Career Scope after BA Philosophy

Every year, lakhs, if not thousands, of students enrol in the BA Philosophy programme offered by various top universities and institutions in India. However, unlike other programmes such as English, History, and Political Science, this undergraduate programme in Philosophy is not widely publicised. Few people understand what the BA Philosophy programme entails, what is taught to students, what career paths it opens up in the later stages, and so on.

Today, in this article, we will decipher every aspect of the BA Philosophy programme together. Along with that, we will try to find the universities that offer the BA Philosophy programme, the average fee, and the direct link to apply to these universities, followed by the career opportunities the programme opens up, higher study options, and what pay packages can be expected by freshers who want to start their career after finishing their studies.

History of Philosophy

Let us gain insight a little deeper into Philosophy and its origins. How the term came to be, who were the early philosophers, what the term meant back then, and so on. The term "Philosophy" derives from the Greek word "Philosophia," which means "Love of Wisdom." Philosophy, or Philosophia, was originally associated with "the Academic Study of Everything," i.e. literally everything. When scholars began delineating each field of study, Philosophy became associated with "a way of thinking about questions." A philosopher may ask the same question that was asked in the early days of philosophy, and a proper answer may not exist even today - which they don't mind.

All About BA Philosophy

A Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy is an undergraduate programme that teaches students about general and fundamental issues. Students learn an important skill while studying BA Philosophy: the ability to defend a point of view that appears or sounds reasonable. BA Philosophy also teaches students how to look at something from various perspectives, which promotes the development of a liberal mindset. After earning a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, students realise an important fact: no viewpoint has an ultimate basis and is subject to socio-political context.

BA Philosophy, also known as Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, is a three-year undergraduate degree programme that consists of two semesters per year.
Various universities and colleges in India offer the course. The course covers every aspect of philosophy, including Indian philosophy, Western philosophy, ethics, and so on. The primary requirement for pursuing this course is that the student has passed their senior secondary examination. Students must have passed their 10+2 exams with a minimum of 50% marks from any recognised board. Admission to the course is based on either the marks obtained in the 10+2 examination or the marks obtained in any relevant entrance test. GATA, MUEE, Patna University Entrance Exam, and other popular entrance exams are used to shortlist students for admission to this course. The average tuition fee for this course charged by colleges or universities ranges from INR 5,000 to INR 50,000 per year. Different colleges charge different fees. It is primarily determined by the type of institution.

Fresh graduates of the course can expect to earn an initial average salary of INR 1.56 Lakhs to INR 10 Lakhs. The salary offered is determined by their qualifications and experience in the field. Kotak Securities, CAPGEMINI, United Airlines, Axis Bank, and other top recruiters for such graduates include The course provides a variety of career options. Aside from looking for work, students can also pursue further education. They can pursue advanced professional studies in Journalism or advertising, for example.

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Who Should Pursue a BA in Philosophy?

The students with the following qualities or abilities will be most suited for the BA Philosophy programme that various Universities in India offer:

• Students with good analytical and critical skills combined with skills such as listening skills and interpretative skills

• Students who are non-dogmatic, have a lust for knowledge, are passionate, dedicated and highly motivational must join BA Philosophy programme

• Ones with a desire for abundance (As per Nietzsche) are suitable candidates to pursue BA Philosophy

• Students willing to admit that they do not know the answer to everything - Humility in short

BA Philosophy Eligibility Criteria

Students seeking admission to the course must meet the eligibility requirements listed below.

• A recognised board's 10+2 examinations must be completed
• To be eligible for the admission process, one must have at least a 50% overall grade point average
• Reserved category students must present their relevant certificates in order to be considered for admission
• For some colleges, applicants must have received an aggregate score of 75-80% on all subjects at the qualifying level

BA Philosophy Admission Process 

Admission to the course is based on either the marks obtained in the 10+2 examination or the marks obtained in any relevant entrance test. GATA, MUEE, Patna University Entrance Exam, and other popular entrance exams are used to shortlist students for admission to this course. 

