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Best Math undergrad degree.

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  • 21-01-2011 11:37pm
    #1
    LilMissCiara
    Registered Users Posts: 2,292 ✭✭✭


    Hi, I'm a leaving cert student who wants to become an actuary. However, I don't want to do a degree in Actuarial Science first as I feel I want something a bit more broad so am considering a degree in Maths and then doing a Post Grad diploma in Actuarial Science (from UCD).

    There are 2 main degrees I'm interested in:

    Maths and Economics in UCD: Arts (BA Math and Eco?)
    Maths in TCD: Science (BSci Math?)

    I really want to go to Dublin so I haven't really looked else where. Would there be a difference (like in terms of getting a job etc.) between a BA and BSci when it comes to Maths?


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    #2
    Fremen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,481 ✭✭✭Fremen


    Could you link to the courses you're looking at?

    Unless things have changed at UCD, Arts is a three year degree, whereas the TCD course is a four year degree. That's something to be aware of - you'll do more than twice as much maths in a four year pure maths degree as you would in a three year joint honours. You need to be sure that hearing "theorem/proof" every day for four years won't get you down. It can be very rewarding or very tedious, depending on your mindset.

    Both courses will leave you well-placed to be an actuary, but I expect the TCD degree would be significantly more difficult. On the other hand, a maths graduate can probably learn economics with less effort than an economics graduate can learn maths.

    If you want to be a quant (somoene who does financial modelling for investment banks), investment banks tend to favour maths graduates who can program. This is arguably a more ambitious career path than actuary, but there are many similarities.

    You might want to consider courses with a stats component too. I think DCU also have some decent programs you should look at before making up your mind.


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    #3
    Richard Cranium
    Registered Users Posts: 656 ✭✭✭Richard Cranium


    I know it's not Dublin, but you could try Maths Science in UCC. In first year it's a very broad maths course with pure and applied maths modules, statistics and optional actuarial modules that count towards exemptions in the professional exams.

    If you find that the Financial Maths side of things doesn't interest you as much as the "pure" maths (so to speak), then you don't have to continue with any of it past 1st year, and just choose the "Maths Science" degree outlet from second to fourth year. I don't think there's any other course in the country that offers that amount of freedom, though I'm open to correction on that.

    I'd seriously recommend looking into this course if you're thinking of going down the actuarial route.


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    #4
    Fremen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,481 ✭✭✭Fremen


    Richard Cranium wrote: »
    If you find that the Financial Maths side of things doesn't interest you as much as the "pure" maths (so to speak), then you don't have to continue with any of it past 1st year, and just choose the "Maths Science" degree outlet from second to fourth year. I don't think there's any other course in the country that offers that amount of freedom, though I'm open to correction on that.
    .

    I think you can do something similar in DCU.


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    #5
    LeixlipRed
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,081 ✭✭✭LeixlipRed


    You can indeed.


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    #6
    Triangla
    Registered Users Posts: 818 ✭✭✭Triangla


    By doing actuarial science you'll get exemptions from a lot of the professional exams required to becoming an actuary so well worth doing instead of a broad mathematical degree.

    Is there a specific reason you don't want to do it?


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    #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 16,720 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Just to confirm, upon completion of the course you would get a BA (Mod) in Mathematics. Not that that really changes anything, it doesn't matter that it's a BA or a BSc in Maths.

    http://www.maths.tcd.ie/undergraduate/


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    #8
    **Timbuk2**
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    You can do a BSc in Mathematical Science in UCD as well, although I've heard that there's an Applied Maths / Physics element to it as well.

    Here's a good link about becoming an Actuary in Ireland - https://web.actuaries.ie/about/careers/how-can-i-become-an-actuary

    Note the exemptions that each college offer.

    You get CT1-CT8 by doing Actuarial Science in QUB, DCU, or the Actuarial Science Postgrad in UCD. Actuarial and Financial Studies (BAFS) in UCD gives you CT1-CT8 and CA1.

    However, if you do an Actuarial Science degree, it's tough to get all the exemptions, and many people only get SOME of the exemptions, so the fact that UCD offer 9 whereas others offer 8 or less isn't that significant.

    If you ever have any questions, I'm a current first year student doing Actuarial and Financial Studies (BAFS) in UCD, so feel free to PM me whenever :)


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    #9
    LilMissCiara
    Registered Users Posts: 2,292 ✭✭✭LilMissCiara


    Triangla wrote: »
    By doing actuarial science you'll get exemptions from a lot of the professional exams required to becoming an actuary so well worth doing instead of a broad mathematical degree.

    Is there a specific reason you don't want to do it?

    For a broader education I suppose. Don't want to close any doors before I even get to college. The Post Grad diploma is a year long and has most of the exemptions too!


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    #10
    Civilian_Target
    Registered Users Posts: 5,618 ✭✭✭Civilian_Target


    Queens Belfast is also pretty good for Maths (particularly Applied Maths)... otherwise, certainly my impression (which is now 5 years old) was that Trinity had a much stronger Maths course than UCD


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