People who study mathematics in college can choose from a broad range
of valuable careers. In recent years some math majors from
Here are some places where you can find answers to the question “What can I do with a math degree?”
www.msri.org/ext/CareersInMathematics.html
Below we try to offer some advice appropriate to math majors with various interests. Get in touch with your friendly neighborhood math prof for more information!
Students interested in graduate work in applied or pure mathematics are strongly encouraged to
study mathematics beyond the minimal major requirements. Such students should
seriously consider studying Abstract Algebra II, Advanced Multivariable
Calculus, Complex Analysis and Ordinary Differential Equations; these courses
add breadth to the undergraduate program and present topics that are required
by many graduate schools. Other 300-level classes are certainly valuable too;
students should choose electives according to their interests. In addition, many graduate programs require foreign language competence, typically at least one element of the set {French, German, Russian}. Independent
study, research and honors projects, and graduate courses at universities
provide opportunities to find out what it “feels like” to be a
graduate student.
A lot of information about graduate programs is available online; for instance the web sites of Lehigh, Ohio State and Penn State include detailed descriptions of their qualifying exams in addition to other kinds of information.
Students in the Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Economics program should
carefully plan their programs to serve their interests. In particular, the
capstone experience requirement may be fulfilled in several ways, including
appropriate independent study or honors work. Economics 313 (Forecasting for
Business and Economics) and 324 (Options and Futures) have both been approved
as satisfying the capstone requirement; the Economics and Business department
will allow joint Mathematics/Economics majors to take these courses at the same
time as their prerequisites (Economics 365 and 321, respectively). Mathematics
301 (Case Studies in Mathematical Modeling) may also be taken for the capstone,
and students interested in graduate school in Economics are encouraged to take
Mathematics 356 (Real Analysis) for the capstone.
Students interested in advanced work in engineering or the physical sciences
should seriously consider studying Advanced Multivariable Calculus, Complex
Analysis, Differential Equations (Ordinary and Partial), Mathematical Modeling,
Probability and Statistics.
AB and BS math majors interested in advanced work in the social sciences should
seriously consider studying Mathematical Modeling, Operations Research,
Probability and Statistics.
Students interested in teaching mathematics at the secondary level cannot
obtain an education degree or teaching certification working only at
For students interested in teaching mathematics, the STEP program requires several mathematics courses in addition to those required for the major: Differential Equations (Math 264, 310 or 312), Discrete Mathematics (Math 182, 306 or 325), Geometry, History of Mathematics, Probability and Statistics. Courses in computer science, literature and physics are also required.
Students interested in the actuarial profession have the opportunity to gain course content credit and preparation for examinations that are part of the certification process for the primary actuarial professional organizations, The Society of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuary Society. Most of the requirements are completed over the course of several years while in the profession, however several requirements can be completed while an undergraduate student. It is highly desirable to have completed several specific mathematics and economics courses as a student.
Most insurance companies expect students to have taken the Course P (Probability) examination while they are undergraduates. The content for this examination is covered by Mathematics 335: Probability. Mathematics 336: Mathematical Statistics provides necessary content for further examination and educational experience validation required by the actuarial societies. Therefore, students interested in the actuarial profession should complete Mathematics 335/336.
In addition to passing a series of examinations, both the
Society of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuarial Society require VEE (Validation
of Educational Experience) for three subject units as part of their
professional certification requirements. A convenient way to fulfill these
while a student is to obtain grades of B- or better in the following
1) Economics Unit: ECON 211/212 (Intermediate Microeconomics/Intermediate Macroeconomics)
2) Corporate Finance Unit: ECON 319/320 (Financial Theory & Analysis/Corporate Finance)
3) Applied Statistics Unit: ECON 365 (Econometric Analysis)
You should consider taking these courses while a student at
For further information about the actuarial profession,
please contact Professor Fisher (email fishere@lafayette.edu, Pardee Room 231,
ext. 5281).
The following web sites are
excellent sources of information about the actuarial profession:
1) The Society of Actuaries: http://www.soa.org. Here is the
specific link to their Basic Education Catalog that describes Associateship and
Fellowship requirements: http://www.soa.org/ccm/content/?categoryID=847033.
2) The Casualty Actuary Society: http://www.casact.org. Here
are links to their fellowship requirements:
http://www.casact.org/admissions/syllabus/2005/
and http://www.casact.org/admissions/syllabus/2005/summary.htm
3) Be an Actuary: http://www.beanactuary.org/.
This is a site dedicated to informing college and high school students about
the actuarial profession.