Without mathematics, the life that we take for granted today would be very, very different. At the undergraduate level, mathematics provides one of the most interesting preparations for a range of careers after graduation, from accountancy to research and development.
Few academic areas produce such wildly different reactions – it truly is one of those subjects that students either love or hate! But the importance of mathematics is undeniable with the pace of change in our modern lives, placing more and more emphasis on mathematical truths. All major scientific and technological discoveries of the last thirty years have been built on a foundation of mathematics, making the subject vital and exciting to many.
Mathematics is one of the most essential areas of academic study - often called a science - known to man. Regarded by experts as the study of space, quantity, structure and change, a number of arguments exist that mathematics is also the science of pattern and of abstraction. In more detail, the fields of mathematical study are numerous but the most often studied are quantity – focused on numbers; structure – where sets of numbers and functions exhibit various structures; space – originating from geometry; and change – where calculus was developed as the tool to investigate it.
Evolving from counting, calculation and measurement, mathematics has always been a part of human life and its importance can be seen in every respect of our modern lives. Without mathematics there would be no trade, no economic systems, no bridges, no buildings and no science.
You will know instinctively whether a mathematics or statistics university program is for you. In your high school studies you will have had a very logical approach to problems, be able to understand and manipulate numbers, and be familiar with mathematical processes and process information very well. Aside from almost certainly studying the subject at a higher level already, you will also have the qualities of a detective – being able to analyze detail and test assumptions and theories to get to the actual, often statistical truth behind a story.
Many students interested in reading the subject at undergraduate level will be fully aware that mathematics underpins almost everything around us. If you’re interested in the mathematics of the natural world, there is enough to keep you fully occupied for the three or four years of your degree program: the mathematical investigation of the spread of ripples on a pond or the parabola of a thrown or kicked ball. For those students that are fascinated with more man-made situations, an interest in maths will certainly help you gain a better understanding of the path of a satellite and the effect it has on our modern communications technology.
Knowing that you want to study an undergraduate degree in mathematics is only the beginning of the decision-making process. As with many degrees offered at the world’s top universities, it is possible to study mathematics in many different formats and in combination with other academic subject areas. And the study abroad opportunities that exist for many university degree programs are also available. Some students decide to focus on a number of specializations, combing such areas as calculus, logic, number theory, statistics, topology or mathematical modelling; while others prefer to combine a core of mathematics with an entirely different academic area such as accounting, finance, management, music or psychology.
Though pure mathematics is still a very popular degree amongst undergraduate students at the top universities, many opt for more applied programs. Statistics, operations research, actuarial science and degrees that offer students the opportunity to study mathematical modelling have wide applications in terms of career choice. As the world becomes more complicated, the ability to successfully build mathematical models to test such diverse areas as population growth, financial markets, natural disasters and the spread of viruses and disease makes university programs in this area under increasing demand. Study abroad in this area will, therefore, open up career opportunities around the world and help you understand its importance.
The range of applied programs does not stop there: even pure mathematical theory such as number theory and calculus have very “real world” applications. Students that focus their degree on analysis, calculus and dynamical systems will find the fields of specialized engineering, aeronautics and medical research eagerly waiting for them on completion of their studies.
As an academic subject, mathematics really does open doors to a wide variety of careers. Remember, statistics made available by the UK Government indicate that the demand for mathematicians increases by about 4% every year - as a graduate you will certainly be in demand!
The demand for students to stay in the academic community is relatively limited, though a small proportion of mathematics graduates every year goes on to further study as a stepping-stone for a research or teaching position in later life. A far higher number of students go on to pursue a remarkably surprising array of careers – graduates from the subject regularly become actuaries, architects, computer programmers, statisticians, financial analysts, investment bankers, IT project managers, maths teachers at all levels, online games designers and, wait for it, weather men and women!
Should your career interests take you away from an obviously related mathematics career path, an undergraduate degree in the subject will certainly provide you with some very useful transferable skills that are respected and valued by all sorts of employers. Your ability to think rationally and process information and data in a precise and accurate way will be relevant to almost all of the careers open to you as a young graduate.