Key Summary
FAQs
What can you do with a philosophy degree?
A philosophy degree can support careers in policy, the Civil Service, law, consulting, business, journalism, communications, teaching, charities and research. It develops argument, critical reasoning and precise writing rather than training you for one fixed profession. Relevant experience is therefore especially important when showing employers how philosophical skills apply to practical work.
Can you become a lawyer with a philosophy degree?
Yes. In England and Wales, you do not need a law degree to qualify as a solicitor through the current SQE route. The Solicitors Regulation Authority accepts a degree in any subject or equivalent, alongside the SQE assessments, qualifying work experience and character and suitability requirements.
Can philosophy graduates work in the Civil Service?
Yes. Philosophy's emphasis on analysing arguments, evidence and complex problems can transfer well to government and policy work. Graduates can apply for relevant Civil Service roles and competitive schemes. The National Careers Service notes that graduates can apply to the Civil Service Fast Stream.
Can a philosophy degree lead to policy work?
Yes. Policy roles often require reading evidence, weighing competing arguments and communicating recommendations clearly, all of which can suit philosophy graduates. However, employers may also value statistics, economics, research methods or subject expertise. Internships with government, charities, think tanks or local authorities can help prove you can apply abstract reasoning to real decisions.
Can you work in consulting with a philosophy degree?
Yes. Many consulting and graduate business roles recruit from multiple degree subjects, and philosophy can provide strong logical reasoning and communication skills. Employers still expect commercial awareness, teamwork and structured problem-solving. Students interested in consulting should practise case analysis, gain organisational experience and show that they can move from theoretical questions to workable recommendations.
Can philosophy graduates become journalists?
Yes. Philosophy can develop analytical reading, argument and concise writing, which transfer well to journalism, commentary and specialist media. Journalism also requires verification, interviewing, deadlines and knowledge of professional standards. Build published clips through student media, placements or independent work because employers need evidence that you can report accurately, not only write strong academic essays.
Can you become a teacher with a philosophy degree?
Yes, but the degree alone does not normally qualify you to teach in maintained schools in England. Official guidance says postgraduate teacher training requires a bachelor's degree alongside other entry requirements. Providers will also assess whether you have suitable subject knowledge for secondary teaching.
Can you become an academic philosopher with a philosophy degree?
A bachelor's degree is usually only the beginning of an academic route. University research and teaching careers commonly require postgraduate study, typically progressing through master's and doctoral research, followed by a highly competitive academic job market. Students interested in academia should seek research experience and understand that completing a philosophy degree does not guarantee a university post.
Is a philosophy degree useful outside philosophy careers?
Yes. Most philosophy graduates do not need a job with philosopher in the title. The degree can support roles requiring analysis, writing, ethical judgement and handling difficult concepts. Its value becomes clearer when paired with practical evidence such as internships, data skills, leadership or sector knowledge that shows employers where your reasoning abilities can be applied.
Is a philosophy degree worth it for a career?
It can be for students who enjoy rigorous argument and want a flexible graduate path, but it is not a direct vocational qualification. The degree works best when you actively build experience towards a sector such as law, policy, business or media. Compare career support, joint-honours options and opportunities to develop quantitative or practical skills.
Philosophy remains an underrated yet fascinating subject to study. Indeed, studying for a Philosophy degree means that it’s important to have a thirst for knowledge and an understanding of the general principles and arguments. In fact, studying Philosophy shall equipt you with analytical, evaluative and communication skills that can be skilfully applied in a broad variety of roles. So what can you do with a Philosophy degree? Wll, read on to find out.
10. Career in Civil Service
- Entry salary: Expect to earn anything between £14,000 to £20,000
- Senior-level salary: £24 to £50 depending on role and experience
- Qualifications: No entry requirements but candidates showing keen attention to detail and the ability to effectively follow procedures are at an advantage.
- Hours-: Manageable, since a Civil Servant is expected to work 9 to 5 on weekdays
Being a Civil Servant is an interesting and stimulating career. In fact, there will be several job opportunities relating to different aspects from finance to Immigration since you will be working for the government,. Furthermore, another benefit stemming from a government job relates involves the chance to advance in this career whilst working for the greater good of society.
9. Secondary School Teacher
- Entry level: Salary depends on where you work in Wales is £27,018. In Scotland entry level is £27,498 and can increase up to £41,412,
- Senior-level: An experienced teacher can earn up to £37,320
- Qualifications: QTS qualification is essential for anyone wanting to get into teaching
- Hours – Expected to work a 9 to 5 shift but there is always the expectation for extra time, particularly in relation to marking and attending parents’ evening.
Teachers are in high demand across the UK. As a teacher, you will be expected to prepare learning content, mark assessment and prepare pupils for exams alongside attending meetings and parents’ evenings. Overall, being a secondary school teacher is a rewarding career allowing you to make a difference.
8. University Lecturer
- Entry-level salary: On average £33,797 is the entry salary for a lecturer. a usual start for this job
- Senior salary: As an experienced lecturer you could earn anything between £39,152 to £59,135
- Qualification: If you want to teach philosophy at University level you need a Philosophy degree and a PhD in the area of specialization
- Hours: Expected to work on a 9 to 5 shift, but expect overtime when marking papers and attending meetings and conferences.
Enjoyed your Philosophy degree? Good news, is you could teach your favourite subject at university level and inspire the next generation of Philosophers. Furthermore, as a lecturer, you will expand your knowledge in the area of expertise by publishing and conducting your own academic research. However, the overtime and responsibility of a lecturer could be a really demanding role.