Entrance-Based Admission Process

• Colleges and universities hold their own entrance exams to select students for admission to their programmes
• Students must select a subject and register on the official website
• The examination dates are announced on the official websites. Before taking the test, students must meet the eligibility requirements
• Following the examination, the respective college or university publishes cutoff lists
• The final merit list of the shortlisted candidates is then released by the college or university

Merit-Based Admission Process

• Students must complete the application forms for the colleges in which they are interested. They must determine whether they are eligible for the same
• The college or university then publishes a cut-off list based on the +2 examination results
• Students with grades higher than the cutoffs are admitted

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BA Philosophy Entrance Exams

Admission to the BA Philosophy course is based on either the marks obtained in the 10+2 examination or the marks obtained in any relevant entrance test. The following are some of the most popular entrance exams used to shortlist candidates for admission to the course:

• GATA: is for GoenkanAptitude Test for Admission. The exam assesses students' logical abilities, mathematics, English, general knowledge, and scientific knowledge
• MUEE: is for Mewar University Entrance Examination. Mewar University administers the exam to select students for various UG, PG, and certificate programmes
• PUEE: Patna University conducts the PUEE (Patna University Entrance Examination). The test is used to select students for the university's various undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes

Things Taught to the Students at the UG Level Study of Philosophy

At the undergraduate level study of Philosophy, the students are inculcated with the following qualities:

• Strong curiosity about the subject

• Develop an understanding of principles, key concepts and definitions of various theories propagated by various philosophers

• Taught techniques to compare and contrast theories of various philosophers

• Taught techniques to apply the acquired skills and knowledge in solving specific applied and theoretical problems in Philosophy, especially in bioethical and ethical fields

• Inculcate the ability to think analytically, critically and logically

• Provide enough skills to ponder fundamental issues

Now, we will turn our attention to the required set of skills in a student to be able to grasp the knowledge imparted at the undergraduate level study of Philosophy.

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Universities Offering BA Philosophy & Fee Structure

Moving on, here we present you with the list of those top Universities that offer BA Philosophy along with their fee structure and direct link:

With all the required information regarding the BA Philosophy programme, we will move on to its career aspects in the following section.

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Career Prospects for Philosophy Graduates

Most of the focus of opting for a programme is influenced by the potential career opportunities which it might open up in the near future. It is no different in the case of BA Philosophy programme. In this section, we will try and find out what are career opportunities a Philosophy graduate has after he has completed his study. One important thing that Philosophy graduates must keep in their mind is that they do not possess a professional qualification. Instead, they have been armed with education which does not open up limited job opportunities as is the case with most other Arts stream subjects. It allows them to join any job available in the market. True, it seems a Philosophy graduate has options like researching, teaching, writing etc but in reality, a Philosophy graduate can become a lawyer, management consultant, journalist, policy analyst, social worker, government employee, public relations officer etc.

The BA Philosophy jobs salary is one of the most appealing aspects of pursuing the course. BA Philosophy scope and salary are in high demand in India. The BA Philosophy course not only provides students with theoretical knowledge but also sharpens their skills such as critical thinking and writing, which can be applied in a variety of careers. Graduates of BA Philosophy can apply for a variety of job positions with competitive pay packages. Some jobs available after completing a BA Philosophy course include: 

• Archivist
• Administrator
• Researcher
• Insurance Underwriter
• Lecture
• Social Worker
• Content Writer

The BA Philosophy course provides numerous job and career opportunities. Fresh graduates of the course can easily expect an annual salary ranging from INR 1.5 Lakhs to INR 3.5 Lakhs. 

BA Philosophy Future Scope

The BA Philosophy course provides numerous job and career opportunities. Such professionals are hired in positions such as HR executive, sales executive, public relations executive, school teacher, student counsellor, journalist, and so on.

• A philosophy graduate has many options for furthering their education in addition to working
• An obvious choice is an MA Philosophy degree, which is available at all major universities in India that offer Postgraduate courses. A philosophy graduate may also pursue an MA in English Literature, which focuses on different branches of philosophy and their contributions to literature
• Those interested in a more professional path can pursue an MBA in Human Resource Management or an MBA in Marketing

Despite the fact that there is a "Taboo" associated with the subject that "Philosophy is not suitable for those seeking a money-making career," the opening of vacancies in Universities and colleges for Philosophers has put an end to such speculations.