Career Paths Available in South Africa for Math Literacy Students Frequently asked Questions for the students taking Math Literacy are what are Maths Literacy career fields?,Can I do nursing with maths literacy in South Africa?,Can I do engineering with maths literacy in South Africa?,Can you do software engineering with maths literacy?,What are Highest Paying Jobs With Maths Literacy.This page written to answer all Questions.
Is Maths Literacy easy?
Many learners and students think that because a learner does maths literacy over pure mathematics that they are automatically less smarter – and truth be told, this is far from the truth. This perception needs to be put to rest.
List of Careers you can pursue with Math Literacy subject in South Africa
Education Degree: Math Literacy is ideal as it provides practical mathematical knowledge, which is beneficial for teaching and understanding educational methodologies, rather than the advanced theories in pure Mathematics.
Tourism Degree Courses: Math Literacy, with its focus on real-world applications, is more relevant for managing practical aspects like budgeting and scheduling in the tourism industry, compared to the abstract concepts in pure Mathematics.
Communications and Marketing Degree/Diploma Courses: These fields value practical numerical skills for market analysis and budget management, making Math Literacy more applicable than the complex theories of pure Mathematics.
Sociology Degree/Diploma Courses: Math Literacy aids in understanding societal trends and data, which is more pertinent for sociological studies than the in-depth mathematical theories and formulas in pure Mathematics.
Psychology Degree Courses: In psychology, Math Literacy is sufficient for statistical analysis and research methodology, offering a more relevant skillset than the high-level mathematical concepts in pure Mathematics.
Political Sciences Degree Courses: Math Literacy equips students with the ability to interpret data and understand statistical information, which is more crucial in political science than the advanced mathematical skills taught in pure Mathematics.
Writing Degree/Diploma Courses: For a career in writing, Math Literacy provides enough understanding of numerical data, which is often more useful than the intricate mathematical knowledge in pure Mathematics.
Art Degree/Diploma Courses: In art-related fields, Math Literacy is more than sufficient, as it offers practical skills for managing art projects and understanding proportions, unlike the complex calculations in pure Mathematics.
Fashion Degree Courses: The practical numerical skills offered by Math Literacy are ideal for budgeting, measurements, and scaling in fashion design, as opposed to the advanced mathematical concepts in pure Mathematics.
Human Resources BA Degree/Diploma Courses: Math Literacy is ideal for managing payroll, benefits calculation, and data analysis in HR, whereas pure Mathematics skills are generally not required.
Graphic Design Degree/Diploma Courses: Math Literacy provides essential skills for understanding dimensions, scaling, and budgeting in graphic design, making it more suitable than the complex theories in pure Mathematics.
Political Science Degree/Diploma Courses: Similar to political sciences, Math Literacy is more relevant for understanding electoral trends and political research, as opposed to the advanced mathematical skills in pure Mathematics.
What Are The Highest Paying Jobs With Maths Literacy?
Although maths literacy does not contain these tougher mathematical concepts, its focus still lays in preparing students with mathematical skills that will prove necessary in their daily lives. Therefore, maths literacy has many practical qualities, which open up many good job opportunities.
Some of the highest paying of these jobs include:
- Lawyer – At an entry-level position a lawyer can earn an average salary of R300 000 a year, whilst an experienced general counsel lawyer can earn an average of around R1 000 000 a year
- Paramedic – A paramedic can earn an average of about R320 000 a year
- Pilot – A pilot can earn an average of about R320 000 a year
- Nurse – The average nurse salary ranges between R200 000 and R300 000+ depending on the position and level of experience possessed
- Psychologist – The average psychologist salary is about R500 000 a year
- Interior Designer – The average interior designer salary ranges between about R320 000 and R420 000 a year
- Dental Hygienist – The average dental hygienist salary is about R300 00 a year
- University Professor – A university professor can earn an average salary of almost R1 000 000 a year
- Digital Marketer – A digital marketer can earn an average salary of upwards of R300 000 a year
- Human Resources (hr) business partner – An hr business partner can earn an average salary ranging between R450 000 and R600 000 a year
Apart from these well paying jobs, there are many more career opportunities for students who only studied maths literacy during their schooling. This proves that taking mathematics literacy instead of pure maths by no means hinders your chances of finding good, well-paying jobs.
Maths Lit FAQ
Can i become a Medical Doctor with Maths Lit
Can you become a Medical Doctor with Maths Literacy Subject Choice? The answer is NO. You cannot become a Medical Doctor without Mathematics as part of your High School subject.
Can i become a Lawyer with Maths Lit
Yes you can become a Lawyer with Mathematics Literacy subject choice. However, you should note that the admission requirements for law differ from university to university. The average university requires around 50 – 60% final exam marks for Mathematics Literacy or pure Mathematics. Also, a 65 – 70% English Home Language or English First Additional Language may also be required.
Can i become a Nurse with Maths Lit
The answer is yes. With Maths Literacy, you can study many courses (except core science subjects) in South Africa.
