<p>So I am a statistics and economics double major but I feel a little insecure with statistics. Is it too "new" of a major and too specialized? I don't want to become a statistician but I do think statistics is very useful and avoids a lot of the fluff math majors have. And I also love the applied and programming aspect of statistics.</p>
<p>Any feedback would be much appreciated, thanks.</p>
<p>Typical career directions for statistics majors are in the finance and actuarial areas:
<a href=“https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/Statistics.stm[/url]”>https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/Statistics.stm</a></p>
<p>Of course, if you want to study economics to the PhD level, a strong understanding of statistics is necessary. But so is advanced math like real analysis and linear algebra.</p>
<p>Anything with stats, you can do better with an applied math or pure math major simply because they’re more rigorous.</p>
<p>It sounds like you’d love an applied math major with a lot of CS classes as well.</p>
<p>A lot of fluff? </p>
<p>You’re learning how to think. I’m doing an Applied Math/Statistics degree and as part of our core we MUST take two quarters of Real Analysis & Abstract Algebra and then Complex Analysis. You also have to take a course here in Set Theory before you attempt to take these courses, which teaches you how to do proofs. Depending on the professor, you might’ve been exposed to proofs in Linear Algebra.</p>
<p>A lot of the motivation for statistics comes from Real Analysis. </p>
<p>If you’re doing economics, why the heck aren’t you doing a math major? All of the economics people I know going after a PhD in it have strongly emphasized that they must earn an A in Real Analysis, but they only need the first part.</p>
<p>If you like programming, you can tailor a math major towards that. There are several programming classes in the applied discipline. I don’t know how it is at your school but whatever track you choose here you must take the proofs classes, which I think are a fundamental part of the math major. </p>
<p>Courses like topology, differential geometry, etc…yeah, I doubt you’ll ever use that if you’re not going to be a physicist or go to grad school. You’ll get a little exposure to topology from Real Analysis, though.</p>
<p>Thank you for the feedback, everyone.</p>
<p>Caldud, I do agree with your points but if I do a math major I won’t have time to take classes that may be immediately useful after graduation, such as Time Series Analysis, which is important for an economics major. However I suppose with an extensive mathematical background it may not be that much of a big deal.</p>