While the program gives students the skill set required for careers across a broad spectrum of professional fields, what makes the Bachelor in Applied Mathematics special is the opportunity for you to tailor the program to your specific needs and interests. As well as choosing from a wide selection of electives, in their final year students will be able to complete their degree with one of three concentrations, allowing them to take a deep dive into the area which best aligns with their career goals.
Here’s an introduction to the three concentrations, what they cover, and what kind of career path you could pursue if you choose this concentration.
Industrial Mathematics: Applying Advanced Mathematical Methods to Industry Settings
What is it?
Industrial mathematics is about developing and finding the most efficient mathematical methods to solve problems in a wide range of industrial settings. This concentration explores many of the general concepts of the program, such as mathematical modeling, statistics and operational research, in greater depth.
In this concentration, students will gain a thorough grounding in the use of mathematical and computational tools, both to model challenging problems in mathematical terms and to understand and predict the behavior of complex systems. Using advanced techniques in differential equations, numerical calculus, network theory, optimization and simulation, students learn to understand the intricacies of industrial products.
What careers could this lead to?
Industrial mathematics is an exceptionally practical concentration, focusing on developing skills that are in high demand in the business world—not just in construction or manufacturing, as you might think. It’s a highly disciplinary field, so graduates can go on to work in a variety of industries, including banking, pharmaceuticals, mining, shipping, transportation and even neuroscience.
As Miguel Vaquero, assistant professor at IE School of Science & Technology, points out, “Students with a background in industrial mathematics will be able to adapt quickly to new situations, making them not only very well adapted to the job market but also a perfect match for the jobs of the future—regardless of what this future might be.” This could include roles such as product developer, aerospace technologist, manufacturing consultant or environmental modeler.
Artificial intelligence: An Interdisciplinary Concentration for A Constantly Evolving World
What is it?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a hot topic, with developments such as ChatGPT and social robots transforming both the workforce and our personal lives. The field of artificial intelligence covers a range of topics, including machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing and forecasting—and new applications are being discovered every day. An increasing number of companies are incorporating AI into their processes to improve efficiency and adaptability, and considerable resources are being allocated to AI research.
In this concentration, students will gain in-depth knowledge of statistics, data analysis and data visualization, as well as insights from the most important use cases of machine learning and deep learning. Through advanced programming courses, they’ll learn firsthand how to implement these models to extract optimal value from data. The curriculum also includes practical projects and the use of tools such as optimization, statistics and linear algebra to transform mathematical knowledge into AI expertise.
What careers could this lead to?
“AI is extremely interdisciplinary,” says Rafael Ballaster-Ripoll, assistant professor in data science and machine learning at IE School of Science & Technology. “As a student of this concentration, you will find open doors in many sectors, for example, logistics, medicine, robotics, chemistry, marketing and many more,” he adds.
There are many roles open to graduates with this concentration, including robotics scientist, data scientist, machine learning expert, cybersecurity expert and data engineer. However, in this fast-changing environment, new roles are emerging all the time—and an in-depth knowledge of the topics covered here will ensure that students emerge with a future-proof set of skills that are in high demand.
Financial mathematics: From Banking to Behavioral Economics
What is it?
The world of finance relies heavily on mathematics, as well as analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. Many economic decisions are now taken by algorithms, whether in financial trading or e-commerce and advertising. Financial mathematics has applications in risk management, data mining, stock trading and investment strategies, to name just a few examples.
This concentration covers topics including stochastic differential calculus, game theory and agent-based modeling, as well as time series and computational economics. Students will learn vital business skills such as how to price and evaluate the risk for financial assets and optimize portfolios. In addition, the concentration includes more interdisciplinary content, such as behavioral economics and decision theory, which are closely related to social sciences and will give students a well-rounded professional profile.
What careers could this lead to?
This concentration is particularly valuable for those seeking to work in banking, e-commerce, investment funds, or in the fast-growing areas of fintech and insurtech. “If you follow this concentration, you will not only be qualified to work as a quant in the banking sector,” explains David Gómez-Ullate Oteiza, Professor of Applied Mathematics and Head of Mathematics at the School of Science & Technology, “but you will have a larger vision that applies to all modern aspects of digital society.” Graduates who choose this concentration will be able to design and analyze core business elements in a wide range of sectors, he adds.
Career opportunities cover roles such as quantitative analyst, decision analyst, financial consultant, investment manager and financial trader. Financial mathematics is in especially high demand in today’s world, so this list is by no means exhaustive.
If you’re aiming to apply your mathematical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills to real-world challenges, then this innovative program could be your next career move. Take a closer look at the Bachelor in Applied Mathematics to find out more.