Philosophy

• Studying: 24%
• Employed in graduate job: 30%
• Employed in non-graduate job: 27%
• Unemployed: 11%

• Average graduate salary: £21,096
• Average non-graduate salary: £14,512

Philosophy primarily teaches you how to think for yourself and how to analyse and communicate ideas in an understandable, balanced and well thought-out manner. This ability to think critically and logically is a valued skill as it does not lessen over time and can be applied to a myriad of situations and opportunities. Consider the skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile. 

View the best universities for philosophy degrees.

Prospects

In 2010, six months after graduation, nearly half of philosophy graduates were in paid employment in the UK or overseas. Areas of work employing large numbers were business and finance (10%), commercial, industrial and public sector management (10%) and marketing, sales and advertising (8%).

Where are the jobs?

Philosophy graduates are found working with almost every type of employer in the public, private and not-for-profit sector. Typical employers include:

• The National Health Service;
• Civil service;
• Advertising, marketing and public relations agencies; 
• Investment banks;
• Law firms;
• Charities;
• Publishing firms;
• Recruitment agencies.

Jobs directly related to your degree

The range of skills you learn from a philosophy degree will prepare you for a career as a:

• Higher education lecturer
• Further education lecturer
• Secondary school teacher

Jobs where your degree would be useful

Your philosophy degree will also equip you with the necessary skills to succeed in other jobs, such as:

• Civil Service fast streamer
• Local government officer
• Barrister
• Health services manager
• Marketing executive
• Newspaper journalist
• Recruitment consultant
• Solicitor
• Psychotherapist

Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it's not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Included with the permission of AGCAS and Graduate Prospects. For the latest version of this publication, see www.prospects.ac.uk. For permission to reproduce, contact copyright@agcas.org.uk. We would welcome your comments on this section of The Complete University Guide. Please email us at admin@thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk.