What Can I Do With A Major In Philosophy

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Overview	Career Titles	Employers	Skills	Salary Information
Graduate Data	Alumni/Intern Profiles	Links of Interest	Additional Information

Overview | Return to top

Philosophy means literally “the love of wisdom.” It seeks answers to the ultimate questions we ask about God, the universe and human existence. Philosophy does not claim to know the final answers to all these questions, but it does provide insights to those who reflect seriously on these fundamental issues.

Philosophy courses at the College are intended to acquaint students with the great ideas, the prominent figures and the broad sweep of intellectual development that constitute our philosophical heritage. Our curriculum is grounded in the history of philosophy and in the Christian philosophical tradition, which at St. Norbert is an indispensable voice in the broader conversation of philosophy. Among the core values of the College is the advancement of the Catholic intellectual tradition, integrating faith and reason in such a way that persons of all faiths and beliefs are valued contributing partners. In the appropriate courses, we include Christian as well as other religious authors and sources to enrich the dialogue. A community of learning that integrates both the rich resources of faith-based wisdom and the methods and ideals of rational inquiry provides the most effective context in which these core values can be pursued.

Career Titles | Return to top

Actuary
Administrative Assistant
Admissions Counselor
Advertising Account Executive
Affirmative Action Representative
Alumni Affairs Coordinator
Announcer
Anthropologist
Arbitrator
Archeologist
Archivist
Arts Consultant
Assistant Buyer
Associate Pastor
Attorney
Author
Bioethicist
Biomedical/Medical Research Assistant
Business Administrator
Campus Minister
Campus Religious Coordinator
Career Planning and Placement Counselor
Chaplain
Child Welfare Worker
Church Camp Director
Claims Adjuster
Clergy
Columnist
Computer Scientist
Congressional Staff Member
Consultant
Consumer Advocate
Corporate Trainer
Corrections Officer
Counselor
Credit Analyst
Critic
Cryptanalyst
Cultural Affairs Officer
Curator
Customer Service Representative
Diplomat
Director of Religious Education
Docent

Economic Development Consultant
Economists
Editorial Assistant
Environmental Communications Specialist
Ethicist
Etymologist
Export Manager
FBI/CIA Agent
Financial Consultant
Foreign Service Officer
Freelance Writer
Fundraiser
Funeral Home Director
Genealogist
Government Agency Administrator
Grant Writer
Graphic Artist
Guidance Counselor
Historian
Hospital Administrator
Human Resources Specialist
Immigration Inspector
Institutional Researcher/Historian
Insurance Agent
Insurance Underwriter
International Relations Specialist
Investment Banking Analyst
Journalist
Judicial Clerk
Lawyer
Legislative Aide
Librarian
Library Aide
Linguist
Loan Officer/Counselor
Lobbyist
Management Analyst
Management Trainee
Marketing Research Analyst
Military
Minister of Music
Minister/Youth Minister
Missionary
Museum Manager
Nursing Home Director

Ombudsman
Paralegal
Pastor
Peace Corps/VISTA Volunteer
Philosophy Lecturer
Physician
Plant Operations Specialist
Political Campaign Worker
Political Scientist
Press Secretary
Priest
Professor
Psychologist
Public Policy Manager
Public Relations Representative
Public Service Official
Publisher
Rabbi
Radio/TV Researcher
Realtor
Religious Bookstore Worker
Religious Education Teacher
Religious Educational Administrator
Religious Researcher
Religious Staff Writer
Reporter
Researcher
Sales Representative
School Superintendent
Seminary Administrator
Social Worker
Sociologist
Software Consultant
Software Designer
Stockbroker
Student Affairs Administrator
Systems Analyst
Teacher
Technical Writer
Technician
Tour Guide
Travel Consultant
Writer
YMCA/YWCA Worker
Youth Counselor

