Career Opportunities

Future career opportunities

Every year, we invite math alumni to address our graduates. They come from all walks of life, from musicians to software engineers, and they all say the same thing: their math degree has always proved useful to them.

"It gives a great basis for almost everything," says Professor Jeannette Janssen. "Mathematics is the language of technology, the language of science."

Having a good understanding of mathematics benefits you in ways that you may not expect. Mathematicians find careers in diverse fields. They use theory, computational techniques, algorithms and the latest technology to solve economic, engineering, physics or business problems. Mathematics solves many practical, everyday problems in business and government, from streamlining a manufacturing process to calculating the effectiveness of a new drug.

“You get a lot of good training that is useful, and skills that are transferable to other types of jobs. It’s a good solid degree in terms of education,” says University Research Professor of mathematics, Alan Coley.

Our graduates work in a wide variety of jobs, all over the world. "The field is wide open," says Dr. Hong Gu, associate professor of statistics.

All our classes are accredited by the Statistical Society of Canada. Students who fulfil our degree requirements can apply to the S.S.C. to receive the title of Associate Statistician (A.Stat.) after graduation. An A.Stat. designation is the entry level requirement for a practicing statistician. It's a qualification employers look for in an entry level statistician.

No matter what academic path you might pursue, a statistics degree is useful, because it gives you a solid basis in quantitative research. "Stats fast tracks you into a faculty job," says Dr. Gu.

“As soon as I started applying for jobs, I got phone calls. There are not many statisticians out there,” says alumna Talia McCallum, who now works as a Defense Scientist at the Department of National Defense. She sees no shortage of applied stats work for people with skills sets like hers.

“It’s a really excellent degree and I’m so happy to have it,” she says.

For information on opportunities and assistance with career development you can visit Dalhousie's Career and Leadership page.

Future career opportunities in Mathematics

  • Teaching
  • Actuarial Science
  • Computer engineers, analysts,
  • Operations researcher - improving management and operational systems in corporations
  • Biomathematics
  • Cryptography
  • Finance
  • Management

More information can be found at the following websites:

Canadian Mathematical Society

American Mathematical Society

 

Future career opportunities in Statistics

  • Manufacturing:  Build products and deliver services that satisfy consumers and increase the corporation’s profit margin.
  • Marketing: Design experiments for new products, conduct focus groups and sample surveys, and perform field experiments in test markets to determine product viability.
  • Engineering: Make a consistent product, detect problems, minimize waste, and predict product life.
  • Statistical Computing: Work in software design and development, testing, quality assurance, technical support, education, marketing, and sales.
  • Epidemiology: Calculate cancer incidence rates, monitor disease outbreaks, and monitor changes in health-related behaviors such as smoking and physical activity.
  • Public Health: Prevent disease, prolong life, and promote health through organized community efforts, including sanitation, hygiene education, diagnoses, and preventative treatment.
  • Pharmacology: Work in drug discovery, development, approval, and marketing, to ensure the validity and accuracy of findings at all stages of the process.
  • Genetics: Label possible indicators of genetic abnormalities, such as birth defects and early aging, or breed desirable characteristics in plant offspring.
  • Education: Teach K-12 through post-graduate students, assess teacher effectiveness, or develop statistical models to represent student learning.
  • Science Writing & Journalism: Work with mass media, universities, or corporations to produce news briefs, articles, news releases, and other reports.
  • Government: Work in regulations for stock trading, pollution, and drug approvals, or testify in court proceedings, congressional hearings, and lobbying arguments.
  • Survey Methods: Collect data in the social sciences, education, law, forestry, agriculture, biology, medicine, business, and 
e-commerce, and for the government.
  • Law: Analyze data in court cases, including DNA evidence, salary discrepancies, discrimination law suits, and disease clusters.
  • Consulting: Work on a temporary basis on a variety of projects including quality improvement, pharmaceuticals, ecology, and engineering.
  • Agriculture: Study chemical pesticides, hydrogeology, veterinary sciences, genetics, and crop management in order to ensure optimal yield.
  • Ecology: Address questions about the earth’s natural environment, including animal populations, agricultural protections, and fertilizer and pesticide safety.