The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics. –Paul Halmos
Did you enjoy mathematics while in primary and secondary school? Are you good at maths and looking to study it as a degree?
There are so many fun facts about studying maths as a degree. One of the fun facts is that it makes you employable. Many employers in Nigeria and other countries globally believe that maths graduates are analytical and great problem solvers.
If you study numbers at university, your career opportunities will be numerous. Math graduates very quickly find themselves in work. The average salary is also good. However, it depends on the field you move into after graduation.
Truthfully, you hardly hear a Nigerian kid say they want to become a mathematician when they grow up. However, as kids grow up and study it at their primary and secondary levels, some may begin to visualize a career with numbers. Mathematics is a subject that is considered as not easy by many students, but the ones that love it find it so easy.
Mathematics is a subject that a student can get a score of 100% if they are good at it and likewise fail if they are not good at it.
You cannot be an average or struggling student in secondary school maths in Nigeria and want to study it as a degree. It will be a disaster for you at the university since 90% of your courses will be related to maths and solving equations.
How can you be bad at a subject and study it as a degree? Sounds wrong? YES.
However, if you enjoy solving mathematical equations, you are on a good career path.
If you plan on studying maths at the university, there are steps to take towards gaining admission. Your love for maths is not only a requirement. There are other things you need to put in place with your academics.
Here’s how to get ready for undergraduate maths degrees.
Secondary School Subjects Needed For A Maths Degree
Loving to solve maths is a genuine reason to study mathematics as a degree. However, it takes more than just an A in mathematics to prepare yourself for a degree in it.
While at the secondary level in Nigeria, students are to study at least nine subjects at school. Mathematics and English language is a compulsory subject for all students and is not optional regardless of the career path you choose. Secondary school in Nigeria is in the junior and senior secondary levels. It takes three years to complete each level.
After a student completes their junior secondary level, they choose their career path at the senior secondary level. It is why students at the senior secondary level in Nigeria are either arts, science or commercial students. Students at this level are to choose subjects relating to their career path.
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. Since mathematics is compulsory at the secondary level, it is out of the equation of the other subjects you should take while in school.
Students need to o start choosing subjects required for their maths degree from their senior secondary level. Subjects like physics and further mathematics will help students in their maths degrees.
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.
The required senior school certificate examination (WAEC, NECO, GCE) for Mathematics undergraduates are usually:
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Further Mathematics (At least three of any)
Students have to read the entry requirements of each university to know the core subjects for the five credits.
Applying To Study Maths Degree
Are you looking to do an undergraduate maths degree after secondary school education?
If you want to become a mathematician as a career path, you will have to apply for a maths degree. In Nigeria, there is one way students can start their application process to study for a degree at a higher institution. It is through JAMB.
Any student that wants to gain admission at a state or federal university in Nigeria has to go through JAMB after their senior school certificate examination (WAEC, NECO, GCE).
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is a Nigerian entrance examination board for tertiary-level institutions.
JAMB
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). They conduct the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination for prospective undergraduates to study at Nigerian universities. Students wanting to study maths at university will start their application process through JAMB.
Here are the requirements for the JAMB registration;
- National Identification Number (NIN)
- JAMB Profile Code
- Phone Number
- Email Address
- O’level/A’level Result
- JAMB E-pin
- Biodata
For university degrees, students fill two universities and the courses they want to study at each university. As you can only apply for two degrees and universities, you must look carefully at the entry requirements and make wise choices to ensure you get the university of your choice.
Generally, to apply for a maths degree in any university in Nigeria, JAMB requirements are usually:
- English
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Chemistry
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.
For instance, to study mathematics at the university of Lagos (UNILAG), the UTME Requirements are five O/Level credit passes in English Language, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics and any one of Economics, Chemistry and Geography.
When choosing the university, select a school in a town or city you would like to live in because you will be there for the next four years of your mathematics degree.
Applying To Study Maths Degree As An International Student
Thousands of universities are open worldwide to accepting Nigerian students at all degree levels.
Mathematics is a popular academic field in universities across the world. Students from Nigeria interested in studying mathematics as international students in a foreign country can do so.
If a student is applying for an undergraduate mathematics degree as an international student, they may not have the exact qualifications specified by the university. However, many universities have alternatives depending on the country.
However, it is always a good idea to contact the university directly and ask what their entry requirements are for maths degree applicants. You may have to convert your qualification to their standard, and the conversion is not always an exact science.
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.
One thing is sure: before applying to any university abroad to study mathematics or any degree, you must have your senior school certificate examination (WAEC), and subjects like mathematics and English are usually mandatory.
You can always check the website of the international university of your choice to know the requirements for your maths degree.
Getting Ready For University: Other Considerations
Once you have registered for Jamb to study mathematics at a university, make sure you meet the requirements and get the score required by the university. Your JAMB and POST UTME score will determine the cumulative score that a university will use to decide your candidacy for admission.
Once you have secured admission to get a math degree, there are other things you must consider and sort out.
Accommodation
You have to consider where you would be staying, especially if you would be studying in another state in Nigeria. You can either choose to stay in school or get a private place close to the school environment. The accommodations for students by the school are usually cheaper and affordable.
However, you have to apply to get your name on the list. There are usually several hostels.
Costs
You also have to consider how you would be paying your tuition. You can pay yourself or look for finance options through scholarships by companies, the school or the state. Several finance options and scholarships are available for students who cannot afford to pay their tuition in Nigeria.
Electives
When you gain admission to study mathematics, there will be some electives you will have to take to complete your units. From the options you will be given, carefully select the ones you are good at so you can use them to score good grades for your overall score at the end of each session.
Generally, research has shown that those with a degree in mathematics or mathematical skills tend to find employment in this day and age. Mathematics graduates tend to work skilled jobs like teaching, finance, accounting, science, information technology etc.
If you need help studying maths, you can consider getting help from one of the many talented and experienced tutors on Superprof Nigeria. Most of the tutors usually offer the first offer of their class free. You can contact them for your online or face-to-face private lessons.
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