Philosophy seeks to understand, and critically to question, ideas concerning the nature of reality, value and experience that play a pervasive role in understanding the world and ourselves. Problematic concepts, such as existence, reason and truth, occur in every sphere of human enquiry. Others belong to particular areas of thought and practice, such as art and politics. The vitality of Philosophy is enhanced by the existence of a plurality of approaches, and the maintenance and development of distinct (though overlapping) traditions. Philosophy is open-ended, changing and extending its range both by its own internal dynamic and also by encompassing new problems generated from outside itself. This means it is constantly questioning and refreshing itself, the very essence of learning and knowledge.

Gaining a graduate job with its associated career prospects, training and remuneration once a degree has been obtained, is a key consideration when undertaking university studies. Although a degree in Business, Finance, Law, Marketing, Media etc. provides immediate skills and practical tools for gaining entry into the employment market, Philosophy focuses more on providing the ideal environment in which to develop the fundamental and essential attributes on which these skills depend. Philosophy teaches the student how to think, analyse and communicate ideas in a clear, rational and well thought out way. Students of philosophy learn to develop and defend an opinion, they learn how to learn and how to think. With an in-depth grounding in the areas of analysis and thought, philosophy undergraduates are highly likely to develop into well rounded, mature, thoughtful and articulate employees.

Studying formal logic helps students acquire skills in symbol manipulation, formal systems and abstract thinking and it also influences the wider skills of analysis and a detailed understanding of argument structure. These skills are of immediate value in computer and information management careers and in all contexts where precision, clarity and high level abstract planning and analysis are required.

During their course of study, philosophy students will develop skills which are less job specific and more general, like the ability to think logically, analyse critically, communicate articulately and accurately, both orally and in writing - they learn communication skills, reasoning skills and the ability to formulate problems.

These are the skills that employers indicate differentiate the lower level technical skills that are so important at entry level from the skills desired for middle management and leadership roles. In an increasingly global economy, the skills of vision, creativity and analytical power being developed through the study of Philosophy will have a premium.

Business and commerce are not the only areas of work a philosophy student might consider, and because Philosophy provides such a sound intellectual foundation, students will have the freedom to pursue a large variety of professions, for example:

• Information Technology
• Law
• Finance and Accounting
• Communication and Media
• Arts
• Medicine
• Management
• Journalism
• Politics
• Education
• Religion, Ethics and Divinity
• Business

A good philosophy student has strong skills in the areas of problem solving and reasoning and, with the number of combined studies degrees, this means that the employability possibilities are almost limitless.

The specific employability skills that can be gained by studying Philosophy, as identified by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Subject Benchmark Statements, are:

• General philosophical skills such as accurately identifying underlying issues in all kinds of debate.
• Logical thinking and presentation in the analysis and formulation of complex and controversial problems.
• Sensitivity in interpretation of thoughts and ideas drawn from both history and current trends.
• Clarity and rigor in the critical assessment of arguments presented in such thoughts and ideas.
• Ability to use and criticise specialised philosophical terminology.
• Ability to abstract, analyse and construct sound arguments and to identify logical inconsistency.
• Ability to recognise methodological errors, rhetorical devices, unexamined conventional wisdom, unnoticed assumptions, vagueness and superficiality.
• Ability to move between general and appropriately detailed discussion, providing examples to support or challenge a position, and distinguishing relevant and irrelevant considerations.
• Ability to consider unfamiliar ideas and ways of thinking, and to examine critically pre-suppositions and methods within the discipline itself.
• Ability to adapt and transfer the critical methods of the discipline to a variety of working environments.
• Ability to comprehend and develop intricate concepts in an open ended way which involves an understanding of purpose and consequences.
• The ability to work with and in relation to others through the presentation of ideas and information and the collective negotiation of solutions.
• The ability to understand, interrogate and apply a variety of theoretical positions and weigh the importance of alternative perspectives.
• The ability to handle information and argument in a critical and self reflective manner.
• Ability to conduct arguments about matters of the highest moment without recourse to insult or susceptibility to take offense.
• Willingness to evaluate opposing arguments, to formulate and consider the best arguments for different views and to identify the weakest elements of the most persuasive view.
• Honesty in recognising the force of the conclusions warranted by a careful assessment of pertinent arguments.
• Ability to cross traditional subject boundaries, examining the limitations and virtues of other disciplines and practices, and recognising philosophical doctrines in unfamiliar places
• Ability to apply philosophical skills and techniques to issues arising outside the academy.
• Develop the ability to reflect clearly and critically on oral and written sources, employing powers of imagination as well as analysis.
• To construct convincing arguments in the evaluation of information.
• Develop skills in Information Technology - word-processing, e-mail and WWW, information search and retrieval, using online computer resources to identify and access relevant information/ material.
• The study of Philosophy fosters the development of a range of personal attributes that are important in the world of work and that will strengthen the graduate's ability to engage in lifelong learning, and contribute to the wider community. These include:
  • Self motivation.
  • Ability to work autonomously.
  • Time and priority management skills.
  • Developing a flexible and adaptable mind to face new situations and manage change.
  • Ability to think creatively, self-critically and independently.

An individual student may identify examples of their own skills development from this list of possible skills identified in the Philosophy Benchmark statements and from other sources such as tutor feedback, work experience either of a formal or informal nature, voluntary and extra curricular activities. These examples may then be mapped against the list of qualities and attributes typically desired by employers, to be found in the generic guidance notes, so enabling the student to translate their learning experiences into language helpful to employers.