Masters in maths? Difficulty level: Have bachelors in graphic design

I'm interested in what I perceive as stuff related to applied maths: meteorology, language processing, cryptography, etcetera. But I'm also wondering how I can relate these sorts of interests to jobs or careers ... How do you feel about computer science?

It might help to know where you are and also what courses you picked while doing the diploma. There seem to be two separate issues here. One is whether you could get into a master's program and the other is whether you should. Looking at some masters programs at random, you're almost certainly qualified on paper for some of them. Some require abstract algebra and real analysis. If you took the 'advanced mathematical analysis' course, I think most people would see that as having had real analysis. I don't know that the 'further calculus' on its own would count. It doesn't look like the diploma had anything approximating abstract algebra. Some departments look more favourably on people with unusual backgrounds than others. Right now, it sounds like your math background is fairly weak, but some departments will say "Oh, her degree was in graphic design, so it's totally understandable she hasn't taken X and Y, and she seems smart and motivated, so why not?" and others will go "Graphic design? WTF?" There are some places in the US that fund masters students, usually places without PhD programs. (I've honestly never figured out how funding works in the EU if you don't normally live in the EU, even if you're an EU citizen.) I don't think I can really say much on the "should you do it" front.

It might be worth seeking out people who work in fields you might be interested in and asking for their advice. It could be that a Master's in math won't get you where you want to be but there are other options that will. Even if they have no idea who you are, people -- especially academics -- will usually respond to a nice introductory email.

Hi Hoyland! I did the compulsory ones (abstract math, further linear algebra, further calculus) and four optionals (game theory, advanced mathematical analysis, optimisation theory & advanced statistics: distribution theory). Yes there was very little abstract algebra! I've been trying to pick up some of the things I missed there by going through recommended books from a typical undergrad curriculum. Oh, I didn't know that about departments with differing attitudes. In your opinion, is there a difference between the two departments? I have a hard time imagining that anyone would see a plus in an 'unusual background' like mine and be seriously serious ... it's got no relation to maths whatsoever (Unless you're Vi Hart)! Hi TheCavorter! I did think about comp sci, I don't know why but I can't seem to be enthusiastic about my (incorrect?) impression of it as software development & algorithms. Hi goingonit! I've read quite a few interviews about people's careers like those in http://plus.maths.org/content/CareerII and other websites and they all seem awfully straightforwards -- it's like all of them have known what they were interested in since they were 6 and then they went on to a related degree & career. It was really demoralizing.

Don't worry! I don't think that the interviews in plusmath accurately represent the variety of background that people actually have in these fields. Browsing them briefly, it looks like their career interviews are essentially "you should study math in school" propaganda so it's no surprise that this is how their interviewees got there. Plus, you have to think about how they find people to interview. The editors are both academically-oriented people who work for Cambridge University, so who do you think they tend to meet on a daily basis? You may get different results if you look for some career paths that strike your fancy and seek people out looking from the other direction -- plus you'll get a nifty demonstration of sampling biases in action!