A training in mathematics can prepare you for a career in diverse fields. One of the central missions of the math department is to prepare students for professions which are economically satisfactory for students but also serve society. A program which only focuses on personal gain can be very dissatisfying in the long run while a profession that does not meet the needs of the employee can lead to fast burnout. Luckily, there are several opportunities in mathematics where both these aims can be met.
If you are interested in a career in public service which includes working for a non-profit institution, for governmental agencies or intergovernmental institutions such as the United Nations, UNESCO or the World Bank, the math department has much to offer you in terms of courses, degree options, co-curricular activities, help and guidance securing internships. You can start by checking out some of these websites:
- https://gogovernment.org/career/mathematics/
- https://en.unesco.org/stem/basic-sciences-prize
- https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/math-the-most-powerful-civics-lesson-youve-never-had/2019/11
- http://federalgovernmentjobs.us/job-group/mathematics-and-statistics.html
Degree
BS(Math) with an appropriate minor (see below for some suggestions) and some specific courses listed below under advisement can make you a competitive candidate, after graduation. If interested, you can even consider the five year BS (Math)/MA (Social Research Analysis) program. The Math department also offers several double degree options with other departments such as Sociology, Anthropology, Political Science, Economics, and Philosophy etc. Such broad, interdisciplinary training can be extremely helpful for work in the governmental or non-profit sector.
Possible minors
The flexibility of the math program provides students room for minors. If you are interested in civic related work, we encourage you to do one or both of these minors:
(a) Minor in International Studies or (b) Minor in Leadership
Civic Engaged Program
The Math department and Montclair State University offers several courses and experiences that prepare students to serve in their communities. These include:
- Rich set of courses such as Mathematical Modeling, Math and Civic Engagement (under development), which have a community engaged component which helps connect math to relevant and timely social issues.
- Other courses across campus on topics of development, international relations etc.
- Co-curricular activities such as the STEM Core Fellowship Program, a service based program that connects students with local community organizations for year-long service work where they use math skills to help the partner institutions. This is a selective fellowship program and membership is based on faculty nomination.
- Our faculty can help you apply for a summer internship in your junior or senior year.
For more information, please contact Dr. Ashwin Vaidya (vaidyaa@montclair.edu)