives, and administrators
Underwriter/adjusting claims
Real estate manager
Labor-relations
Consultant
Research and development specialist
Consumer relations representative
Promotion coordinator
Computer programmer
Film producer |
Graduate
and Professional Schools
Philosophy
provides an excellent foundation for further work in graduate or professional
schools. Continuing graduate work in philosophy can lead into the field
of academia and teaching at a college level. A philosophy major also lends
itself well to law school, as studies focus on skills such as analyzing
arguments and critical reading. The University of Virginia's Office of
Career Planning and Placement reports in "A Comparative Study by
Major of Law School Admission Test Performance," that the average
LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) score for a philosophy major at that
school was approximately 15 points higher than the average for any other
major. In addition, the American Medical Association conducted a study
in which they found philosophy majors had the third highest acceptance
rate into American medical schools. York University investigated philosophy
major's performance on the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) and also
found philosophy majors performed an average of 5% better than the average.
In the verbal portion of the exam, philosophy majors scored higher than
all other fields, including English. The quantitative portion of the GRE
is historically where humanities majors do poorly, however philosophy
majors still performed higher than social science majors with the exception
of economics.
On
Campus Sources for More Information
Internet
Sources for More Information
University
of North Carolina at Wilmington
This site provides information on the study of philosophy, related career
titles for their graduates, employers, related skills and web site links.
University
of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
This site is a long list of web links for philosophy majors to use. There
are links to other university philosophy programs, research publishing
sites, philosophical text references, and many others.
American
Philosophical Association
Thoughts
on a Philosophy Major from Current and Past Students
| Patrick
McNally Current Student |
I
am a philosophy major because I can't think of anything more interesting.
If you desire to understand the world around you philosophy is a great
way to do it. I just enjoy the discussion and argument that philosophy
brings out. |
|
Evaluations
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