My second degree: Arts or Commerce? (1 Viewer)

[Shadowdude]

So I'm dead set on doing B Sc (Advanced Maths) at UNSW. But as you know, I only got 95.40 - fortunately, I got the UNSW AAA thing which gives me +5 points to get my ATAR to a whopping 100.40 (though not as good as troika_'s 102.40 or something).

I was strongly recommended by my teachers to do a double degree. I am receptive to this idea - I figure I should perhaps best use my Learning Entitlement (that's what I think the Government scheme is called) while I have it... and so I'm not sure what to combine my Science degree with.

Arts or Commerce - essentially.


So... since I don't have exact questions (for now) - perhaps you guys and girls could give me some general tidbits of information on Arts or Commerce degrees - what they entail, how useful they are (especially in the context of combining it with a Science degree) and perhaps student opinions on how it is at UNSW (and yes, I've looked at the GUG).

Anyone?

 

[twistedrebel]

knowing you for this long (via bos of course) you doing a normal science degree would be just fine.

Commmerce - sitting in the office the whole day, doing numbers etc. If you like that sort of stuff sure, but you dont seem that type.

Arts-very board range, will need more info.

 

[Absolutezero]

What sort of area are you looking to focus on in your main degree? That should help you determine what your double should be.

 

[UncoKane]

I do Science/Arts.

I'm only using my arts to study languages. Easy, useful, looks good on my résumé and is bringing my GPA a lot.

 

[Logjammin']

http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/2011/

I am doing Science/Arts also, although really only doing the arts part (philosophy) out of interest.

 

[mitchy_boy]

Do commerce. They'll complement so much better. But if you don't want to end up in Business, then don't do commerce, do arts, or even just then plain degree.

 

[deterministic]

Arts:
- More interesting than commerce
- learn some languages
- Cheaper to do arts courses than commerce courses
- Allows you to take up education courses if you decide you want to teach

Commerce: recommended majors (Finance, Actuarial studies)
- Gain some background knowledge if you decide you want to work in finance/economics
- Really easy to get high marks in (ie. WAM booster)
- Commerce is much more reputable than Arts in UNSW

Both are relatively bludgy degrees, but its up to you to decide whether these benefits outweighs an extra year of study (considering there is an honours year in adv maths as well).

 

[Shadowdude]

Well, my majors in my Science degree were hopefully Statistics and/or Applied Mathematics.

But at the info day the people I talked to seemed a bit confused with my question of: "If I take a second degree, will that take away some of my 'free electives' in the Science component and make those 'free electives' the core components of my second degree?" and "If I take a second degree, can I do a double major on my Science component - or is it one major per degree?"

Diagramatically:

B Sc: Core 1, Core 2, Core 3, Free Elective, Free Elective
B Sc/something else: Core 1, Core 2, Core 3, something else core 1, something else core 2?


I'm not exactly sure my heart is in business though. Arts sounds nice but really, like Logjammin, perhaps only philosophy is the only Arts major that interests me. Commerce I have good memories of (Year 10 and the teacher-given moniker: "...the Commerce slayer"), but... I suppose I'm a bit muddled up.

Languages could be nice - though.. I'm not exactly sure what I'd do. French perhaps, but I am most likely super biased because this girl I like speaks French (as a second language) and I'm feeling strong parallels to Cameron in 10 Things I Hate About You. Education... not an option for me now, because I'm not sure I could work with kids - especially those damn juniors /me shudders

Sitting in the office doing numbers sounds... boring. That's accounting isn't it?

I suppose I could do a plain degree anyhow. And my maths marks aren't all that great - I probably should spend more time on those... well, if the Arts and Commerce are bludgy degrees - and if it increases my WAM then that shouldn't be all that bad.

Then again I should probably do Commerce in that it would increase my marketability and employability. Finance... what would a finance major do? The UNSW handbook to me seems very general.

/stream-of-consciousness

 

[Timothy.Siu]

If you do a double, basically you have no electives/gen eds (or very little). I think thats okay though, unless you have some other interest in science apart from maths.
Even if you did a single degree, for first year theres only 3 math courses, (math1a, math1b and discrete) so you'll have to pick and kinda put effort in your other ones if you want to increase your WAM anyway, dont think doing a double will decrease your wam.

As other people said, depends on where you want to go with your maths degree, I think arts doesn't seem as useful for your career unless you want to learn a language properly, commerce seems like a better fit, if you want to do stats, then actuarial could pair nicely. Finance would also be good if you want to get into the business industry, like banks etc.

 

[chefman21]

Arts may get you work at a government think-tank/strategic policy institute if that's where your heart so desires. Also, have you thought about the postgrad path to boost/focus your degree into a certain direction?

 

[kaz1]

Also for Science you have to do at least 6UoC respectively for Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

If you do a double degree don't do Arts, this is a waste of HECS debt imo.

 

[SmokedDuck]

Also for Science you have to do at least 6UoC respectively for Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

If you do a double degree don't do Arts, this is a waste of HECS debt imo.

I tend to agree with this - sort of. There are some degrees where Arts as the second degree could be really useful and round out your learning if you want to go into certain careers, such as using it with Law to get into a public policy/political career. Or using it with Business/Commerce for community development or arts development or a career within a museum/gallery. Or use it with Journalism to give you an edge over other graduates with a single degree. Having said that, Law and Commerce have better options as the second degree with the likes of the sciences and engineering - and the jobs mentioned are few and far between - while there are far better options as a second degree with Journalism. Arts is handy in the right circumstances, but only in the right circumstances. It probably comes down to what you want as your career post graduation and if you are going to do a post grad degree.

 

[seremify007]

I would say Commerce works well as there are a lot more career opportunities which open up (provided you have even a remote interest in business). However if you would prefer a broader study area which lets you explore/contemplate other topics which may not be so career oriented (not counting languages), then Arts is a good choice.

ps. If you're good at science/maths, you may even enjoy some of the finance subjects in Commerce.

 

[Shadowdude]

So Commerce it is. Thanks all!

But yes, I hope to do some post-grad work... if I need it. I figure finance won't be that bad... though I didn't do any HSC level business-y subjects. One can learn, I suppose. It can't be as hard as picturing rotating cups and whatnot in a number plane =P

Though I have two more questions:

1. Can I do a double major in say, my Science degree - even though I have a second degree to do?
2. I know the B Sc (Adv Maths) at UNSW is 4 years... so if I combine it with a Commerce degree - will I graduate with Honours in B Sc (Adv Maths) because in the single 4 year degree, it's included?

Also note that "Ask the university yourself, you lazy bastard" is a perfectly adequate response, btw =P

 

[deterministic]

1. Prob not as you wont have enough units of credit to do so.
2. It is a 5 year combined degree, with honours (in maths) in the 5th year

 

[Shadowdude]

Oh okay then - so say if I... major in Applied maths could I then do honours in statistics to have a pseudo-double major? Or is that not how it works...

 

[deterministic]

in order to have honours in stats, you need to major in stats first. read the below link for possible plans, and go through the maths courses page on the maths website to see what courses you need to do for each major.

http://www.maths.unsw.edu.au/students/current/program3523.html

 

[Shadowdude]

Ah thanks deterministic!

 

[Timothy.Siu]

with advanced maths at unsw i'm pretty sure you can only have ONE major, and nothing else, so no minors, no double majors.

 

[Shadowdude]

Thanks Timothy,

In the mean time... it's time to re-think. I'm combining it with Commerce - so would you suggest Applied Maths or Stats as my single major?