Mathematics Careers
One of the benefits of studying mathematics is the variety of
career paths it provides. Analytical thinking is prized by many
employers. The MAA publishes two books (She
Does Math and 101
Careers in Mathematics), one brochure (We Do Math!), and
the MAA Online
Careers webpage. Each features accounts by mathematicians of what
they do in a variety of fields.
Ready to look for a job? MAA Math Classifieds is
available to help you find a career in the diverse field of
mathematics. We invite you to explore this site to begin your job
search.
Some Popular Career Choices:
Teaching
The teaching of mathematics at the K-12 level is a high-demand field
and the need is expected to grow in the future. The place to go for
explicit career information is the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics homepage.
Actuarial Science
Actuarial science takes mathematics and statistics and applies them to
finance and insurance. Actuarial science includes a number of
interrelating disciplines, including probability and statistics,
finance, and economics. Check out Be
An Actuary.
Computer Science
Computer science is the study of the theoretical foundations of
information and computation and their implementation and application in
computer systems. Mathematicians, with their training in logical and
precise thinking, are highly prized in this field. See the student section
of the Association for Computing Machinery for career advice.
Operations Research
Operations research is an interdisciplinary branch of mathematics which
uses mathematical methods to arrive at optimal decisions to problems in
maximizing or minimizing things like costs or profits. The eventual
intention behind using Operations Research is to elicit a best possible
solution to a problem mathematically, which improves or optimizes the
performance of the system. The group INFORMS
is the world's largest society devoted to operations
research/management science.
Biomathematics
Mathematical biology or biomathematics is an interdisciplinary field of
study. It models natural and biological processes using mathematical
techniques and tools. Results have been applied to areas such as
cellular neurobiology, epidemic modelling, and population genetics. The
education page
of the Society for Mathematical Biology links to schools offering
biomath degrees along with a description of the coursework needed.
Cryptography
Cryptography is the practice and study of hiding information.
Cryptography is considered to be a branch of both mathematics and
computer science. Not just for spies anymore, cryptography applications
include the security of ATM cards and computer passwords.
Finance
Finance is a field that studies and addresses the ways in which
individuals, businesses, and organizations raise, allocate, and use
monetary resources over time, taking into account the risks entailed in
their projects.Mathematicians can build models to
help explain and predict the behavior of
financial markets. Several schools offer Master's degrees in Financial
Mathematics. A quick web search will take you to their web pages.
More information on math careers can be found
at the AMS Early Careers
page, the Cool Math
page, and Duke University's Why Major in Math?
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FOCUS, the news magazine of the MAA, has published several articles
on jobs for both undergraduate and graduate students. Click on a link
below:
Student Web Page Home