Alumni Sharing

"The education that I received from the MAEC program has been tremendously helpful in many perspectives. The combined knowledge of the two disciplines opens up a range of job opportunities. The training has proved to be very worthwhile and practical in both job interviews and daily lives. The economics theories come in handy when understanding the global market movements. On the other hand, the mathematics courses helped shape a rigorous thinking and logical way of doing things, which are very beneficial in the working environment."

"I think the MAEC program helped me in two major aspects. Firstly, it helped me build very solid mathematical background and develop strong quantitative skills. The training I got from mathematics courses enabled me to form the habit of thinking in a rigorous way and solving the problem with a mathematical model if applicable. Secondly, the flexibility in the curriculum setting offered me a great opportunity to explore different fields, especially mathematical applications in economics and finance. Eventually, I started my career in the financial industry."

"The joint-school MAEC program allows me to develop a strong foundation that I rely on in my current role. It equips me with solid knowledge in both Mathematics and Economics, quantitative reasoning skills, communication and presentation skills, which are very useful in my work. I am very grateful to have met supportive, inspiring and student-friendly professors who lead me to where I am today."

"The MAEC program sharpens my skills in both analytical thinking and quantitative reasoning through a combination of courses in economics and mathematics. The study of economics helps me form a general view of the global economy and leads me to understand the financial market in a more comprehensive manner. The study of mathematics helps me to figure out the underlying investment opportunities in the financial markets and provides me a quantitative way of putting my ideas into actions. Moreover, the flexibility of this program has allowed me to acquire other knowledge in accounting and finance as well, which makes me more competitive for my future career in the financial market."

"My long term career goal is to become an economist and I think the MAEC program had provided me a rigorous introduction to the modern economics and finance. With a few additional courses, I can easily meet the admission requirement for PG programs in quantitative economics and finance. Besides, these foundations are necessary research tools. My very first research work involves implementing statistical analysis. The training of the MAEC program allows me to understand the academic journals and implement the statistical model."

"MAEC is an exhilarating journey, where I am benefited in different perspectives. Mathematics is intriguing and thought-provoking, especially when I am approaching some complex questions; whilst economics theories are profound and have a close nexus with a wide spectrum of real life issues. In MAEC, I have equipped with quantitative skills to address multifarious economic issues, received rigorous logical training, and understood the financial world more comprehensively, all of which are the key pillars of my career development. Furthermore, MAEC is a small cohort with strong bonding amongst students, where I came across many extraordinary and brilliant people within the program, learn from each other and gain more support. Benefited by the soft and hard skills acquired from this program, I become more competitive to pursue a career in the business world, especially the financial market."

Mathematics and Economics program in HKUST is the perfect program for those who would want to pursue a PhD in Economics, for most Economics PhD having mathematical entry requirements. The mathematical portion of this program also makes it a good choice if you would like to break into investment banking (some hedge funds only hire mathematics/CS students with a master/PhD degree from target schools). You can tailor your electives to suit your career path. In these electives, you will learn mathematical and economical models that are practical and conductive to your success. The abstract training from this program is demanding. However, this means you will be geared up for any career, whether it be academic research or the financial industry. For me, this program has been a few eventful years! Many thanks to professors and admin staff who supported my journey all the way through!

The MAEC program provides graduates a very solid background in Economics. If you are interested in pursuing postgraduate studies in Economics, it is highly recommended to major in MAEC. Unlike other Economics programs, MAEC focuses on Mathematics too, which equips students with a strong mathematical foundation for Economics research. However, if you are not interested in doing research in Economics, many of our friends chose to work in the business sector, especially data analyst, because we are equipped with not only knowledge of economics and businesses, but programming and statistics as well. It also makes data analyst one of the most popular jobs among MAEC students. Of course, not all of the students will pursue postgraduate studies in Economics or become a data analyst. For example, I made use of the flexibility of the program to enroll in as much mathematics courses as I could, and now I am an MPhil student in pure mathematics. So, plan ahead for what you want to become in the future, and make good use of your four years at HKUST as a MAEC student.