Employers | Return to top

Accounting Firms
Adoption Agencies
Advertising Agencies
Agencies for International Development
Archeological Research Firms
Archives
Book Publishers
Bookstores
Central Intelligence Agency
Church/Religious Organization
Civil Rights Commission
Colleges & Universities
Consulting Firms
Consumer Affairs Office
Consumer Organizations
Criminal Courts
Cultural Organizations
Department of Commerce
Department of Energy
Department of Justice
Department of Labor
Department of State
Department of the Army
Department of the Navy
Division of Youth and Family Services

Drug Enforcement Agency
Economic Services
Entertainment Firms
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal/State Congressional Offices
Financial Firms
Foreign Service
Foundations
Government Agencies
Health and Human Services
Healthcare Settings
Historical Societies
Hospitals
Hotels/Restaurants/Resorts
Insurance Companies
International Sales
IRS
IT Consultants
Law Firms
Legal Agencies
Legislative Affairs
Libraries
Local, State & Federal Government
Magazines/Newspapers
Management Services

Management/Consulting Firms
Manufacturing Firms
Media Organizations
Ministry
Museums
Newspapers & Magazines
Non-Profit Organizations
Office of Attorney General
Peace Corps/AmeriCorps
Political Parties
Professional Associations
Public Relations Firms
Publishing Firms
Real Estate Groups
Religious Associations
Research Institutions
Retail Stores
School Systems
Social Services Agencies
Study Abroad Departments
Travel Bureaus
U.S. Customs Service
U.S. Information Agency
US Environmental Protection Agency

Skills | Return to top

Ability to hear and answer questions perceptively
Abstract thinking
Analytical reasoning
Analyzes concepts, definitions, arguments, and complex problems
Close, extensive reading
Communicating in logical manner
Conceptual Analysis
Curiosity
Debating skills

Decision making
Deductive reasoning
Generates ideas and formulates solutions
Interest in pursuing, exploring and explaining intangible ideas
Objectivity
Open-mindedness
Oral and written communication skills
Organizational skills
Persuasion

Problem solving
Research
Self-discipline
Summarizes complicated material
Synthesize data
Theory development
Work independently
Writes interpretively, argumentatively, and descriptively

Salary Information | Return to top

NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) Summer 2012 Average Starting Salary:

Liberal Arts & Sciences/General Studies Bachelor's Degree: $38,300
Other Humanities Bachelor's Degree: $35,800

Average Salary of SNC Philosophy Graduate:

2009: No salary data available
2010: No salary data available
2011: $25,001 - $35,000

For additional salary information, please visit salary.com

Graduate Data | Return to top

The job titles and employers listed below are a sample of the results from the annual St. Norbert College Career Services graduate follow-up survey for the Classes of 2003-2011.

Job Titles

Music Producer
Teacher

Teacher
Team Leader

Claims Tech

Employers

Self Employed
AmeriCorps

Jiujiang Foreign Language School
Kelly Services

Self Employed
Wisconsin Early Autism Project

Graduate Programs

No data available

Graduate Schools

No data available

Alumni/Intern Profiles | Return to top

Alumni Profiles
Michael Brennan
Abbie Daigle
Stacy De Coster
George Ermert
Claude Gagnon
Victor Kopidlansky

Intern Profiles

No intern profiles available

Links of Interest | Return to top

Career Information
Careers and Philosophy (Fordham University)
Graduate Programs in Philosophy
Philosophy Resources on the Internet
The Philosophy Major's Handbook (University of Florida)

Professional Associations
American Catholic Philosophical Association
American Philosophical Association
American Society for Bioethics and Humanities
Association for Feminist Ethics and Social Theory
Association for Practical and Professional Ethics
Society for Business Ethics
The Society for Women in Philosophy

Additional Information | Return to top

SNC Philosophy Department
Major Requirements
Academic Advising
Career Services Job Search Links

Disclaimer: The information included on this page is not all-inclusive. You are encouraged to utilize additional online and print resources when researching majors and careers. Some of the careers listed may require additional education, training, development, licenses and/or certifications. If you feel something should be added, changed, updated or removed, please contact Career Services. The content included on this page will be updated annually each summer. Please contact Career Services if you have any questions about the information on this page or to schedule an appointment.