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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Maths at university - what jobs after?

36 replies

tharsheblows · 20/02/2013 21:53

My son (year 10) asked me tonight what jobs he could do if he did Maths at university. I really don't know but do know that someone here does! Anyone?

OP posts:
ceramicunicorn · 20/02/2013 21:55

I did maths at uni. Good for accounting and working in finance.

OldBeanbagz · 20/02/2013 22:01

A friend of mine became an Economics Professor, another became a senior Tax Accountant.

BlackandGold · 20/02/2013 22:05

Lots of jobs in the City I'd imagine.

Some former maths graduates I know have these professions:Actuary,
Accountant, Patent Attorney, Systems Analyst

BrandyAlexander · 20/02/2013 22:08

Lots of job in the City. Financial services industry loves maths grads. The examples already given plus I would throw in business analyst, portfolio trader and hedge fund manager.

WantToFindWorkLifeBalance · 20/02/2013 22:10

Also quite a lot of Maths grads in IT

BoringSchoolChoiceNickname · 20/02/2013 22:10

Actuary, epidemiologist, government statistician, hedge fund "rocket scientist". There be gold in them thar spreadsheets.

LunaticFringe · 20/02/2013 22:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JollyRedGiant · 20/02/2013 22:12

www.mathscareers.org.uk/viewItem.cfm?cit_id=383039

:)

MirandaWest · 20/02/2013 22:13

Teacher

ShotgunNotDoingThePans · 20/02/2013 22:14

All of the above - plus the degree makes you very marketable as a candidate for the best graduate trainee jobs, management consulting etc.
So you don't have to be restricted to number-crunching roles.

It's a pretty competitive subject to choose, since maths graduates are seen as desirable by future employers and are expected to earn more over their working lives than other graduates.

This guide looks useful.

DontstepontheMomeRaths · 20/02/2013 22:17

My brother did Maths at Oxford, he then did his PGCE and became a teacher. 10 years later he left teaching, sat his exams and became an Actuary and then became an Actuary Tutor. He loves it. I personally think he's bonkers Wink But I didn't get the Maths gene Grin

SPBInDisguise · 20/02/2013 22:19

I'm a public health analyst
Also been a software developer

ajandjjmum · 20/02/2013 22:19

DS is in his final year of Physics at a Russell Group uni - he took it because he can 'do' Physics, and is on course for a high 2.1 - not because he wants to work in the field, but because he was advised that it would open lots of doors.

He has applied for many different graduate schemes in the city, got through to several assessment centres, and been offered nothing. It seems that many of the larger finance firms are looking for economics graduates, and of course, there are very few places around this year.

He's been left feeling a little disillusioned, in that he's worked hard, achieved a lot and has a well rounded CV - but no job!

I would suggest that anyone selecting a degree subject tries to establish what they would like to do (if you can!!!), and perhaps researches what prospective employers are really looking for, before applying to UCAS.

TolliverGroat · 20/02/2013 22:20

Friends and relations who did maths at university went on to be

Actuaries (quite a few)
Accountants (ditto) ... although several of the accountants used their accountancy qualification as a springboard into more general business management roles
Retired early in mid-30s after working for a global investment and securities firm and and pocketing huuuuuuuuuuuuge sums in cash. Sigh.
Catholic priest Grin
Cryptographer at GCHQ
Fund manager
Maths lecturer

ShotgunNotDoingThePans · 20/02/2013 22:21

It's a fantastic subject for those with the ability - your DS would be sensible to look at the Russell Group Facillitating Subjects list. Also bear in mind that Further Maths is usually expected as an A level as well.
Is his school giving him good advice on this, do you think?

TolliverGroat · 20/02/2013 22:21

Oh, and a medical statistician.

MakesCakesWhenStressed · 20/02/2013 22:22

Computing and/or engineering.

If he likes maths remember that he doesn't necessarily need to study pure maths at uni... My dh loved maths, hated pure maths and ended up in mechanical engineering which suited him to a T. He is now, literally, a rocket scientist.
Hth. Pm if can be of any further use. Dh's workplace has students in for work experience etc

BlatantLies · 21/02/2013 00:33

Perhaps he would like to study Computer Science. It is all about maths and nothing to do with IT It has great employment prospects (at the moment Grin )
A maths degree from a good Uni is very desirable. THIS looks like it will tell you what you want to know.

boomting · 21/02/2013 00:57

There's very little that you can't do with a maths degree. With a one year conversion course (GDL), he could even branch out into law. Similar shifts are possible in many directions.

Original poster
tharsheblows · 21/02/2013 08:21

Thank you thank you thank you! He has an excellent careers department but there's nothing like hearing what real live people do. :) He came in last night and said "What can I do with Maths? Just maths, nothing else?" He's dismissed anything anyone else in our family has done, so no chemistry, physics, engineering or computer science. I am rolling my eyes. Of course, I'm jealous - I idly browse the economics and statistics courses and dream...

Previously it's been all about medicine, but really I think he's just thinking it through. Looking at the Informed Choices guide from Shotgun's link, he doesn't have to decide until university. For medicine, he was planning on doing biology, chemistry, maths and further maths a levels anyway.

ajandjjmum - good luck to your son! How frustrating for him.

Thanks again. He will really appreciate this - I definitely do!

OP posts:
happilyconfused · 21/02/2013 14:07

Well said lunatic. There is money to be made by maths and physics grads in gaming. We had a games programmer come in who got his physics degree from Leicester (astrophysics) and he implied that the games companies do not teach maths and physics but will train programmers. Maths and physics is great for simulations and techie modelling stuff. But you do need a real interest in gaming so if he has spent hours on COD, Pokemon etc it may pay off in the end.

IvySquirrel · 21/02/2013 20:08

My Dh has a maths degree & intended to be an actuary. However student drama sucked him in & he went into backstage work. Bit random but he has made a good career of it!

ZuleikaJambiere · 21/02/2013 20:19

I work in market research - number crunching and analysing data, working closely with and reporting on to marketeers. If he's also interested in medicine, then how about medical stats?

BestIsWest · 21/02/2013 21:21

Data Analysis, Business Intelligence, Analytics etc - this is a definite growth area at the moment and I know quite a few maths graduates working in this area.

MariscallRoad · 22/02/2013 19:26

Maths offer opportunities in the careers range that some posters already pointed here. But note these types of jobs are also hunted by other types of graduates. So mathematicians are is competition with others. The fiance sector does not have the same job capacity as in the past. However, an economics or any engineering degree seems that it offers much more employability in wider range of carreers and flexibility.