My Mathematics Major: Pure, Applied or Statistics? (4 Viewers)

[Shadowdude]

Oh thank God - mitchy_boy, I thought no one else was in my predicament! Lifesaver, you are.

Though I think there are some jobs in applied mathematics in a very wide area of things. Like I read about this person who works for Jetstar and uses applied maths to make models on fuel consumption vs. things like delays and passengers and amount of luggage. Another person works for one of the Belgian chocolate companies and equates numerous variables to get a number that represents how much the chocolate melts in your mouth.

 

[deterministic]

But apart from finance and teaching where can I (realistically) get a job with a maths degree (pure or applied...)?

As a statistician, you can enter fields such as medical research (statistical analysis with appropriate medical knowledge), economics (working for the ABS or the reserve bank given appropriate economics background as well). However, these all require some knowledge in non mathematical fields, so it may be a good idea to supplement a maths major with another major.

As for pure, the main avenue is usually academia.

As for applied, anything to do with mathematical modelling (finance and economics, meteorology etc). But applied and pure usually requires honours.

One should note that maths degree is already a much more diverse degree than others. Finance majors can only work in finance, accounting majors can only be accountants, civil engineer can only work in engineering, so a maths degree already offers more options to choose from.

 

[Trebla]

Any place that requires modelling/forecasting would look for those with degrees in mathematics. Finance/economics is first thing that comes to mind. For more scientific uses, the CSIRO has a mathematics department which involves modelling (together with IT) often with a specific scientific application (e.g. population analysis, environmental effects of pollution in water systems etc). Also, government departments like the Bureau of Meterology and the Australian Bureau of Statistics look for graduates with mathematics degrees.

 

[mitchy_boy]

Yeh it's somewhat daunting, all these terms being thrown about, and I have no idea what they REALLY mean...

. Another person works for one of the Belgian chocolate companies and equates numerous variables to get a number that represents how much the chocolate melts in your mouth.

Lol did you get this from the USYD advance math talk at the open day, cos I remember the lady talking about it?

As a statistician, you can enter fields such as medical research (statistical analysis with appropriate medical knowledge), economics (working for the ABS or the reserve bank given appropriate economics background as well). However, these all require some knowledge in non mathematical fields, so it may be a good idea to supplement a maths major with another major.

As for pure, the main avenue is usually academia.

As for applied, anything to do with mathematical modelling (finance and economics, meteorology etc). But applied and pure usually requires honours.

One should note that maths degree is already a much more diverse degree than others. Finance majors can only work in finance, accounting majors can only be accountants, civil engineer can only work in engineering, so a maths degree already offers more options to choose from.

Ahk, so applied is probably going to open the most doors. That's what I thought... Cheers

 

[mitchy_boy]

So I'd probs be best to stick to the financial applications of maths, rather than be too adventurous.

Will a double Commerce(actuarial/finance)/Science(maths) degree be too much to handle?

 

[deterministic]

Depends on how much you enjoy finance and maths. If you enjoy it, workload should be fine.

 

[Studentleader]

So I'd probs be best to stick to the financial applications of maths, rather than be too adventurous.

Will a double Commerce(actuarial/finance)/Science(maths) degree be too much to handle?

I'd do stats and computer science IMHO (3 year BSci)

NEXT TO NO ONE gets a maths job in finance without honours/masters/PhD.

 

[jaychouf4n]

I'd do stats and computer science IMHO (3 year BSci)

NEXT TO NO ONE gets a maths job in finance without honours/masters/PhD.

I think it provides a bit more flexibility. Comm/Sci is one extra year and allows you to go down another pathway. You might get to second year and realise that you don't actually want a hardcore quant role at a bank. If you had Finance/Actuarial, you could go into Trading, Insurance etc, which do not require 3rd, 4th year mathematics.

However, I agree that if you are set on a highly quantitative role, you definitely should go the 3 year stats and computer science degree and then get a Phd.

