WHAT CAN I DO WITH A DEGREE IN PHILOSOPHY?
Here is some careers information relating to what Philosophy graduates can do after they graduate. The AGCAS Options with Philosophy leaflet available from the Careers and Employability Service (CES) should be read in conjunction with the information contained here. The statistics that follow come from the University of Kent's Destination Survey of graduates which indicate student activity six months after graduation.
At the University of Kent Philosophy can be studied with a variety of other subjects. The destination statistics below reflect all types of combinations available.
PHILOSOPHY KENT GRADUATES 1997 -2007
This is what, in the broadest terms, Philosophy students have done immediately after they graduated, based on figures from over 400 graduates 1997 - 2007
- Employment 60.2%

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All fish die, Socrates died, therefore Socrates was a fish.
This is an invalid syllogism of course! A valid one is: "Socrates was a man, All men are mortal, therefore Socrates was mortal!" |
- Further study 30%
- Not available 8.2%
- Seeking employment 1.6%
Here are the occupational groups in which Philosophy graduates typically first gain employment.
- Clerical & Secretarial
- Associate Professional & Technical Occs
- Management & Administration
- Sales
- Personal Services
- Professional Occupations
These are the typical first employers of Philosophy graduates.
- Business & Research
- Retail
- Finance
- Health & Social Work
- Public Administration
- Community, Social & Personal Service
- Manufacturing
- Transport
- Hotels & Restaurants
Here are some examples of jobs where a Philosophy degree may be useful. You can research more information about these occupations by looking in the Occupational files of the careers library at the CAS or by visiting the Prospect website at www.prospects.ac.uk
You can find a list of all the main jobs open to graduates of any subject by clicking here
There follows a summary of the employment and further study which Kent Philosophy students (including combined courses) obtained between 2005 and 2007.
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PHILOSOPHY 2009
Employed
Allied Healthcare Group-Admin Assistant
Asda-Customer Service Assistant
BAA-Security
Bell School-Teacher
BSkyB-Editorial Assistant
C Spencer Ltd-Client Developer
Cabot Financial-Account Officer
Canterbury Early Years Project-Creche/Play Worker
Chalkwell Hall Junior School-Teaching Assistant
Choo Choo-Nursery Assistant
Debenhams-Sales Assistant
Dementia Home-Healthcare Assistant
Film Production Co-Film Runner
Frank PR-Junior Account Executive
Games Station-Sales Assistant
Greene King-Data Input
Haynes Lane Market-Sales
Hurlingham Club-Receptionist
Ibiza Angels Massage Co-Masseusse
Listen & Learn-English Teacher
Local Dialogue-PR/Communications
Marlowe Theatre-Usher & Ticket Sales
Metropolitan Police-Community Support Officer
Michael Bispham Agriculture-Farmer
Monsoon-Sales Assistant
Northamptonshire Police-HR Operations Assistant
Oakwood Nursery School-PA Work
P & G New Farmers-Yard Worker
Peter Childs Ltd-Executive Researcher
Random House-Marketing Assistant
Rituals-Store Manager
Royal British Legion-Bartender
Sanspiper C.I.-Receptionist/Administrator
Self-employed-Freelance Web Designer
Set Transport-Manual Labourer
Shake Away-Customer Services
Ship to Me-Supervisor deliveries
Simon & How Associates-Actor
Stafford House School of English-EFL Teacher
Suffolk County Council-Learning Support Assistant
The British Museum-Museum Education Facilitator
The Bull Hotel-Bar Staff
The House of Agnes-Housekeeping Assistant
Thorley Taverns-Bar Staff
Topshop-Sales Assistant
University of Kent-Canteen Assistant
Waitrose-Customer Service
Wheatstone Inn-Waitress
Wholefood Retailer-Buyer
Further Study
LSE-MSc Political Theory
St. Mary's College -PGCE Religious Education
University of Kent-MA Logical Thought/Reasoning
University of Kent-MA Philosophy (3 graduates)
University of Kent-MA Reasoning (3 graduates)
University of Warwick-MA International Relations |
PHILOSOPHY 2008
Employed
Child Support Agency-Data Clerk
FSA-Administrator
Gift Shop-Sales Assistant
I-Level-Trainee Planner/Buyer
Kent County Council-Social Worker
Local Authority-Administrative Assistant
Marine Taverns-Bar Attendant
Marks & Spencer-Sales Assistant
Monsoon-Floor Manager
Nat Inst for Biological Standards & Control-Office Assistant
Nationwide Building Society-Customer Administrator
NHS-Assistant Radiographer
Norfolk Line-Finance Assistant
Odeon UCI Cinemas-Customer Service
Paul Yaxley Luxury Eyewear-Sales Assistant
PR Agency-Events Organiser
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust-Procurement Assistant
Science Navigation Group-Administrative Assistant
Search Ltd/LTA-Support Worker/LTA Coach Level 1
Teacher
TEFL Organisation-English Teacher
Tesco-Merchandise Planning Assistant
The Number UK-Call Handler
The Willows, Cambridgeshire County Council-Playworker
TTT Moneycorp-Cashier
University of Hertfordshire-Researcher
Further Study
Birkbeck College-CIPD Personnel Certificate
Brunel University-CPE/GDL
Canterbury Christ Church-PGCE 11-18 Religious Education
Canterbury Christ Church-PGCE Secondary
Chichester University-PGCE
College of Law-Graduate Diploma in Law
Flying College-Flying Training
Free Universitat Berlin-MA English Studies
London College of Communication-Location Photography
Oxford Brookes University-MSc Digital Media Production
RADA & King's College London-MA Text & Performance Studies
The Open University-Dip/Cert Introducing Environment
University of Kent-MA Film Studies
