Advice for Starting a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics

[kurt.math]

Hi,

Next year i will be starting a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in mathematics in Australia. This degree is just after i finish high school this year and it goes for 3 year.

I am not sure what to do after i get this degree? I want to get my PhD eventually and do research or attain a university position.

So i am confused what i have to get after a Bachelor of Science. Do i do Honors, and what's Graduate, is that after a Bachelor of Science.

I have looked at Cambridge Universities Mathematical Tripos Part III. Is this the same as a Graduate, do i get my Honors first before i do it, and can i start my PhD in America After it?

Or can i just go from Bachelor of Science in Australia to First Class Honors USyD in Australia and then a PhD in America?


I really appreciate every ones advice

Thankyou

 

[Klockan3]

Bachelor->masters->phd is the usual route.

 

[whitay]

Didn't anyone tell you that Australia is the only country to have honours?

You will need Honours IIA or Honours I to go into a PhD Program in Australia. However if you don't get that then you need a masters to go into a PhD Program. So you're better getting a Masters. Especially if you want to go overseas. No other university that I have heard of, other than in Australia, recognises Australian Honours Degrees.

I'd say don't bother doing honours unless you're going to get First Class Honours.

 

[boboYO]

Interesting whitay, I was under the impression that overseas universities treat Australian 'honors' year as a 4th year of a bachelor's. i.e. you have to do it to get into a phd program.

 

[kurt.math]

So after i finish my Bachelor i should just go to America to do my masters and then PhD.

So is a masters just the degree you get when you complete enough graduate courses? How long does it take to complete a masters degree?

And generally how long does it take to complete a PhD? Is it as long as you want, or until you have made a development in a portion of a branch of mathematics or when you prove a conjecture or do you have to do a certain amount of time?


Thanks again guys =)

 

[boboYO]

You don't do your masters then a phd in the US - you go straight into phd program and they'll give you certificate along the way saying you have a masters degree, if you want it. Only useful if you drop out of the phd program for whatever reason.

bachelors (including honors) 4 years
then
phd 3-6 years. As far as I know there isn't a minimum time. But the first year is usually coursework, so it will probably take you at least 3 years anyway (that's probably an extremely optimistic lower bound).

 

[kurt.math]

You don't do your masters then a phd in the US - you go straight into phd program and they'll give you certificate along the way saying you have a masters degree, if you want it. Only useful if you drop out of the phd program for whatever reason.

bachelors (including honors) 4 years
then
phd 4-6 years. As far as I know there isn't a minimum time. But the first year is usually coursework, so it will probably take you at least 3 years anyway (that's probably an extremely optimistic estimate).

So are you suggesting i should do the 4th year honors course in Australia (through the University of Sydney), then come over to America and start my PhD?

 

[boboYO]

I am only an undergraduate student, but yes, I think that is the normal path. If you look at the CVs of Australian professors, all of them have done honors and then gone on to do a phd in the US.

e.g.
http://www.ms.unimelb.edu.au/~rubin/cv.html

 

[kurt.math]

Is it possible to get a PhD in 2 years?

 

[whitay]

Yeah most of the PhD programs that I've looked at in Europe require a Masters. So from my perspective Australia Honours would strictly speaking be useless, right?