What can I do with an Applied Mathematics major?

[warriorboix]

Hi all,

I'm currently double majoring in applied mathematics and physics and minoring in computer science. I'm about 2 years away from graduating and I am starting to freak out because I don't know what I can do with my majors and minor. I don't know what kind of internships I can do with my majors. I want to find an internship for programming, but on most internship/job listings, they want programmers who are computer science majors. I also want to go to graduate school after I graduate, but I don't know what other subjects I can study besides applied mathematics. Can you give me some suggestions on what I can do with my majors?

 

[caldweab]

Is too late to double major in applied math and computer science and minor in physics? I've seen people have pretty good success with that double major combination, and that would also open the door for you to be able to do those internships you're looking at. You could also join some organizations and network or ask your professors if they have any industry contacts, they maybe willing to put in a good recommendation for you. ACM would be good for you, heck even something like ASME or IEEE. The ANS because nuclear is about power generation and you're getting a physics and applied math degree I'm sure there's something there for you as well

 

[jbrussell93]

Have you ever looked into geophysics? Physics and math people do really well in the field. I'm doing a seismology internship this summer and having a blast. I get to do some work outdoors and there's lots of programming. It's a really unique field to work in.

 

[Theorem.]

Statistics related government jobs, financial math (quants etc), national defence... .There are quite a few jobs you can get, it just depends what you actually want to do. You can't go on to become a mathematician or a computer scientist or a physicist with only undergraduate education, but there are still options there!

 

[Naty1]

Why not search for expected numbers of job openings online?

In the US the dept of Labor posts such estimates...

Here is the first search subject I found:

The Best And Worst Master's Degrees For Jobs
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/06/08/the-best-and-worst-masters-degrees-for-jobs-2/

They look at payscales, and more importantly, there is a link to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment projection data.

An even better approach: talk to some recruiters on your campus...get some feedback, see what they think...if you are good they'll pay you for a summer job...

I don't know what country you are in but with good grades and those subjects you should be able to do very well.

 

[interhacker]

There are some pretty good jobs in the nuclear industry for Physics majors. In my country, for example, the PAEC hires lots of people with a physics major on excellent salaries.

 

[enceladus_]

I'm doing Applied Mathematics and Computer Engineering double major. Maybe you can complete a CS Minor?

 

[trickslapper]

Since you still have two years i would say do your double major in physics and computer science. I think you will still get a very healthy amount of mathematics between those two majors.

 

[Mingus]

If you want to get a programming internship, I would try doing either an Applied Math/CS double major or Physics/CS double major. You should be very marketable that way.

If you really DON'T want to do a CS major, that's okay. You can still land an internship with a company as a programmer, but you will have to do a lot of self studying and practice your programming skills. Pick up a few object orientated languages like C/C++, and at least one higher level scripting language. Just get a lot of practice and have example programs to show the interviewer.

As long as you can program, they will overlook the CS degree (for the most part). I have a friend with a physics phd that went straight into programming by using what he had taught himself during/post grad school.

The point is, it would probably be easier to just include CS in your major to cover material that you will have to learn anyways, but you don't have to.