A Career in Mathematics

Strong mathematics skills are a valuable commodity among high school students. At D’Youville we will help you build on your strengths and assist you in discovering the career path that is right for you. Although you know that you enjoy math, we will help you discover all of the possibilities a degree in mathematics may offer you.

A mathematics degree presents students with many opportunities to develop valuable skills that are highly sought after in the job market: quantitative and problem solving skills, abstract, analytical, critical and logical thinking, reasoning, ability to diagnose and fix problems, oral and written communication skills and creativity.

The most traditional career in mathematics is to become a teacher. Mathematics teachers are needed at the grade school, high school and college levels. The BA in mathematics at D’Youville will fulfill the undergraduate math requirements for each of these teaching levels, so that you can decide after you begin your program which level you feel most comfortable with. You should also know that a multitude of modern career choices are also available. In fact, there are several careers in which a mathematics degree is either required or is the preferred degree that employers seek. Some careers are more mathematically oriented, like becoming a mathematician, statistician, actuary or operations research analyst. Several opportunities also include business-oriented careers, for example becoming a marketing, research or financial analyst.

It is often difficult to pin down a career choice before entering college. At D’Youville we will offer you the ability to obtain a BA in Mathematics while affording you all of these potential career opportunities that you can discover and prioritize while you pursue your degree, not necessarily before you enter college.

Remember, graduate schools including medical and law schools have a selection of undergraduate course work that they require before admission, they do not have a specific major that they are seeking. Most professional schools and universities throughout the United States require a baccalaureate degree for admission to programs such as medicine, dentistry and law. Regardless of major, however, a strong science and math background and a high score on the appropriate admissions test increase the probability of acceptance into the professional school of choice.

Try browsing the internet sites in the navigation bar for some in depth discussion of the career opportunities for mathematicians from the AMS, the Sloan Foundation, the math and statistics department at the University of Saskatchewan, and the math departments at UCSD and Monash University.