MATHEMATICS

OBJECTIVES

Providing advanced mathematical training either to prepare students to initiate an international career in scientific investigation or to explore professional activities that require mathematical expertise.

In addition to preparing students for research, the course also opens the following optional paths: attending a third cycle (doctoral) degree in mathematics; entering in the job market with a highly appropriate level of specialization. The degree covers both fundamental and specialized topics, providing preparation of both the theoretical and applied natures. The wide range of modules to choose from allows learners to cover both fundamental and specialized topics. Students may also enrol in curricular modules from other FCUP master’s programmes as a complement to their training.

This is a highly international degree due to the existence of protocols with other universities and the participation of this programme in a European network. This experience is essential nowadays, due to the ever-increasing globalization of the labour market, compounded by the high levels of competition in both the academic and business sectors.

TARGET STUDENTS:
This second cycle degree is intended primarily for those who have graduated from first cycle mathematics degrees, or those from other fields with a thorough grounding in maths. It is a constant concern of the department to maintain a course structure which offers the possibility of success to those candidates coming from other first cycle degrees.

FIELD SPECIALIZATION

The Master has one specialization, beyond a generic route.

• Statistics and Probability

STRUCTURE

The cycle of studies leading to the Master’s degree in Mathematics is composed by:

• a Specialization course, corresponding to an organized set of curricular units, corresponding to 75 credits. It confers a Specialization course in Mathematics or Statistics and Probability, according to the chosen path;
• a scientific dissertation, or a Project, original and specifically made for this purpose, whose public defense may award the degree of Master in Mathematics or Master’s in Mathematics – Specialization in Statistics and Probability.

CURRICULAR PLAN

Click here to view the complete version of the latest curricular plan.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Holders of a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics or another scientific area with a strong background in mathematics.
• Holders of a foreign higher academic degree that is recognized as meeting the objectives of the Mathematics degree.
• Holders of an academic, scientific or professional curriculum that is recognized as attesting to the capacity to carry out this Master by the statutorily competent scientific body (according to the regulation of the Master’s of UP).

SELECTION CRITERIA

The candidates will be divided into three groups, according to their training, and with the priority mentioned below.

Candidates who have a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics or another scientific area with a strong background in Mathematics, will be placed first.

Placing will be done according to the following criteria and subcriteria:

• Criterion 1: Academic Curriculum Vitae: (95%)
  • Sub-criterion 1 – Training area and degree (80%);
  • Sub-criterion 2 – Published scientific papers (15%);
  • Sub-criterion 3 – Merit or other awards (5%)
• Criterion 2: Professional experience in the teaching of curricular units of Mathematics (5%)

Candidates who do not yet hold a Bachelor’s degree and/or have an academic, scientific or professional curriculum that is recognized as attesting to the ability to carry out this Master by the statutory scientific body, will be serialized according to the criteria and sub-criteria indicated above, but replacing the final grade point average by the weighted average of the curricular units performed.

Remarks:

• In cases where the Scientific Committee understands, the Candidate may be interviewed. In this case, the weighting to be awarded will be: CV (70%) + interview (30%). In the CV evaluation, the rules that are explicit in Criterion 1 apply.

Tiebreaker:

• Final classification of the degree.