The study of philosophy means delving in to such questions as: "Who am I? Does God exist? Does my life have meaning? What is the nature of mind,
language, and thought?" It means not taking things for what they seem, and examining the world, our existence and society more closely and questioning what we perceive to be reality. If this sounds interesting - maybe you should give philosophy a little consideration. Despite its rather bad reputation as being a useless subject to study at university, the skills you attain are actually most useful for a future career.
Careers in Philosophy
Careers in the discipline of philosophy itself are generally found in
teaching and research. This is usually a choice for those most fascinated by the subject and with a real passion to teach. It seems that teaching in the area often poses many challenges, as higher institutions of teaching are reluctant to give steady employment, and good pay. Those who choose to pursue the career despite the challenges generally site the satisfaction they gain from teaching and engaging in their passion as the reason to continue, despite the tough work environment.
If teaching against the odds is not a part of your dreams, philosophy is still a good choice of degree. Many post graduate and master degree courses are especially positive toward philosophy graduates. One of these is
law. Philosophy trains analytical thinking, teaches you how to argue clearly and persuasively both in speech and writing, and to evaluate
evidence. It also creates a deep sense of justice and trains you to see flaws in opposing arguments. These are all skills very much essential to anyone in the legal profession.
Another skill, which seems to come with the study of philosophy is the exceptional performance on many of those standardized tests required for entry into post graduate education, especially in the
United States. Philosophy graduates consistently outperform other degree holders on such tests as the GMAT, GRE and
LSAT tests, some of which are becoming more and more common for entry into
graduate studies worldwide.
Studying Philosophy
Philosophy is a popular degree available at most universities around the world. Most undergraduate degrees focus on the foundations of the discipline, while master's courses offer the possibility to delve into more specialized areas. Undergraduate degrees are also offered with the possibility of attaining a dual degree in such areas as
management,
media or law.
In order to study philosophy abroad, a prerequisite is generally a good command of the
language of the country you choose to study in. Philosophy is seldom given as an "international" course adapted for international students. What is worth considering when choosing your school is naturally not simply the entry requirements, but also what courses are offered, the international standing of the school and last but not least the environment of the school surroundings and the culture of the school itself.
Your future
Entering into higher education is a step on the way to your future career. Perhaps even more, it is a step in your personal development. Philosophy is said to be especially beneficial for the second of the two. Although the skills you gain during your philosophy studies do indeed prepare you for your future career, the development of you as a person is probably of even greater worth. So if philosophy is something you feel you would enjoy studying, it is definitely not a waste on your future.