Can i become a Paramedic with Maths Lit
You can definitely become a Paramedic in South Africa with Maths Literacy subject choice. There is no specific APS score or exact final marks percentages to study Paramedic as this depends on the university or college requirements.
Can I become a Pilot with Maths Lit
You can start your pilot journey to become a Pilot in South Africa and internationally with a Mathematics Literacy subject and not necessarily Pure Mathematics subject choice. In South Africa, there are currently no compulsory subject requirements, or minimum mark requirements to start training as a pilot according to Essential Pilot.
Can I become a Psychologist with Maths Lit
Many students wonder: “Can i study psychology with maths literacy”? Yes you can. To become a Psychologist, most universities and colleges often require: a National Senior Certificate, or equivalent, with an achievement rating of 5 (Substantial Achievement, 60-69%) or better in six designated subjects, including English and Mathematics (or Maths Literacy).
Highest Paying Jobs that don’t require Mathematics
Which universities accept Maths Literacy
If you are wondering what can i study at a university with Maths Literacy Grade 12, you should know that all universities in South Africa do accept Maths Literacy grade 12 subjects for most of their courses offered. However, other courses that normally require a higher APS score will need pure Mathematics Grade 12, such as Engineering and Sciences degrees or diplomas.
In South Africa, Maths literacy is a subject offered at the high school level and some universities may accept it as part of the matriculation requirements for admission. However, it is not typically offered as a standalone major or minor at universities. Some universities may have courses or programs that incorporate math literacy into other fields of study, such as education, business, or social sciences.
Here are some universities in South Africa that may accept Maths Literacy as part of the matriculation requirements for admission:
- University of South Africa (UNISA)
- University of Pretoria
- University of Cape Town
- University of Kwazulu-Natal
- University of the Witwatersrand
- University of Johannesburg
- Stellenbosch University
- Rhodes University
It’s important to note that each university may have different admission requirements, so it’s best to check with the specific university to confirm if Maths Literacy is accepted as part of the matriculation requirements for admission.
What to Study with Maths Literacy at Universities?
- What can i study with Maths Literacy and Life Sciences – Degrees and Diplomas in: Sport sciences, Nursing, and other health-related courses, except Medicine.
- What can i study with Maths Literacy and Business Studies – Degrees and Diplomas in: Business Management, Human Resources Management, Psychology, Logistics, and more.
- What can i study with Maths Literacy and Tourism – Degrees and Diplomas in: Tourism, Hotel Management, and more.
- What can i study with Maths Literacy and Accounting – Degrees and Diplomas in: Accounting, Auditing, Financial Management, and more
- What can i study with Maths Literacy and History – Degrees and Diplomas in: Historical Studies, Social Sciences, Sociology, Psychology and more
- What can i study with Maths Literacy and Geography – Degrees and Diplomas in: Records Management, Humanities and Social Sciences courses, and more
- What can i study with Maths Literacy and Economics – Degrees and Diplomas in: Economics, International Studies, Business Management, and more
Advantages of maths literacy
Maths Literacy has many advantages and benefits to learners as it gives learners who are not pure mathematics gurus a fair chance to study their favorite career choices. The subject of Mathematical Literacy enables the learner to become a self-managing person, a contributing worker and a participating citizen. The teaching and learning of Mathematical Literacy provides opportunities to analyse problems and devise ways to work mathematically in solving such problems. Opportunities to engage mathematically in this way assist learners to become astute consumers of the mathematics reflected in the media.
Below are the advantages of Mathematical Literacy subject:
- mathematical literacy involves authentic real-life contexts
- mathematical literacy involves solving familiar and unfamiliar problems
- mathematical literacy involves decision making and communication
- mathematical literacy involves the use of integrated content and/or skills in solving problems
What is Mathematical Literacy?
Mathematical Literacy in South Africa is not just your typical math class. It’s more about applying math to real-life situations. Think of it as learning how to use math in everyday life, like managing your finances, understanding statistics in the news, or even planning a trip.
Grades and Curriculum
Maths Lit is offered from Grade 10 to Grade 12 as part of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) in South Africa. It’s an alternative to pure Mathematics, focusing more on practical applications than abstract concepts. The curriculum covers a variety of topics such as basic financial literacy, measurement, data handling, and probability – all super useful stuff in day-to-day life.
Career Prospects
Now, this is where it gets a bit tricky. Maths Lit is great for giving you a solid foundation in practical math skills. However, it’s important to know that some university courses and careers might require pure Mathematics instead. That said, Maths Lit is still super valuable for careers where practical math skills are essential, like in certain trades, entrepreneurship, or fields like marketing and social sciences.
Why It Matters
In the South African context, Maths Lit is particularly useful because it equips students with the skills to navigate the financial and statistical aspects of daily life in a practical and understandable way. This is crucial in a country where financial literacy and practical mathematical skills can make a big difference in personal and community development.