Maths and Statistics

Mathematics and Statistics skills are indispensable problem-solving and decision-making tools at the heart of advances in many areas of life. Opportunities for graduates are available throughout industry and commerce.

Skills you can develop

As well as the specific knowledge gained from studying an OU degree, you'll develop many transferable and work-related skills that are highly valued by employers and which will increase your employability.

The OU Careers Advisory Service defines student employability as: ‘A set of capabilities and achievements that support students in developing their careers, raising their aspirations and enhancing their contribution to society’.

Whatever your motivations for study, your goals and career aspirations, you are entitled to supported personal development planning either as an intrinsic part of your programme of study or through signposted optional activities.  You can view our full Student Employability Policy Statement on our website.

For Mathematics and Statistics students the employability skills you will develop include the ability to:

• use mathematics and statistics to help develop solutions to practical problems
• follow complex mathematical and statistical arguments and to develop brief arguments of your own
• work with mathematical and statistical computer software packages
• find, extract and analyse data from many sources
• communicate mathematical and statistical information effectively
• manage your time and employ good organisational skills
• work with patience and persistence.

Information on specific learning outcomes related to the degrees in this area can be found by following the links to each degree on Study at the OU.

To check which work-related skills can be developed from studying a particular subject, look at the Student Employability Profiles (PDF 3MB) on the Higher Education Academy website. Although these are designed for higher education practitioners, the subject profiles can help you identify the transferable skills you will gain from studying this subject area.

1 |2 | 3 | 4

Career opportunities

In the UK over 60% of graduates enter employment where a degree in any subject would be acceptable. In this instance what they offer the employer is evidence of the range of competencies which have been developed through their academic study, rather than the specific subject content of their degree. Mathematics and Statistics graduates are very marketable in this respect because of their analytical and problem solving skills which are particularly relevant to fields such as business, finance, law and management consultancy. This page will focus on careers directly related to maths and statistics, however, if you want to explore all of the choices open to you, also refer to the Further Resources section.

Given the current economic climate and the increased competition for graduate positions, it is important to consider a range of occupational areas. Bear in mind that many careers require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree.

Mathematics and Statistics graduates are employed in all areas of the public and private sectors, business and commerce, large and small firms, in positions of responsibility that lead to management, but there are also opportunities for self-employment - as a financial adviser, for example.

The extent of opportunities is great and you'll be equipped with skills and knowledge required for jobs in fields such as accountancy, education, engineering, science, defence and the pharmaceutical industry. There are some careers for which a degree in mathematics and/or statistics is often specified, for example teaching, statistical work (including actuarial work), some types of research and development and some areas of computing.

For further research into the possibilities see the website of The National STEM Centre, which provides information on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) across England. The Confederation of British Industry estimates that by 2014 three quarters of a million extra jobs requiring STEM skills will be available.

Career areas directly related to mathematics and statistics include:

• banking
• insurance
• tax
• investments
• stock broking/trading
• actuarial work
• accounting
• economics
• operational research
• pensions
• quantitative analysis/risk analysis
• financial engineering
• management consultancy
• teaching

With such a range of opportunities, mathematics and statistics graduates remain highly marketable and employable even during times of economic recession.

We advise you to thoroughly research your career choices as early as possible, particularly in relation to experience required, differences relating to where you live, or where the study choices you make may affect future opportunities.

Use the Prospects website to explore career options related to this subject. Click on your subject to see examples of job roles and get information for further research.

If you live in Ireland look at the relevant information on career sectors and jobs with your degree on the Gradireland website.

To find out about ways of gaining experience through volunteering see our voluntary work pages.  You can also use the searchable databases on the following web sites:

• Do it!
• Volunteer Scotland
• Volunteer Ireland
• Volunteering Wales

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Your employers

Rigorous academic standards ensure that OU qualifications are recognised and valued by professional organisations and employers.

As an OU student, you can access the Employer Showcase to find out about some of the employers who are keen to recruit OU graduates.

For students of Mathematics and Statistics the companies that are particularly relevant are

• Bank of America Merrill Lynch
• Credit Suisse
• Financial Services Authority
• Heinz
• KPMG
• Royal Bank of Scotland Group
• Tesco
• The Cooperative Group

The Graduate Recruitment Manager of Heinz said

Mature applicants can offer a greater and quicker return on investment to an organisation by virtue of their previous experiences … Mature applicants often bring greater planning and prioritisation skills, having managed multiple demands on their time.

The Graduate Recruitment Manager of the Financial Services Authority said

We look for a number of competencies in our candidates, such as excellent communication, team work and problem solving skills … I would encourage students to make the most of the opportunities available.

If you are a student you might want to see further advice from major employers on applications, the skills they require and the value of OU study. Go to our What employers say pages.

As an OU student you can also register for our online vacancy service and receive email notification about job opportunities.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Further resources

Use the other sections of this web site to

• plan your career
• explore your career options  
• identify your achievements, skills and strengths
• get advice on job seeking.

Of particular interest to Maths and Stats students may be the Maths Careers website; Plus Magazine website, and the Royal Statistical Society site.

Don’t forget to check the careers home page regularly for news of events, forums, careers fairs and short courses (modules). If you are an OU student you can participate in and read entries on our online forums.

If you are a current OU student (or finished your studies within the last three years) you are entitled to a careers consultation with a careers adviser in your region or nation. This is designed to help you through the planning process and identify an action plan for your future. (Non-OU students should go to the Contact page of this website for other sources of careers advice.)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4