What can I do with a degree in…..
Philosophy
From the point of view of graduate recruiters, philosophy is well-known and wellregarded as a subject, so the range of opportunities is very wide. Employers tell us
that they like philosophy students because they can:
 Formulate complex problems
 Articulate clearly the underlying and complex issues of debates
 Analyse
 Pay attention to detail
 Think clearly in the abstract and construct sound arguments
 Influence
 Find and articulate evidence of your skills more effectively than many
students
 Be rigorously logical
 Consider social and ethical issues in a structured way
Why Come to Warwick?
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In the rankings compiled by The Times newspaper, the University of Warwick’s Department of
Philosophy moved up four places to be number 7 in the country
The Research Excellence Framework, which measures the quality of research from UK
universities, ranked Warwick first in the UK for research outputs and fourth overall, with 90% of
Warwick Philosophy’s research output rated as either world leading or internationally excellent
What do Warwick Philosophy graduates do?
Over 90% were in jobs or further study within 6 months of graduating.
Examples of job titles include:
Account Manager, Assistant Researcher, Assistant Underwriter, Author Acquisitions Researcher, Computer
specialist, Consulting Analyst, Disability Support Assistant, English Language Teacher, Events Organiser,
Financial Assessor, Global Sourcing Manager, Graduate Trainee, Human Resources Assistant, Junior
Managing Director, Junior Strategist, Lecturer in Philosophy, Legal Secretary, Local Government Officer,
Marketing Co-ordinator, Project Assistant, Proof-reader, Public Relations Executive, Research Analyst, Tax
Adviser, Teacher, Technology Consultant, Tour Guide, Tutor.
Companies where graduates were working include:
Atos, British Council, Deloitte, E&Y. HMRC, Millward Brown, Royal Bank of Scotland, Smith and Williamson,
Western Computers. Retail organisations, charities, hotels, schools and churches.
Courses graduates progressed onto included:
Ancient Philosophy, Business Analytics and Consultancy, Continental Philosophy, Creative Writing,
Development Planning, Economics, Fashion Journalism, Historic Conservation, Human Resource
Management, International Political Economy, International Security, Literature, Management, Medicine,
Radio, Social Research, Social Work.
Graduate Recruiters tell us that what they want from applicants is:
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A good degree from a good university
Work Experience
Involvement in extra-curricular activities
The ability to describe and articulate their unique achievements and skills
At Warwick you have the opportunity to access all of the above, and the Department of Student Careers &
Skills is here to help you achieve your goals.
Given that 92% of all Warwick Graduates end up in either employment or further study, and that 70% of
graduate recruiters do not require graduates to have a specific degree, perhaps the most important question
to ask is not “What degree will get me a good graduate job?” but “How can I make the most of my time at
Warwick so that I can get the job I want?
“My philosophy degree has given me the ability to clearly articulate various educational
theories, an essential component of the PGCE and Masters qualifications I have undertaken
since graduating. In my current role at Teach First, I analyse the key trends of the recruitment
season, formulate campus strategies and encourage graduates to apply to the programme.
Above all, however, my degree has shown me the importance of being socially-minded and
the impetus to confront one of the UK's most pervasive social problems - educational
disadvantage.”
Ollie Longworth, Senior Graduate Recruitment Officer, Teach First.
Find out about career paths and employment destinations of recent graduates from the University of
Warwick: go.warwick.ac.uk/whatdowarwickgradsdo