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Entry Requirements - MSc Mathematical Modelling

The MSc in Mathematical Modelling teaches the basic concepts arising in a range of technical and scientific problems illustrating how these may be applied to provide solutions in a research context.

How To Apply

Please apply through the online prospectus for either of our MSc courses.

General Information

The Mathematics Department at UCL is an internationally renowned department which carries out excellent individual and group research applying modelling techniques to problems in industrial, biological and environmental areas; elements of these find their way into the challenging taught courses available within the Department.

Introduction

The MSc course aims to teach students the basic concepts which arise in a broad range of technical and scientific problems and illustrates how these may also be applied in a research context to provide powerful solutions. This said, the emphasis is placed on generic skills which are transferable across disciplines so that the course is a suitable foundation for anyone hoping to advance their scientific modelling skills.

The Mathematics Department at UCL is at the forefront of research and this course will allow students to experience the excitement of obtaining solutions to complex physical and other problems. Students will initially consolidate their mathematical knowledge and formulate basic concepts of modelling before moving on to case studies in which models have been developed for specific issues motivated by e.g. industrial, biological or environmental considerations.

The course will provide a unique blend of analytical and computational methods with applications at the frontiers of research. Successful students will be well placed to satisfy the growing demand for mathematical modelling in commerce and industry. The course will alternatively form a strong foundation for any student who wishes to pursue further research.

Course Structure

The course lasts for one calendar year, starting in the last week of September. The course is full time consisting of taught modules which are usually examined between the end of April and beginning of June. The course consists of 5 compulsory modules, 3 optional modules, plus an individual project. Each module corresponds to approximately 30 hours of lectures.

The majority of the compulsory modules are held in the first term from late September to mid December. The optional modules are taught mostly in the second term from early January to mid March, but it is also possible take some options that are taught in the first term. Some modules may be assessed by coursework only, some by examination only, and some by a combination of both coursework and examination. All students then embark on an individual project with submission early in September. The taught modules account for 2/3 of the final mark with the project making up 1/3. A postgraduate diploma for the taught component is available as an option for those who do not wish to take the individual summer project.

The course is equivalent to 90 ECTS, on the European Credit Transfer Scheme.

Entry Qualifications

The standard entry requirement for the masters course in Mathematical Modelling is a very good undergraduate degree (certainly more than 60%) in a numerate discipline, subject to case-by-case consideration. While a strong background in mathematics will be important, applications from students whose qualifications are in physics or other areas will also be welcomed and considered on individual merit.

All students are required to have a good knowledge of English (IELTS overall score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each subtest, TOEFL score of 237 plus 4 in essay rating). The utilisation of computers for simulation and visualisation will form a part of the course. Thus a familiarity with computers is desirable but is not essential.

Course Aims

The Masters level course in Mathematical Modelling has three main aims:- To provide an understanding of the processes undertaken to arrive at a suitable mathematical model

To teach the fundamental analytical techniques and computational methods used to develop insight into system behaviour

To introduce a range (e.g. industrial, biological and environmental) of problems, associated conceptual models and their solutions.

Compulsory modules

Advanced Modelling Mathematical Techniques, Nonlinear Systems, Operational Research Computational and Simulation Methods, Frontiers in Mathematical Modelling and its Applications

Options

The options for the mostly 2nd term courses may be individual to each student but subject to the approval of the course coordinator. A range of options will be available for students to select within the UCL Mathematics Department but students may also take courses run by other departments such as Statistics, Physics and Computer Science. A module Techniques of High Performance Computing was introduced recently by the Physics and Astronomy Department.

Some of the current UCL options likely are: Asymptotic Approximation Methods, Biomathematics, Cosmology, Evolutionary Game Theory and Population Genetics, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Mathematical Ecology, Quantitative and Computational Finance, Traffic Flow, Waves and Wave Scattering

Contact

If you have any questions, contact the staff organisers:-

Prof Gavin Esler j.g.esler AT ucl.ac.uk 

Dr Sergei Timoshin s.timoshin AT ucl.ac.uk