Find top-ranked online associate in philosophy degree programs for students wanting to pursue careers as writers, authors, teaching assistants, and assistant operations managers.
Philosophy is one of the most intellectually stimulating and enthralling academic disciplines, but it is also one of the least understood. Contrary to popular belief, philosophy is one of the best degree programs and can prepare you for a wide range of careers.
Philosophy is centered around its literal name: “Philos” (love of) and “Sophia” (wisdom). When the discipline emerged several thousand years ago, the love of wisdom was never separated into competing arts and sciences. Instead, the field included ethics, natural sciences, religious discussion, the arts, and much more.
Philosophy is a broad major, and having a concentration can help you specialize in a particular sub-field of the discipline. This will make you more knowledgeable in your chosen area.
Choosing a concentration for your philosophy program is a very crucial decision because this can help shape both your academic experience and career path in the future.
Below are some of the most common philosophy concentrations.
Bioethics: Majoring in bioethics is a perfect move for philosophy students who plan to pursue health-related careers. This field marries the study of ethics and health care, focusing on the crucial issues surrounding medicine’s morality. Typical course titles within this subdiscipline include The Ethics of Medicine, Sociology of Mental Health, and Bioethics and the Law.
Political Science: For those who desire to work in public office, administration, or public affairs, a philosophy degree with a minor in political science is a wise option. Courses may include Power and Politics, Topics in Political Philosophy, and Philosophy, Economy, and Society.
Mathematics: This is quickly becoming a popular concentration in philosophy. The study of mathematics can prepare you for careers in STEM fields or even further study beyond the associate degree.
Those who combine the study of philosophy with mathematics will gain a broader understanding of the logical methods that drive mathematical theories. With this concentration, students will come across courses like Mathematical Reasoning, Topics in Mathematical Logic, and Symbolic Logic.
Economics: A philosophy degree with a concentration in economics facilitates the study of different topics like social justice, economic theory, and economic policy. This is specifically suited to those who want to secure a career in economics.
Key Point: While an online associate degree in philosophy can help to prepare you for a number of career opportunities, focusing on a concentration or minor will make you even more valuable to employers.
Although there are limited entry-level career options in philosophy itself, there are related jobs in many different industries and fields that are suited for graduates with an associate degree in philosophy.
Following are some potential career options for graduates with an online associate in philosophy:
Legal Assistants and Paralegals: These are popular choices for those who hold an online associate degree in philosophy. The two-year associate degree program will give students an introduction to critical ethical concepts that will later serve them well in the legal environment.
Students in online associate in philosophy programs will learn how to research efficiently, think critically, and write clearly—all important skills for legal assistants. Paralegals are charged with helping lawyers prepare for cases by conducting research, gathering facts, and writing briefs.
Writer/Author: Clear writing needs clear thinking. For online associate philosophy majors, clear and logical thinking is the priority. An online philosophy program requires students to take classes in logic and reasoning, and they will routinely take part in debates that summon their deep level of thought and analysis. All these things make for great preparation for a budding career as an author or a writer.
Community and Social Service Managers: Because online philosophy students study social issues thoroughly in their associate degree program, they are the perfect candidates for community and social service management positions.
Philosophy graduates in this role create and oversee plans to create, maintain, and enhance local social service and community programs. These professionals rely on their impeccable thinking skills to assess the efficiency of their plans and create necessary adjustments and changes.
Teacher: An online associate degree in philosophy is a great addition to a student’s portfolio when entering a teacher’s college. This degree will prepare students to teach general humanities courses in private and public high schools.
Note that teaching in a public high school requires a bachelor’s degree and a teaching certificate. Graduates may also desire to teach at a college or university, although that requires an additional post-graduate degree.
Bottom Line: An online associate in philosophy degree can be a great stepping stone into many career fields. However, to secure a position beyond entry-level typically requires at least a bachelor’s degree.
For those who like to think critically, analyze the human experience, and ponder the meaning of life, an associate degree in philosophy may be a great starting point in your higher education.
Back to TopYou’ll read works by history’s great thinkers as you explore key topics like ethics, logic, religion, and social convention.
Back to TopAssociate programs are available online and on campus and typically require 60 credits, which takes roughly two years to complete.
Back to TopPhilosophy is a great stepping stone for the fields of law, business, government, social work, and health management. Many students continue in their education after earning their associate in philosophy, but some pursue careers as writers, authors, teaching assistants, and assistant operations managers.
Back to TopLearn more about how to major in philosophy.
The following graph depicts the average salaries of Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary for each percentile in the U.S.
Source: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
SVG Attribution: Wikipedia
Tuition + fees
$23K
Acceptance
99%
Graduation
62%
Student body
79K
Median SAT/ACT
1145/25
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
18%
Student body
4K
Tuition + fees
$1K
Graduation
31%
Student body
4K
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
26%
Student body
11K
Tuition + fees
$7K
Graduation
40%
Student body
4K
Tuition + fees
$9K
Graduation
9%
Student body
24K
Tuition + fees
$1K
Graduation
21%
Student body
15K
Tuition + fees
$9K
Graduation
43%
Student body
2K
Tuition + fees
$2K
Graduation
18%
Student body
4K
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
11%
Student body
13K
Tuition + fees
$2K
Graduation
9%
Student body
10K
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
32%
Student body
8K
Tuition + fees
$1K
Graduation
20%
Student body
8K
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
25%
Student body
7K
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
26%
Student body
6K
If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.
No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?
If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.
In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.
Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.
Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.
As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.
In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.
Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.
If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).
While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.
The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.
Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.