The Student Room Group
Reply 1
maths is good for employment- in most areas, however many science/eng degrees will have the benefit over math that they are more vocational(esp engineering) and will allow you the option of doing a job which definitely uses your degree skills , therefore these jobs have less competition than most math grad jobs which are open to all. so if you choose maths do so because you love it and cant live without it.
Reply 2
Science or engineering degrees limit you to just a few types of job while maths graduates have a far greater selection of possible career paths.
One also hears that mathematicians are very much in demand.
I'd still agree though that you should only study maths because you enjoy it - it's probably not a good idea to just do it to get a good career as you won't be motivated to keep up with the worklaod.
Gaz031
Science or engineering degrees limit you to just a few types of job while maths graduates have a far greater selection of possible career paths.
One also hears that mathematicians are very much in demand.
I'd still agree though that you should only study maths because you enjoy it - it's probably not a good idea to just do it to get a good career as you won't be motivated to keep up with the worklaod.

that's crap and you know it. :p:
sequence123
Will that person have good job prospects? I imagine the answer is a strong yes, but how does Maths compare to other sciences and engineering course when it comes to job prospects?


Thanks


Not as employable as one with a BA in English.
Reply 5
that's crap and you know it.

I'm not saying that it's a bad thing - at least you might have some idea what you want to do after you graduate.

Not as employable as one with a BA in English.

Why would English be advantageous over Mathematics in the job market? English simply teaches you to critically analyse things and so on - the content won't actually be that useful. With mathematics both the way of thinking and the actually degree content might be of use.
Reply 6
There are other factors. Just because English graduates are employed quicker it does not mean maths graduates are less employable. For example the maths graduate maybe hoping for higher paid work.
I'm not saying maths graduates deserve more money, this is merely an hypothetical explanation of the statistics.
Reply 7
There's quite a high demand for teachers, so you'd expect those with a BA in English to be snapped up....

Trying to get back to topic, I'm currently looking at firms to try and decide what I want to do after I finish my maths degree. The majority are in London and very lucrative money-wise, however I don't want to sell my soul and am having trouble finding anything I could really enjoy.

I suppose that isn't too relevant just to a maths degree. I chose maths purely because I enjoy it.
I've been told there's a high demand for people in industry with good maths degrees so now is a good time to be doing one! Obviously it depends on your final grade, and your university, a 1st/2i from Oxbridge would put you, pretty much, at the top of the "attractive prospective employee" list.
Reply 9
higherspeed
There's quite a high demand for teachers, so you'd expect those with a BA in English to be snapped up....


And maths teachers are the most in demand! If you want to be a teacher I'd imagine you'd get a job fairly easily.....
Reply 10
Actually one who studies a broader subject in science than simply mathematics will be more employable nowadays than a pure mathematician, with the exception of becoming a mathematics professor, teacher et al. of course... My natural sciences degree will give me an advantage other my mathematical peers on face value, but that isn't everything of course.
Reply 11
RobbieC
Actually one who studies a broader subject in science than simply mathematics will be more employable nowadays than a pure mathematician, with the exception of becoming a mathematics professor, teacher et al. of course... My natural sciences degree will give me an advantage other my mathematical peers on face value, but that isn't everything of course.

I disagree - mathematics and statistics powers all of the sciences and is a much more rich and diverse field than any of them. :smile: The sheer number of its applications leave you many oppurtunities in addition to carrying out research into the natural sciences which is what your degree is setting you up to do.
Reply 12
Well let's put it this way. After your maths degree you'll have to do some more "academical" work (like training to become an accountant..., actuary) than if you leave univeristy with an engineering degree... Yet a Maths degree will then be more polyvalent than an engineering degree (you could go into computing, finance...)

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