Calling all Math majors! (2 Viewers)

[acmilan]

Ok, so the first thing EVERYONE asks when i say i major in maths is 'what job will you get with that?'. Personally, I never know how to answer this. I haven't thought that far, and right now i'm only doing a math major because i really like it and it seems like the only thing im interested in - I wouldnt mind further study in it after I graduate.

So the question is: What do YOU plan to do with a math major?

 

[§eraphim]

Financial engineer. eg insurance (actuarial), trading (IB/electricity), etc

 

[blackfriday]

can you still get paid the same in an actuary job even though you are not part of the iaa?

hopefully ill be in corporate finance or ib

 

[§eraphim]

can you still get paid the same in an actuary job even though you are not part of the iaa?

hopefully ill be in corporate finance or ib

i'd like to get an actuarial job and do my exams while i work (which was the traditional ay of qualifying). Your pay rises with each exam you pass.

 

[blackfriday]

but dont you need part 1 exemptions with the actlxxxx subjects before you can do parts 2 and 3?

and tell me, does doing a maths major actually help my employment prospects in finance or am i just doing it because im a nerd?

 

[Slidey]

I don't know if I'm doing a maths major as such. I'll end up doing about of quarter of my units as advanced maths, which technically qualifies for a major at ANU...

Anyway, maths goes great with science. Biologists always need mathematicians to interpret their data (because they don't know any maths haha). Physics, chemistry... they all work. Except for biology, there's too much I'd have to learn to do scientific modelling, so they are kind of out for me.

There is also abstract scientific modelling... working with the data and equations already given to you... typically involves some level of computing, though.

Which brings me to computing... I'm doing a double major in computer science, so that's where my maths skills are going to be used. I'm doing/going to do things like advanced matrix computations and high performance computation. Won't really be doing any pure maths in 3rd year.

And also if you're any good at computing, you can get well-paying jobs in graphics programmingn (science, games, movies, etc): you need more maths then most programmers and like in biology, the average computer scientist doesn't do maths (strangely enough).

What I plan to do:

- Graphics programming (for science visualisation or computer games)
- Scientific modelling (either abstract or learn some bioinformatics)

 

[velox]

IB > Corporate Finance.

In regards to 'ego'

but dont you need part 1 exemptions with the actlxxxx subjects before you can do parts 2 and 3?

and tell me, does doing a maths major actually help my employment prospects in finance or am i just doing it because im a nerd?

Most front office IBers in Europe posses a very quantitative degree like economics or maths.

With actuarial, you will be employed as an actuarial 'analyst.' I think you may get a small amount of part 1 exemptions.

Slidey: My brothers friends family have a business which is based on medical animations! Is that similar to what you want to do?

 

[Slidey]

but dont you need part 1 exemptions with the actlxxxx subjects before you can do parts 2 and 3?

and tell me, does doing a maths major actually help my employment prospects in finance or am i just doing it because im a nerd?

Oh does it help. But ask a few of your lecturers or check job ads.

Though if you're asking "will I use the maths I learn", probably not. Employers just like to know the employee can think. And while not having done maths doesn't imply not being able to think, having done maths is a pretty good indicator that the employee has good problem solving skills. Basically it makes you more hireable. Quite likely makes you worth more in terms of pay rates, too.

 

[blackfriday]

but com/law > com/sci but a long way still right?

 

[§eraphim]

but dont you need part 1 exemptions with the actlxxxx subjects before you can do parts 2 and 3?

and tell me, does doing a maths major actually help my employment prospects in finance or am i just doing it because im a nerd?

By taking the actuarial subjects at uni, you are exempt from taking the professional exams. But the traditional route has been to do a maths degree, and then do ur exams while working as an actuary.

Yeah, it does help. But there are very few jobs, both in terms of type and numbers, that combine both areas of maths and finance. Most positions in financial engineering require a Master of Science at least.

 

[§eraphim]

IB > Corporate Finance.

Most front office IBers in Europe posses a very quantitative degree like economics or maths.

With actuarial, you will be employed as an actuarial 'analyst.' I think you may get a small amount of part 1 exemptions.

IB is the same as corporate finance. Within an IB as a whole, there are ppl who do trading and ppl who are involved in corporate finance. "Front office" traders usually have that kind of quant degree, but they're not really using any sophisticated maths or models as in the end it just becomes another spreadsheet to use.

I'm aiming to get 4 exemptions which will mean it will take me an extra yr to pass all the exams required for Part 1 and Part 2.

 

[§eraphim]

but com/law > com/sci but a long way still right?

Definitely. Nearly every person you meet getting interviewed is UNSW Finance/Law.

 

[blackfriday]

i thought so.

seraphim, this may sound stupid, but if you want do be an actuary, why aren't you doing actuary?

 

[§eraphim]

1. Marks
2. Financial maths is more interesting, but actuarial is probably the only profession where I can actually apply that kind of stuff.
3. A more well-rounded education.

 

[jimmaths]

Plenty of info on what jobs there are for maths majors at http://www.maths.unsw.edu.au/students/future/futureugcareers.html .
For a new area of mathematical study with jobs at the end of it, try quantitative risk, http://www.maths.unsw.edu.au/news/2006/quantitativerisk.html

 

[townie]

i'm (hopefully) majoring in Statistics and Psychology (blah, blah, i dont wanna hear that statistics isnt real maths btw). got now idea what i'll do with it, probably end up in government somewhere.

 

[blackfriday]

i never thought of that combo but now when i think about, its actually really good for forecasting or something like that perhaps. but they get econometrics people to do that.

 

[toadstooltown]

I'm will my UNSW BSc (Adv) majoring in maths (not sure which stream yet) just 'cause I like it and maths has so many applications in almost every field of finance, science, engineering etc. At the moment I'm tempted to do an MTeach afterwards and become a highschool teacher

 

[Slidey]

Same. Weird, isn't it? Though don't you mean DipEd?

 

[toadstooltown]

Well, I could do a DipEd but I'd wanna get as much teacher training as I could and an MTeach is the same as BEd but post-grad. I dunno how good a teacher I'd be though, that's why I'd wanna do the longer degree. I really like helping those in my class - but they want to understand and I dunno how thrilled I'd be to be teaching a year 9 standard maths class where no one wants to do any maths...