The essence of math is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple.
— Stan Gudder, American mathematician
Are you interested in studying mathematics after your secondary school education in Nigeria?
We use mathematics in our everyday lives and cannot buy and sell without doing a form of maths.
Mathematics is a compulsory subject from the primary to the secondary level of education in Nigeria. Whether a student likes maths or not, they will study it at this level of education.
If students can understand mathematics and arrive at logical solutions, they will be able to prepare their minds when they have real problems. The knowledge of mathematics, and its complexities, can help in almost every career.
Many employers in Nigeria and other countries globally believe that maths graduates are analytical and great problem solvers. It is why math graduates very quickly find themselves in work. If you study numbers at university, your career opportunities will be numerous.
You cannot be an average or struggling student in secondary school maths in Nigeria and want to study it as a degree. However, if you enjoy solving mathematical equations, you are on a good career path.
Studying maths at the university level most likely means you love maths as a subject.
If you plan on studying maths at the university, there are steps to take towards gaining admission. Here is a guide that will help your journey to becoming a mathematician after your secondary school education in Nigeria.
If you want to study mathematics at the university level, go for it. Let us get you ready for undergraduate maths degrees.
How To Study Mathematics At The University Level
In a maths degree, you will learn lots of maths, sometimes as a continuation of secondary school maths and in new areas.
Getting a degree in mathematics is not a problem if you love the subject. The problem is gaining admission to the university of your choice in Nigeria.
Students need the requirements of JAMB and the university they are applying to study mathematics. Students have to pass mathematics, English language and three other subjects. Passing means having at least a credit in each subject required.
Firstly, a student will pass some subjects in the secondary school examinations (WAEC, NECO or GCE) in Nigeria. After this, you can proceed to write JAMB and POST UTME.
Each university in Nigeria has its requirements. Your JAMB score and your POST UTME score will determine the cumulative score that a university will use to decide your candidacy for admission.
The 4 JAMB subject combination for Mathematics are:
- English
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Chemistry
Mathematics is a pure science course, and students who did science subjects at the secondary level in Nigeria are eligible to study mathematics at the university level.
Generally, a maths degree will cover topics such as:
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Numerical analysis
- Data analysis
- Differential calculus
- Probabilities and statistics
- Finance
- Structured programming
- Engineering
- Coordinate and vector geometry
- Analytical and computational foundations
How To Make Preparations To Get Maths Degree
While at the secondary level in Nigeria, students are to study at least nine subjects at school. Mathematics is one of the subjects that must be amongst it. Maths is not optional, regardless of the career path you choose.
Students who want to study maths at the university level are science students and need to take subjects that will qualify them to gain admission to the university of their choice. Students must start choosing these subjects from their senior secondary school level.
Students applying for a BSc Mathematics degree course at university need to meet the entry requirements. Meaning that the subjects on your senior school certificate examination (WAEC, NECO, GCE) results match their requirements. A student interested in studying maths must sit for courses such as:
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Chemistry Further Mathematics
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is a Nigerian entrance examination board for tertiary-level institutions. Students who want to gain admission at a state or federal university in Nigeria must sit for the JAMB after their senior school certificate examination (WAEC, NECO, GCE).
Students wanting to study maths at university will start their application process through JAMB. All students need to visit the website of JAMB and the universities in Nigeria to get all the information that will help their application process to study mathematics.
As a Nigerian student, you can apply for an undergraduate mathematics degree as an international student outside the country. Each university has its entry requirements, and it is always a good idea to contact the university directly and ask what their entry requirements are for maths degree applicants.
Nigerian students, for example, are usually required to have an internationally accredited English language qualification such as IELTS or equivalent. Some schools may also request other exams like TOEFL, SAT, GMAT, GRE etc.
Nigerian students must have their senior school certificate examination (WAEC) before any intentional application.
What Are The Requirements Needed To Study Mathematics?
All universities in Nigeria require that students must have at least a credit in maths and English before applying to study any course.
A student must understand mathematics to study it at the university level. If a student is having difficulties in some areas of mathematics, they should seek private help outside their school hours.
Students also need to take subjects like physics. Math and physics are two closely related fields. Most university and Jamb requirements include physics.
By studying physics at the secondary level, a student will be able to prove to admissions boards that not only do they understand maths, but they can also apply the concepts in practical and theoretical situations. Other courses a student needs to sit for are further mathematics, chemistry, biology, and Economics.
The knowledge in the above-listed subjects will help students with their maths degree.
Students wishing to study at a university in Nigeria need to apply through JAMB. The board deliberates on the cut-off mark for universities after conducting the exam yearly. Siting for these exams will determine the cumulative score a university will use to decide your candidacy for admission.
The required senior school certificate examination (WAEC, NECO, GCE) for Mathematics is usually:
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Further Mathematics (At least three of any)
- A trade subject
Choosing The Right University In Nigeria To Study Maths
There are over 120 universities that offer mathematics as an undergraduate course and degree.
Some universities in Nigeria are known for their expertise in a particular degree. The best way to get the ones suitable for your career is by researching them.
However, we have come up with a list of some of the best universities to study mathematics in Nigeria.
- University Of Nigeria
- University Of Lagos
- University Of Ibadan
- University Of Ilorin
- Bayero University Kano
- Nnamdi Azikiwe University
- Gombe State Univerisity
Of course, these are the universities with high ranks for maths overall, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they'll be the best choice for you.
Sending applications for only these universities is not wise, especially if you do not meet their requirements. Other universities are good that you can research and sit for their exams.
When choosing the right university, there are other things that you should consider like, accommodation, costs, location, social aspects, course modules etc.
Maths is a versatile subject. One of the best things about an undergraduate maths degree is the career prospects.
You can pursue careers in scientific research, engineering, business and finance, teaching, defence, tax, accounting, banking, quality assurance, Economics, computing and various types of analysis.
Studying mathematics is worthwhile if you enjoy the subject and like dealing with numbers.
If you need help with maths at school or to pursue your degree in maths, you can consider getting help from one of the many talented and experienced tutors on Superprof. You can get several maths tutors on the platform from any state in Nigeria.
Most of the tutors offer the first hour of their lessons free. You can get a tutor in maths between 1000 NGN - 5,000 NGN per hour.
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