 

[Studentleader]

I think it provides a bit more flexibility. Comm/Sci is one extra year and allows you to go down another pathway. You might get to second year and realise that you don't actually want a hardcore quant role at a bank. If you had Finance/Actuarial, you could go into Trading, Insurance etc, which do not require 3rd, 4th year mathematics.

However, I agree that if you are set on a highly quantitative role, you definitely should go the 3 year stats and computer science degree and then get a Phd.

You saying that doing stats/comp science isn't enough flexibility!?!?

 

[jaychouf4n]

You saying that doing stats/comp science isn't enough flexibility!?!?

I'm biased because I lean towards the financial industry.

 

[Shadowdude]

Lol did you get this from the USYD advance math talk at the open day, cos I remember the lady talking about it?

Were you there too?! Wow... that's awesome.


Anyway to thread progress... stats and applied is where it's at. Just a question though - say I complete a double major of Applied and Statistics - is that enough to start working like at places such as the ABS? Or do we need other studies as well?

 

[deterministic]

A statistics major alone would do fine. You can either do computer science to boost programming skills, applied for more modelling skills or do pure maths for fun. Also if you want to do a stats major, if it helps, UNSW is accredited by the statistical society of Australia, while Usyd isnt.
http://www.statsoc.org.au/accredited-courses.htm

 

[Shadowdude]

Lovely, the plot thickens <_<

So is computer science programming? Err... I'm not exactly too enthusiastic about that.

 

[Studentleader]

Lovely, the plot thickens <_<

So is computer science programming? Err... I'm not exactly too enthusiastic about that.

If you don't learn how to code you might aswell become a teacher.

www.learncpp.com

 

[deterministic]

Lovely, the plot thickens <_<

So is computer science programming? Err... I'm not exactly too enthusiastic about that.

At least you should do a computer science course or two, even if you dont want to major in it. That way you will get a handle on how programming works and the basics, and once you have that, you can self learn programming languages. But good programming skills are very valuable in the finance industry.

 

[Studentleader]

At least you should do a computer science course or two, even if you dont want to major in it. That way you will get a handle on how programming works and the basics, and once you have that, you can self learn programming languages. But good programming skills are very valuable in the finance industry.

Matlab for prototyping
C++ for its compilers (I'd learn this first - its what everyone uses)
C# - pretty much newer version of C++ (don't kill me for saying this!)
FORTAN for its super duper extreme power (use this if you want something to go insanely fast - mathematical modellers use it as the libraries are hand optimised)
VBA with Excel (corp finance)
SAS for stats
Possibly some SQL for databases - not sure how much this is needed in finance though.

You could possibly learn SQL, Matlab and SAS at work.

 

[Shadowdude]

Okay, well - looks like that's my new project for the time being.

So what's prototyping anyway? So I suppose I should self-learn C++, FORTRAN and SAS. And Matlab if it's needed... correct?

 

[Studentleader]

Okay, well - looks like that's my new project for the time being.

So what's prototyping anyway? So I suppose I should self-learn C++, FORTRAN and SAS. And Matlab if it's needed... correct?

Prototyping as in testing that your idea works so you can make it faster.

Just learn C++ for now - the better you get at it the better chance you will have of getting a job.

 

[deterministic]

Prototyping as in testing that your idea works so you can make it faster.

Just learn C++ for now - the better you get at it the better chance you will have of getting a job.

+1 and once you learnt the basics of C++, other programming languages become much easier to learn as the structure and syntax is similar to the one in C++.

 

[Shadowdude]

Well off I go to www.learncpp.com then. I hope it's not too hard <_<

I took academically rigourous subjects but I haven't touched programming at all. So I suppose, if it's the worst case scenario, it'll be like me being dumped into a painting class. This may not end well.


I figure I might go to UNSW now, by the way. I have the course there guaranteed and why not? It doesn't seem that bad. There's a Filipino society there and I can be with my own people =P , and they have an indoor cricket and futsal competition. Downside, Chromatic is going there <_<