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Transferable Skills
Sample job titles of alums with this major
Other job titles for this major
Types of employers
Resources in Career Services Library
Other resources

 

 

 

Transferable Skills:
In addition to the specific subject matter that Philosophy majors learn, they acquire many skills that can easily transfer to any subject matter.  The following is a list of transferable skills that Philosophy majors develop:
Solving problems
Communicating logically
Interest in pursuing, exploring & explaining intangible ideas
Debating
Objectivity
Orating
Reasoning deductively
Self discipline
Curiosity
Close, extensive reading
Open-mindedness
Working independently
Developing theories
Writing clearly
Boiling an argument down to its essence  
Understanding views opposed to your own

 

Sample job titles of Davidson alums who majored in Philosophy: 
Accountant ‘88
Attorney '96
Business Manager ‘96
Caseworker ’97
Chief Financial Officer ‘74
Clinical/Forensic Psychologist ’81
Counselor/Intern '03
Detective ‘84
Director of Ethics and Public Life ‘61
Documentation Technician ’90
Electron Microscopist ‘94
Financial Planner ’96
Lutheran Volunteer ’96
Museum Exhibitions Coordinator ’96
Newspaper Associate Editor ’00
Paralegal ’97
Physician ‘92
Police Officer '00
Policy Analyst ’83
Polysomnographic Technician ’88
Special Education Teacher '05
Stonemason and Student '01
Teacher '01
Trust Marketing Manager ‘95


Other job titles for Philosophy majors:
Attorney
Clergy
Consultant
Editor
Genealogist
Intelligence Specialist
Journalist
Lobbyist
Non-Profit Administrator
Professor
Publisher
Social Worker
Teacher
University Official


Types of employers:
Academic & Professional Journals
Archives & Libraries
Bookstores
Business and Industry
Churches
Colleges
Consulting firms
Educational Institutions
Government Agencies
Hospitals
Insurance Companies
Magazines and Newspapers
Museums
Non-Profit Organizations
Political Parties
Publishing Companies
Religious Organizations
Research Institutes


Resources in the Career Services Library:
Over 1200 books, pamphlets, and periodicals are available in the Careers Library to help you with self-assessment, career exploration, the job search, and graduate school planning.  Some good library resources for Philosophy majors looking for career information include 
Careers for Puzzle Solvers and Other Methodical Thinkers 
Careers for Scholars & Other Deep Thinkers
 
College Majors and Careers
The College Majors Handbook
Great Jobs for Liberal Arts Majors
A Non-Academic Career? Information, Resources, and Background on
                Options for Philosophers
The Philosophy Major


Other sources of information:
Career counselors and faculty members are great resources.  Visit the Careers Office early and often, and make time to talk to professors in your major and related fields.  Professional associations are excellent sources of career and employment information, and many of them have websites.  Surf the internet, keeping in mind that many colleges and universities have websites for their Career Centers and for each academic major, many of which include career and employment information as well as links to professional associations and other useful websites.  Consult the following organizations and websites for more information:

American Philosophical Association 
www.apa.udel.edu/apa

Association for Symbolic Logic
www.aslonline.org

Davidson College Philosophy Dept.
http://www.davidson.edu/academic/philosophy/philosophy.html

Univ. of Delaware Career Services Center, Major Resource Kits
www.udel.edu/CSC/mrk.html

University of North Carolina Wilmington Career Services
http://www.uncwil.edu/stuaff/career/Majors/philoreligion.htm

Worldwide Philosophy Resources
www.erraticimpact.com/html/careers.htm

(Current as of 12/05) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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