University of Kent-MA International Security & Politics of Terror
University of Kent-MA Philosophy
University of Kent-MA Philosophy
University of Kent-MA Philosophy |
2005 - 2007
Employed
Administration/Clerical
- ALCS - Data Entry Clerk
- Brooke Street Bureau - Data Input Assistant
- Malmaison Hotel Group - Receptionist
- Platinum - Office Assistant
- Reed (City Link) - Administration Temp
- Unite - Administrative Assistant
Education & Welfare
- Amnesty International - Volunteer Relief Worker
- City Church, Canterbury - Church Student Worker
- Diocesan & Payne Smith Primary School - Teaching Assistant
- Embassy School - Language Teacher
- Pinnacle - Junior Housing Officer
- School - Teaching Assistant
- School - Teaching Assistant
- St. Richard's Hospital - Health Care Assistant
Finance
- American Express/University of Sussex - IT Graduate/MSc Human
- Computer Systems
- Coutts Information Services - Data Service Researcher
- Fidelity - Graduate trainee
- Lloyds TSB - Personal Banking Manager
- Maidstone Borough Council - Revenue Officer
- RBS - Portfolio Manager
- Risk Audit -Researcher
- Torbay Primary Care Trust - Finance Assistant
Management
- A C Neilson Marketing - Project Co-ordinator
- Jacobs UK Ltd - Assistant Transport Planner
- Geopost Ltd - Sort Controller
- Ski Morgins - Chalet Manager
- TRG Strata - Business Development Executive
- Worldwide UK (Offsure Brokers) - Operations Manager
Press/Media
- Ad Agency - Account Manager
- Centaur Media plc - Services Advertising Executive
- Mulberry Publications - Editorial Assistant
- Newsquest -Trainee Reporter
- Publishing Co - Editorial Assistan
- Random House Group (Publisher) - Group Sales & Marketing Assistant
- University of Kent - Publishing Assistant
- Whitehall & Industry Group (WIG) - Events & Office Assistant
Recruitment/Human Resources
- Climate Change Capital - Human Resources Administrator
- Contract Connections - Recruitment Consultant
- Highways Agency - HR Officer
- Reo Commerce - Headhunter
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Retail & Sales
- Blockbuster Video - Customer Service Assistant
- Boots - Sales Assistant
- Habitat - Sales Assistant
- Harveys - Sales Assistant
- Oasis - Sales Assistant
- Top Shop - Sales Assistant
- Waitrose - Sales Assistant
- Waterstones - Bookseller
- Waterstones - Bookseller
Other
- Animal - Packer
- Oceana - Floor Supervisor
- RM - Forvus Test Analyst
- SPC International - Electronics Engineer
- Wickford Library - Library Assistant
FURTHER STUDY
- Aberystwyth University - MA Philosophy
- Camberwell College of Arts - Graphic Design
- College of Europe, Bruges - MA Economics
- College of Law, Guildford - Grad. Dip. In Law
- College of Law, York - Pg Dip Law
- ESCP - EAP - MA European Business
- Kent & Medway Training - Teacher Training
- King's College London - MA Philosophy
- London School of Journalism - Pg Diploma Journalism
- LSE - MA Economics
- LSE - MSc International Relations
- LSE - MSC Politics & Government in the EU
- Open University - MA Philosophy
- Universite de Lille - MA Economics
- University of Birmingham - MA Philosophy
- University of Greenwich - BA Art
- University of Kent - Comparative Literary Studies and Philosophy
- University of Kent - MA English & American Literature
- University of Kent - MA Philosophy
- University of Kent - MA Philosophy
- University of Kent - MA Philosophy
- University of Kent - MA Philosophy
- University of Kent - MA Philosophy
- University of Kent - MA Philosophy
- University of Kent - MA Philosophy
- University of Kent - MA Philosophy
- University of Kent - MA Philosophy
- University of Kent - MA Sociology
- University of Kent - MSc Management
- University of Kent - MSc Business
- University of Sheffield - MA Philosophy
- University of St. Andrews - PhD Philosophy
- University of Sussex - MA English
- University of Sussex - MSc Human Computer Systems
- University Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle - MA in Communication
- York St. Johns - PGCE Primary
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Here are some examples of what Kent Philosophy graduates are doing many years after graduation.
- Company Representative - Scottish Widows
- Teacher - School
- Commissioning Editor - Academic Book Publisher
- EFL Teacher - Hilderstone College
- Sub-Editor - The Independent
- Tutor/Counsellor - Open University
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- Business Librarian - Borough Council
- Director/Producer - Film Production Co
- Producer/Presenter - BBC Radio Berkshire
- Manager - Community Health Trust
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- Entertainer - Freelance
- Barrister - Self-employed
- Marketing Assistant - Commercial Union
- PR Officer - Movement for Christian Democracy
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Here are some examples of CAS facilities available to Kent Philosophy students. There are many more, so why not visit us and see what else we have. We are located next to Keynes College and are open Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm.
- Alumni Careers Network
- Employer Files
- Occupational Files
- Occupational Profiles
- Prospect Planner - generates job ideas
- Prospectuses
- Your degree in Philosophy
. What Next?
- Careers Programme for Philosophy 2nd & Final Year undergraduates.
"Nietzsche is dead" - God
I doubt, therefore I might be.
Meditation is not what you think.
All generalisations are false.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.
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Last fully updated October 2009