StudyQA — Master: Mathematics — Aalborg University

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Description Contents Requirements

Mathematics plays an essential role in our everyday lives. Whether you are paying with your credit card online, playing a DVD, or using your smartphone, advanced mathematical concepts and calculations have contributed to making this possible. Mathematical optimisation tasks are at the heart of many industrial work flows. By studying Mathematics at Aalborg University you will have the opportunity to immerse in both practical and theoretical issues and use mathematical theories and calculations in order to systematise, analyse, and solve complex tasks.

Learn Mathematics through problem based project work

Have you ever felt it unsatisfactory just to follow courses in Mathematics and to read textbooks without ever really feeling the subject under your skin? There are a few universities around the world where different ways of teaching Mathematics can be experienced; among them is Aalborg University. At Aalborg University, an important part of the training of future mathematicians is pursued in groups of students; usually 5-7 students at first, and fewer later on.
Within that specific framework, a group of students and their supervisor from the academic staff choose a topic to study. Key concepts and methods are provided during a synchronized course, while the group finds literature and other material relevant for its topic. During the semester, the group undergoes a research-like process and documents its results in a report. The final examination is oral and individual with this report as point of departure.

Benefits

Independent work on mathematical subjects early on motivating and engaging!
Collaboration with fellow students rewarding both socially and professionally
Close contact with dedicated academic teachers
Possibilities for projects including application aspects (engineering, economics, computer science, etc.)

Besides working on projects, students participate in three courses every semester ranging over a variety of mathematical subject areas and providing them with important mathematical skills and an overview over many of the most important concepts and results.

Semester plan overview, MSc (Specialization)

Semesters 6-8 (MATH6, MATH7, MATH8) are more specialized and prepare the students to independent mathematical work aimed at their master's thesis.

The 6th semester introduces the students to a particular focus area within one of the following fields:

Applied Mathematical Analysis and Geometry
Discrete Mathematics
Mathematical Statistics

During the last year of the mathematics curriculum (the semesters MATH7 and MATH8), the students concentrate on their chosen subject and write their master's thesis, supported by a supervisor from the faculty.

In the 6th semester, several (but not all) of the following courses are offered:

Smooth manifolds
Integration and Fourier Theory
Design, Strongly Regular Graphs and Codes
Computer Algebra
Theoretical Statistics
Operators in Hilbert Spaces
Algebraic Topology
Graph Theory
Algebraic Coding Theory
Spatial Statistics
Statistical Inference for Stochastic Processes
Graphical Models
Applied Probability

Facilities and Assistance

Group rooms

Each group of students (4-7 students) shares an office at the university. The students usually meet there early in the morning, and the office is their base during the working day. A course on schedule normally takes four hours; half of the time is spent with all students from the same year and their teacher in a lecture room; the remaining time is spent on doing exercises in the office, periodically assisted by the teacher. Time not occupied by courses is usually spent on project work: reading and discussing literature, finding out how to pursue the work, writing drafts, assessments from and discussions with the supervisor, and finally producing the project report in LaTeX (sometimes until late in the evening!) And of course, lots of other things can happen in the office!

Equipment

The university, its staff and the students have updated computer equipment at their disposal. There is more than adequate service from a technician if necessary, and for all other sorts of instances, from a team of friendly and efficient secretaries.

Supervision

Every student group gets assigned a project supervisor coaching the group throughout a term. The supervisor discusses the research topic with the group and reads and comments draft papers on a regular basis. Group and supervisor meet at regular intervals to discuss the progress of the work and all relevant questions. As soon as one or more students in a class are from abroad, teaching is carried out in English.

Teaching period

Odd-numbered semesters: Courses and project work: September 1st December. Exams: January
Even-numbered semesters: Courses and project work: February 1st May. Exams: June

Please make sure you send your application form and further documentation via post to the International Office by the required deadline.Furthermore please note the official language requirements for international students applying to Aalborg University. You must complete and pass one of the following:IELTS (academic test): 6.5TOEFL (paper-based): 550TOEFL (computer-based): 230TOEFL (internet-based): 80Cambridge ESOL: C1Applications will be dealt on an individual basis by the programme coordinator. For admission to the semesters, you will need documentation of a progressive range of skills:3rd semester, MATH3: Calculus, Linear Algebra4th semester MATH4: Algebra, Mathematical Analysis5th semester, MATH5: Probability Theory6th - 8th semester, MAT6, MATH7, MATH8:A complete MSc requires a combination with another subject, most often within the natural sciences area, or a specific one-year programme in Applied Mathematics organized in collaboration with one of the engineering or economics educations at Aalborg University. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 TOEFL paper-based test score : 550 TOEFL iBT® test: 80