Why Study Philosophy?

Studying philosophy is an excellent opportunity to think deeply while developing important transferrable skills. But there are many practical reasons to get a philosophy degree as well.

Philosophy Pays

Philosophy has one of the highest undergraduate employment rates at LSE. In 2012/13, 97% of BSc graduates from the Department of Philosophy, Logic & Scientific Method were in employment, or completing further study just six months after graduation.

Choosing Philosophy as your subject will prepare you for the kind of careful thinking, critical analysis, and persuasive writing that is critical in  many different areas of work. The starting salaries of students graduating with a Philosophy subject degree compared to other subjects may surprise you!

The average starting salary was higher for 2011/2012 undergraduates from LSE Philosophy, coming in at £23,200/year.

Philosophy is interesting

A more important reason to study philosophy is that you’ll love it. Philosophy poses some of the most challenging questions that have ever been asked, underlying many of the most important questions confronting us today. A few of the central questions include the following.

• Ethics. What is the nature of the good, and how should we act?
• Metaphysics. What is the nature of reality? Does God exist, or free will, or a mind-independent world?
• Epistemology. What is knowledge, and what distinguishes it from mere belief or opinion?
• Politics and Law. How should society be organized? What is the nature and aim of law?
• Science. What is science, and what makes it successful? What concepts and methods make science work?

Many of these questions find their origins in ancient Greece. But unmistakable progress has been made in understanding many of them, and active new contributions are happening all the time. Studying philosophy gives you the chance to be a part of that progress.

Philosophy is Great Preparation

A philosophy degree will prepare you with serious training for a number of important transferable skills such as creative problem solving, critical analysis, argument construction, and persuasive writing. It is also excellent preparation for further study.

Law School

Philosophy is a very common degree for students entering law school, and indeed the most common degree held by law students in the United States. Philosophy degrees have long been recognised to provide a solid background in some of the most important skills required for law school, including analytic and problem-solving skills, critical reading ability, and clear research and writing skills.

Graduate School

A philosophy degree also puts you in an excellent position to apply to graduate school. For example, graduate programs in the United States require prospective students to take the GRE entry exam. Philosophy students consistently score higher than all other subject areas on the verbal and analytic writing portions of the GRE, and tend to score extremely high on the quantitative portion as well.

Buzz Blog: Best Subjects for Graduate School

Business School

Students who wish to pursue higher education in business like an MBA may wish to take the GMAT entry exam. Want a strong score? Philosophy is among the 5 best majors for GMAT scores, consistently scoring higher than business students. If you’re thinking about a business major, you may wish to consider philosophy as well. You would be in good company: Sheila Bair, Eva Chen, Sir Ronald Cohen, Carly Fiorina, Gerald Levin, and George Soros are just a few of the prominent business people who hold degrees in philosophy. (For more, see here.)

Studying at LSE

Located in the heart of London, the LSE provides one of the most exciting places in the world to study your philosophy degree. An historic department bustling with cutting edge research activity at one of the most prestigious institutions in the world, a BSc in Department of Philosophy, Logic & Scientific Method at LSE is an incredible and unforgettable experience.