What is the best specialty within mathematics?

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In addition to the theory of real and complex variables make sure you get a good dose of topology (point set topology) and linear algebra.

ruveyn

I've been told that computational mathematics is probably the best choice if I hope to apply any of this to my actual career field (biology) and will most likely end up going for either that or applied analysis.

I have no idea exactly what the syllabus for "Computational Mathematics" may be, but I feel sure that it will be more fun that the others

PS. Might it teach you the hashlife algorithm?

Mathematical economics for me. Or, at least, accounting.

for your other major, applied analysis and computational mathematics are more appropriate, more degree related, and will give you more useful skills for which to get hired.

Don't forget this crib sheet in case you need help proving any theorems:

http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/EMT668/EMAT6680.F99/Challen/proof/proof.html

Lol - uncyclopedia has an even better one
http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Proof

Orwell, I would vote, but I am not entirely sure what you want to do with your degree. As I gather, most of the money is in Acturial Maths and Accountancy. Probability and Stats help with the former.

Though imo I think you should choose stuff on who is lecturing it, what you enjoy and how good you are at it. What you major in within maths I doubt has that much of a difference in practise really, more important is the skills you acquire.

I would not go into accounting or actuarial work, no matter what the wages were. I'll starve in the streets first. And I hate stats.

As far as what I want to do with my degree... well, in math, very little. I am going into microbiology, the math is just for fun. So a better poll would probably have been "which math concentration sounds like more fun?"

Have you heard of biomathematics? Its a very diverse area and involves most types of mathematics. That way you can still do your degree in Maths, but then apply it. If you are going down that road I would go more towards the applied maths approach, or at least ensure you have some in your course somewhere. Probability (and dare I say it advanced stats) would be helpful.

It might be worth talking to someone in your faculty about potential careers, they would be more than happy (and able) to advise you I suspect.

Are you interested in the mathematics per se or are you more interested in the applications of mathematics?

ruveyn

I worked for while in bio-informatics: Besides other areas of mathematics (most notable Linear Algebra and related optimization methods) statistical methods play a very important role in microbiology. They are often the only way to handle in the first place the enormous and highly complex set of data in this area.

Let me please have the permission to tell you what you should NOT major in - If you're an aspie, as I am, do not - I mean this highly sincerely - NEVER major in secondary school teaching! Kids are especially mean, you can't do anything, low paying job, and you're working practically 18 hours a day. And the job is more stressful than being in prison. That's right - I want to get rid of the K-12 level teachers. Most educational systems sucks, especially the American system (yes, I'm an American). Perhaps if society sees that the number of teachers are decreasing, maybe people will give them the respect that they deserve, and the money to go with it as well. Sorry for the rant - I got side tracked as usual.

Now - All of this depends on your interest. The highest paying jobs are in the Actuarial fields, and IT. However, a professor at a college pays well, and you get to do research also. Applied math positions in companies, while kind of rare, pay well also. Extremely rare are the government jobs, but once you get in, you're usually in, unless you do something really stupid. Many government jobs only require a BA in math, but the trend is now leading toward getting a MA. However, if you are very good at programming and computers, you can obviously get a job in that area. Study Discrete math, i.e. Graph Theory, Number Theory, and Combinatorics, for this field.

An MA can get you an entry level job as an Actuary or Statistician, or even (though not likely) a position as an applied mathematician. Even with a MA, you can teach at a junior college. Yet, this requires luck, and you're limiting yourself on what is out there.

Let's face it. You really need a PhD to really have the possibility of getting any mathematical job that pays well. A PhD means teaching at a university, or working at any company as a mathematician. The problem with this is that, well, getting a PhD is time consuming and extremely difficult.

I hope I helped you in some way.

Hey, I would say applied analysis as that's what I'm currently completing my research in. Fascinating subject. Although the beauty of mathematics is that it doesn't really matter which area you specialise in, you will end up pulling together all different parts of mathematics to solve the problems. For instance my work is specifically in bubble dynamics, I was given the project - and I could never do physics and I can't visualise whats going on, but it turned out that all I was doing in the end was finding solutions of a system of PDE - something I could do. So I wouldn't worry too much as you can always steer the direction if you are not enjoying the path you took!

huh. I have a BS in math and am just now finishing my MA in secondary education and I am student teaching for AP Calc and Pre-Calc. So my students are not bad at all. Oh yeah and if I get the job, and NCLB does not apply to me, the job at starts at 80,000 (for me, 0 yrs experience and a Master's). I get summers off to pursue internships at Boeing, the NSA, CIA, JPL... or I can attend more college. I work 7 hours a day and I get a 90 minute planning period and a 30 minute lunch. So make it 5 hours per day. And I can work almost anywhere in the world.


False. You only need a BA or BS in a math-related field to be an actuary. The rest is the testing. You do not need a PhD to teach at the college level. You can teach with an MA while earning your PhD. In fact, some colleges will allow you to teach remedial math with a BA/BS while earning your Master's. And you do not have to have a PhD to get a job anywhere. It will help, but it is not required except for certain jobs.

I already know that teaching is not where my aptitudes lie.


I plan to go into research in biology, the math is just a part-time interest.

Where's the "all of the above" choice? The more/harder math, the better IMO, and never forget to pick and choose. For instance some of the classes that seemed to be aimed at engineering and computer science majors were fluff compared to my undergrad analysis classes and even the introductory Differential Geometry and Plane Curves classes, so I dropped 'em like a hot potato, and suggest that regardless of your choice of majors, you do the same.