How can Majoring in Philosophy at Benedictine College Prepare Me for Life?
Philosophy is worth doing for its own sake – drawing closer to the truth through the exercise of our natural powers is what our minds were made for, and so it is inherently fulfilling. This is all the more true for those of us who believe in God, because drawing closer to the truth brings us closer to him as well. Still, though, students cannot help asking: Is this study going to be practically helpful for me after I leave college? Our graduates have found that philosophy prepares them for life in a number of ways.
Preparation for Life after College
Students who want to go on to further studies have found that studying philosophy enhances their applications to graduate and professional schools. Reading, discussing, and writing about philosophical texts and questions strengthens critical thinking skills, analytic skills, and verbal skills: as a result philosophy majors score very high on the GRE and the LSAT. This has helped our majors be admitted to programs in areas like law, psychology, and medicine as well as in philosophy.
Students who want to enter the workforce right away have found that philosophy majors’ skills in persuasive reasoning, critical thinking, analysis, problem solving, and communication of complex information are some of the skills most sought after by employers. Benedictine College’s good relationship with businesses and its alumni network help graduate find openings in fields like marketing, public relations, commodities trading, and project management.
Students who are interested in service-related fields have also found philosophy a good preparation for their lives. Our graduates use their communication skills and knowledge of ethics and human nature to teach at the high school level and to work for non-profits in areas such as admissions, development, and mission integration. And, as those who wish to serve the church know, Catholics have considered philosophy the best preparation for the priesthood and religious life for centuries. Our graduates have entered seminary and religious life with a strong start in the traditional Catholic grounding for theology and evangelization. As laypersons, they also serve in college ministries like FOCUS, and in parish and diocesan positions such as director of religious education.
Not all of life is about employment, of course. Most of our alumni have found that philosophy prepares them well for family life and for sincere, long-lasting friendships. We hear from many alumni that their reflection on ethics, human nature, and the nature of God continues to be fruitful. It guides them in educating their children and in shaping their own characters; in maintaining strong relationships with their husbands and wives; and in fostering friendships and conversations with people they meet, wherever life takes them.
Alumni Perspectives
Preparation for Seminary
Our philosophy courses exactly match those required by the Program of Priestly Formation.
Alumni Perspectives
Preparation for Law and Graduate Studies
A Philosophy Major provides an excellent foundation for those students interested in attending law school, graduate studies in philosophy, or graduate studies in other fields.
