Mathematics

Study mode:On campus Study type:Full-time Languages: English
Foreign:$ 9.26 k / Year(s) Deadline: Dec 1, 2025
StudyQA ranking:5242 Duration:24 months

A master's degree in mathematical sciences is a very solid education. You develop strong analytical capabilities and become skilled at structuring, investigating and analysing information.

When you plan to take a master's degree in mathematical sciences, you need to choose a programme option in which you will specialize. We can offer specialization in:

* Algebra
* Analysis
* Topology
* Statistics
* Applied mathematics

The master's degree programme extends over 2 years, equivalent to 120 credits, including 45 credits for the master's thesis.

Each programme option requires its academic foundation, which will normally consist of four courses worth 7.5 credits each. The academic prerequisites for the different programme options are defined below. It is possible to take one or more of these courses in the bachelor's degree, enabling a gradual transition and earlier academic maturation from the bachelor's to the master's degree.

A master's degree in mathematics has a scope requirement stating that at least three courses of 7.5 credits each must be chosen outside the main profile for the master's degree. Students admitted since the autumn semester of 2008 must choose at least two mathematics courses (each worth 7.5 credits) that are outside the programme option in the master's degree, and that are at master's level. Courses outside the Department's subject areas may be included as part of the master's degree programme. These courses must then be specially approved by the Department.

Career opportunities Fields ranging from the oil industry and computing to finance and insurance need people with a solid understanding of mathematics. Because mathematics is involved in most aspects of life, if you have a background in the mathematical sciences you will be able to find work in a vast range of industries and sectors. Some students combine studies in mathematics with ICT, while others combine mathematics with economics and finance. These disciplines complement each other and the possibilities are endless. With a master's degree in mathematics, you can also choose to study further by taking a doctorate in mathematics.

Our alumni are researchers, project managers, programmers, teachers, running their own businesses, etc. You can also build on a master's degree in mathematics with a one-year programme in educational theory and practice to achieve competence as a secondary education teacher.

Programme components The degree programme for the Master of Science in Mathematics for international students at NTNU is stipulated to take two years. One year of full studies corresponds to 60 credit points, i.e., in total 120 credit points are needed. The degree consists of two parts. The programme starts with course work corresponding to 75 credit points and concludes with writing a thesis corresponding to 45 credit points.

Structure of the programme The standardized length of the master's degree programme is two years, that is, 120 credits. The programme includes the master's thesis of 45 credits, in addition to courses worth 75 credits. The courses usually last one semester (7.5 credits) with four hours of lectures per week. Depending on capacity and needs, reading courses, seminars or study groups are arranged to support work on the master's thesis.

The form of assessment for courses included in the programme description is described below each course. Assessment may consist of an examination (oral or in writing), midterm tests, exercises and/or project work.

When the master's thesis has been submitted and all course examinations to be included in the master's degree programme have been taken and passed, the candidate must deliver a final oral presentation (see Section 23 of the Supplementary Regulations for Science Programmes). The candidate delivers an oral public presentation of the master's thesis lasting approximately 30 minutes. After the presentation, the master's thesis is assessed and graded.

There are five programme options in the master's programme: Algebra, Analysis, Topology, Applied Mathematics and Statistics. Both pure and applied specializations are offered in all the programme options. The various programme options and the specializations each have their own academic content. Common to all the specializations is a depth requirement and a breadth (scope) requirement.

The depth requirement applies to the master's and bachelor's degree programme as a whole. Four courses in the programme option are required, of 7.5 credits each. These are specified for each specialization in 3.10.5. The courses must be at master's level (that is, second-degree courses; in addition, the course TMA4145 may be included in the master's degree programme). It is possible, and often desirable, to take one or more of the courses for the depth requirement in the bachelor's degree programme.

The scope requirement applies specifically to the master's degree programme, and is as follows: at least two mathematical courses (each of 7.5 credits) must be selected outside the programme option in the master's degree programme, and must be at master's level. In addition to these two courses, the Experts in Teamwork course (7.5 credits) is required and must be taken during the first year of study.

You select the other courses from those offered by the Department (provided that they are at master's level), including courses for the technology programme and PhD courses in mathematics. Courses outside the Department's subject areas may be included as part of the master's degree programme. These courses must then be specially approved by the Faculty. Students should contact the Faculty at an early stage to set up their individual education plan.

Courses for which examinations have been taken before admission to the master's degree programme can be incorporated in the master's degree only by application to the Faculty.

All students must earn at least 30 credits from the courses, including courses taken during bachelor's degree:

* MA3201 Rings and Modules
* MA3202 Galois Theory
* TMA4145 Linear Methods
* TMA4225 Foundations of Analysis
* TMA4190 Manifolds
* MA4302 Analysis on Manifolds
* TMA4195 Mathematical Modelling
* TMA4212 Numerical Solution of Differential Equations by Difference Methods
* TMA4295 Statistical Inference
* TMA4300 Computer-Intensive Statistical Methods

To be admitted to a master's programme that is based on a first degree, you need to fulfil the following requirements: * have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent * have a passing grade in courses corresponding to 80 credits in the subject area of the relevant master's degree, as specified in the curriculum for the relevant master's programme (see next section) * have fulfilled the other requirements for admission, as specified in the programme description for the master's programme. Special rules for admission to the mathematical sciences The general rules for admission to the master's programme are described above. The special prerequisites for admission to the master's degree programme in mathematical sciences are described below. There is one common admission system for the programme options in the master's programme.To be admitted to the master's degree programme, both internal and external applicants must meet the following requirements: * have obtained a bachelor's degree, cand.mag. degree or equivalent education. * satisfy the requirements for the main profile/specialization (at least 80 credits in mathematical sciences) where courses corresponding to the following must be included: MA1101 Basic Calculus I (7.5 credits), MA1102 Basic Calculus II (7.5 credits), MA1103 Vector Calculus (7.5 credits), MA1201 Linear Algebra and Geometry (7.5 credits), MA1202 Linear Algebra with Applications (7.5 credits)For the specializations algebra, analysis and topology, the following courses must also be included: MA2105 Complex Function Theory with Differential Equations (7.5 credits) or equivalent, for example, TMA4120 Calculus 4K, MA2201 Algebra (7.5 credits), as well as 2 courses in pure mathematics, of which at least one is at an advanced level.For the specialization Applied Mathematics, the following courses must also be included: MA2105 Complex Function Theory with Differential Equations (7.5 credits) or equivalent, for example, TMA4120 Calculus 4K. MA2501 Numerical Methods or TMA4215 Numerical Mathematics (the latter is an advantage for this specialization). For this specialization, some background in physics and informatics (programming) may be an advantage.For the Statistics specialization, at least 30 credits must be statistics courses, which must include the following courses: ST1101 Probability and Statistics, ST1201 Statistical Methods, as well as at least one of the courses: TMA4267 Linear Statistical Models, TMA4265 Stochastic Processes or another statistics course at the equivalent level. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5


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NTNU charges no tuition fees, but regulations from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration state that all international students who are not citizens of EU/EEA/EFTA countries must document that they have enough money to live in Norway. For the 2017 intake this amount is NOK 103 950. Successful applicants who are given an offer of admission will later be asked to transfer this amount to NTNU's deposit account. 

NTNU offers no scholarships. 

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