Why study science

A science or mathematics degree equips you with the skills you need for a fulfilling career.

Key facts about Science and Mathematics careers

  • 75% of growing employment areas in Australia require scientific training
  • Unemployment for Science graduates over 30 years old is less than 3%
  • Six of the top ten “Best Jobs Globally” (based on job outlook, lifestyle and income) use mathematics and statistics. 
  • Australia is home to more than 470 biotechnology companies. Biotechnology is part of Australia’s thriving life sciences sector that is worth $4 billion per year, and employs more than 240,000 people in high value STEM jobs.
  • The Australian Agricultural sector was worth $62 billion in 2018-2019. It employs around 300,000 people or 2.5% of the national workforce. The demand for Agricultural Scientists is expected to increase by 14.6% on current numbers between 2019 and 2024.
  • Roles for Environmental Scientists are expected to increase by 12.5% between 2019-2024. 92% of environmental specialists are employed on graduation.

Learn to think like a Scientist

Learning to think like a Scientist or Mathematician will set you up to be analytical, capable, and above all, highly employable.

As a Scientist your analytical and problem solving skills are highly valued by employers, making you in demand across many sectors.

You will work in an ever-evolving range of roles relying on observation, experimentation, and the testing and development of new ideas and products. UQ science graduates not only work in fields including chemistry, biochemistry, ecology, genetics, psychology and statistics but also in finance, IT and business globally.

As a Mathematician you will apply your knowledge to seek out and identify patterns, formulate new conjectures, and use rigorous deduction to solve complex and challenging problems for a broad range of industries

As jobs change, so will the skills we need for those jobs. Thinking like a scientist or mathematician is underpinned by skills that employers are looking for, such as:

  • collaboration and teamwork
  • oral and written communication
  • ethical reasoning
  • quantitative skills to apply mathematical and statistical thinking

Enjoy long-term success

Did you know that 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven't even been invented yet?*

Employment opportunities are growing in the roles that are hardest to automate – roles that are knowledge based and require uniquely human skills such as creativity, strategic thinking, problem solving, data analysis and interpretation, emotional intelligence, leadership, research, communication and collaboration.

*Source: Dell technologies - Report 2017 The next era of human machine partnerships: Emerging technologies’ impact on society & work in 2030.

Create change

A science or mathematics degree gives you skills and training to tackle the global challenges that confront us in the 21st century. Reducing the impacts of climate change, curing illnesses, advancing economic policy, developing new, life-saving drugs, protecting the environment, exploring space frontiers – all goals are achievable with a strong base of scientific and mathematical knowledge.