Using Your Degree

Student studying

A philosophy major is excellent preparation for a career in law, medicine or teaching. There is a growing demand for doctoral-educated philosophers, especially women, to teach at the college level.

"Philosophy is the most intensely practical study, despite what anybody else tells you."

— William Myers, St. Kate's professor

Combined with another interest, this major can also lead to professions in fields such as:

  • Communication
  • Information management
  • Business
  • Healthcare administration
  • Religious ministry
  • Government

Just look at our alumnae — among them:

  • Amanda Rothstein, assistant director of development at Benilde-St. Margaret's School
  • Julia Lamm, associate professor of theology at Georgetown University (double major philosophy and history)
  • Ginamarie Caya, a lawyer in Alaska and a former legal intern at the San Francisco Public State Defender's Office (double major philosophy and critical studies of race and ethinicity)
  • Monica Greenwell Janzen, a part-time philosophy instructor at Hennepin Technical College
  • Kristina Anderson, a philosophy and English teacher at a bilingual girls' school in Bogota, Colombia

Graduate School

Compared with their peers, philosophy majors score up to 5 percent higher on the Graduate Records Exam (GRE), the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), according to recent studies

St. Kate's alumnae include:

  • Amy Pommerening is earning a Ph.D. in epistemology and experimental poetic forms at Purdue University.
  • Elise Peterson earned a law degree at William Mitchell College of Law.
  • Kate Brantingham completed a master's degree in international relations at the University of Kent, England.
  • Heather Holldorf received a master's degree in counseling psychology from the University of St. Thomas.
  • Marilea Bramer earned a Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Minnesota.
  • Nicole Thompson completed a master's degree in history from the University of Notre Dame and a master's in education from the University of St. Thomas.
  • Kirsten Kringle is pursuing a Ph.D. in feminist philosophy and the philosophy of science at the University of Minnesota.
  • Elizabeth Becker earned a master's degree in health behavior and health education at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.