r/AcademicPhilosophy • u/kwrocket • 14d ago

Lapsed philosopher here

Looking for a little advice. I have an MA in philosophy from San Francisco State University. I thought adjunct at the JC level for several years until about 15 years ago. I’ve been out of the game for a while.

What would the prospects be like for someone like me to get back in the game and try to re-make a career out of philosophy?

I live in Northern California if that matters. Thanks in advance.

8 Upvotes

70% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

21

u/insonobcino 14d ago

“re-make a career out of philosophy”

You need to get your doctorate. That is the only way, if there even is a way to re-make a career out of philosophy.

11

u/bmccooley 14d ago

Not good. Many universities are restructuring right now, and humanities departments are getting cut all over. With experience at community colleges you may have opportunities as an adjunct, but the competition with newly out-of-work professors is going to be increased.

6

u/mmacn034 14d ago

Content creation may not be what you're thinking of here but that may scratch an itch? Otherwise, the time commitment to re-enter academia is going to be hard work

12

u/Ernest-T-Bass 14d ago

Do it. I got my Ph.D. at 37, scored a tenure track job at a little liberal arts college (after a shitload of applications) and lived happily ever after. Being a prof is the best job in the world.

5

u/kwrocket 14d ago

Love it. I’m 47 now. I was actually enrolled in a PhD program 24 years ago but just didn’t have the resources to make it work beyond a year. It’s daunting as the only programs in my area are very competitive (Cal, Stanford, Davis) and my undergrad work was pretty out of step as it was very much a classical liberal arts and ancient/medieval focus.

2

u/mrperuanos 14d ago

You need a phd

1

u/Infamous_State_7127 12d ago

academia is really the only option for you lol. I plan on doing my phd in philosophy, but my masters is a practical degree so i can actually have a job and afford to live.

it’s not 398 BCE, the compensation package for professional philosopher isn’t exactly desirable…

-1

u/Late_Reporter770 14d ago

Make a life with philosophy and you’ll never need a career again 😁

1

u/LongSong333 12d ago

Not sure what you mean; can you explain?

But it reminds me of the fine old joke:

Yeah, he majored in philosophy. Couldn't get a job, but at least he knew why.

1

u/Late_Reporter770 12d ago

If you live by the philosophy you study, in its entirety, without focusing on one individual’s ideas, the key to living a free unfettered life is contained within that. Most people teach principles, very rarely do they live by them. If you can learn to do both, you are a complete person and no longer are bound by any one career, you’ll have a way of life that transcends the need for one.

0

u/endless_mike 14d ago

You can probably adjunct at a community college with an MA but it sounds like you might have burnt out on that already? Tenure track positions will probably attract PhD holders and crowd out other candidates