Career

Mathematicians’ job prospects are both excellent and varied. Maths graduates can opt for the most diverse professional fields:

• research and development in industry
• banking and insurance
• information technology
• management and consulting
• Research and teaching in educational or research establishments

In order to gain a foothold in one of these areas, you should start making enquiries during your course and gain some experience by choosing relevant subsidiary subjects, doing work experience or taking advantage of the support measures outlined on the following pages.

If you want to continue working in mathematics at an academic level after your graduation, a doctorate may be the right choice for you. A doctorate in mathematics at TU Darmstadt usually takes 3 to 5 years. During this time, you work on your own mathematical research results under the supervision of a mathematician at TU Darmstadt (usually a professor or lecturer). During this time you are usually funded by a WiMi position (short for research assistant) or you have a scholarship. A WiMi position usually involves either participating in the teaching activities of the Department of Mathematics, i.e. you will supervise a lecture, in particular the corresponding exercise classes. Or working in a third-party funded (sometimes interdisciplinary) research project. You should discuss with potential supervisors (i.e. professors or lecturers) whether a WiMi position is currently available or will be available soon, which scholarships you can apply for and how the procedure for applying for such a position is organised. For example, a good time to ask is during your Master's programme, when you are looking for a topic for your Master's thesis. You can also ask during or after your Master's thesis.

• Talk to a professor you trust or in your favourite field of research.
• Take advantage of the Meet the WiMi programme and talk to academic staff in the department.
• Take advantage of the Ingenium counselling service.