7. Journalist
- Entry salary: The initial salary is particularly low anything from £12000 to £15000,
- Senior salary: Expect to earn around £25000 and as a maximum salary it would be anything in between £ 35,000 to £40,000
- Qualification A Journalism degree is not necessary, but some publication prefers to have a Masters in Journalism, but regardless appropriate writing experience is required.
- Hours: Not flexible, you will be expected to work unsocial hours including weekends and holidays.
Next up, Journalism is a common career pathway for philosophy students. Similarly to Philosophy, a career in journalism involves finding and reporting the truth. Therefore the analytical and evaluative skills gained through Philosophy create the foundation for strong journalists. As a journalist, you will be expected to regularly write articles and communicate with both other journalists and the public. However, time management is another crucial skill in order to be a journalist because meeting deadlines on time is a must. Usually, the workload increase depending on the publication. Regardless, a career in journalism could be quite rewarding.
6. Policy Officer
Source: Canva
- Entry: Anything between £22,000 to £33,000
- Senior: Anything in between £32,000 and £40,000, but at a managerial role it could get higher than £ 50,000
- Qualification: Usually a degree in Philosophy is sufficient but some roles might favour a PhD in public policy and related subjects. Experience in the field is a helpful bonus.
- Hours: Expected to work 9 to 5, usually weekends are off unless otherwise stated.
As a policy officer, you will be expected to make informed decisions on what policies should be adopted alongside communicating them to an appropriate governing body. Therefore a successful policy officer should be able to demonstrate clear communication and the ability to quickly respond to change. Being a policy officer is a challenging role. Therefore competition, especially upon entry is particularly fierce.
5. Social Researcher
- Entry: Anything from £22,000 to £ 29,000
- Senior: An experienced social researcher usually earns £30,000 but depending on the field and expertise salary can increase up to £50,000, at the managerial level salaries can get higher than £70,000
- Qualification: A degree is necessary to enter this position.
- Hours: Expected to work 9 to 5, weekends usually are off.
Likewise, to be a social researcher you are expected to be eloquent and analytical. This is because the main responsibilities of the role involve working with people in order to design the best social policy. This can range rastically, from dealing with the environment to the housing system. Also if you consider this role you are expected to liaise with clients and often work in groups as well as carrying your own social research.
4. Business Consultant
- Entry salaries: Anything in between £21,000 ad £31,000
- Senior: At more experienced levels salary can be anything from £31,000 to £50,000
- Qualification: No specific degree is needed a sling as you are able to demonstrate that you have the right skills.
- Hours: Expectation to work 9 to 5
As you have probably noticed by now, jobs, where you will be expected to liaise, work in groups and be analytical, are a suitable fit for Philosophy graduates. Being a business consultant is no different. In fact, by being a business analyst you will be able to exploit those skills but in a different setting. In this role, you will be expected to closely work with an organisation and help them to guide their next steps and policies. You will also be expected to have a thorough understanding of how the organisation works. You’ll communicate with other teammates and analyse data to implement successful policies.
3. Human Resources Administrator
- Entry: Anything from £18,000 to £23,000
- Senior-level: At the managerial level salaries are from £24,000 to £ 35,000 and a Human resources director can earn anything from £ 55,000 to £80,000, also bear in mind that salaries tend to be higher in a corporate setting
- Qualifications: A degree is necessary for this position, and although favoured but not required a PhD in a related field.
- Hours: Expectation to work 9 to 5, with the occasional overtime at weekends.
Human resources, shortened to HR, deal with hiring the most suitable candidates for a role. Working for HR, also means that you will be responsible to give training to new employers and deal with giving remuneration to workers. In order to thrive in this role, you will need to be familiar with the organisation’s objectives and write job descriptions.
2. Solicitor
- Entry: Start at £27,000, however, a solicitor’s salary can increase depending on the area and specialisation
- Senior-level: An experienced solicitor working for an important law firm can earn anything from £60,000 to £90,000
- Qualifications: A degree is necessary, but after graduating in order to qualify to be a solicitor you would need to pass the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE)
- Hours: Expected to work long shifts, often on weekends and generally unsocial hours.
Following on, in this role, you will be expected to give advice on a range of legal issues and work with a range of clients. In fact, a solicitor is usually specialised in a certain aspect of the law, including family and property law. Therefore, you will need to have a thorough knowledge of how the legal world operates, as well as clear communication skills with colleagues and clients. Furthermore, another duty would be to remain up to date with changes in the legal world.
1. Marketing Executive
- Entry: Anything from £ 18,000 to £22,000, also a position as a marketing executive could also offer a variety of perks from company cars to other related bonuses
- Senior: After 5 years of experience salaries can get from £30,000 to £45,000, whilst marketing directors can earn anything between £60,000 to £100,000
- Qualification: A degree is necessary to access this position, experience and skills in the sector are a huge boost.
- Hours: Usually you will be expected to work 9 to 5, but when working on important projects and campaigns overtime and working at weekends might be required.
Lastly, as a marketing executive, you will be in charge of promoting products and services through marketing campaigns. In fact, being a marketing executive is a rather rewarding position since you will be able to work in different aspects of marketing. You will be expected to closely communicate with customers and create a brand image. Finally, a career in marketing would usually involve a 9 to 5 shift, but when working on big projects there would be the need to work overtime.