Program Overview

Master's in Applied Mathematics

The Master's in Applied Mathematics is a two-year program that consists of 120 EC. The program is divided into two years, with the first year focusing on compulsory courses, specialisation courses, and elective courses.

Contents of Year 1

The first year of the program consists of:

• Compulsory courses for the Master's in AM: 17 EC
  • Continuous Optimization
  • Scientific Computing
  • Pioneers of Applied Mathematics
• Specialisation courses: 15 EC
  • Students choose at least three out of eight advanced courses of the specialisation in Operations Research
  • Course options include:
    • Discrete Optimization
    • Game Theory
    • Mixed-Integer Optimization
    • Measure and Probability
    • Markov Decision Theory
    • Stochastic Processes
    • Queueing Theory
    • Applied Queueing Models
• Elective courses: 28 EC
  • Students fill up the rest of their first year with elective courses
  • Course options include:
    • Complex Networks
    • Limits to Computing
    • Scheduling
    • Information Theory and Statistics
    • Spatial Statistics
• Total EC first year: 60 EC

Contents of Year 2

The second year of the program consists of:

• Internship: 20 EC
  • Students do an internship preparing them for the professional field
• Master's thesis: 40 EC
  • Students join a research group to complete their master's thesis
• Total EC of second year: 60 EC

Internship

In the second year of the Master's in Applied Mathematics, students do an internship at a company that focuses on mathematical applications in real-world problems. The EEMCS faculty at the University of Twente has connections with numerous research institutes and industry-leading organisations where students can do their internship. Examples of internships previous students have done include:

• Improving the surgery schedule in Medisch Spectrum Twente using Stochastic Optimization
• Developing methods for helping the Central Agency for Statistics (CBS) detect collusion based on insights from reinforcement learning
• Predicting traffic flow in the Netherlands with Dat.mobility, part of Goudappel Groep
• Designing train schedules to optimise passenger punctuality with NS

Master's Thesis

Students complete their Master's by writing their master's thesis. The choice of thesis topic is largely up to the student. Students have the opportunity to contribute to high-end research at UT, and their article might even get published. As part of their master's thesis, students can undertake a research project such as:

• Optimising geriatric care capacity by modeling the transition from the hospital to geriatric care institutions as a network of queues
• Devising charging schemes for electric vehicles to cooperate with the electrical grid
• Developing Game theoretic models for the optimal deployment of security forces
• Mapping cellphone sensor data to the most likely travel trajectory and mode of travel

Career Perspectives

The Master's in Applied Mathematics provides students with a strong foundation for a career in mathematical applications. The program's focus on Operations Research and mathematical modeling prepares students for a wide range of career opportunities in industry, research, and academia.