Learn more about Master's programme in Mathematics and Operations Research. Watch the Webinar recording where programme representatives and students tell more about the studies, career possibilities and answer some other questions you might have.
It is hard to think of another field with such a predictive capability and problem-solving power as mathematics. Climate action, sustainable energy transition management, and resilience to pandemics are timely examples of application areas which can be addressed with systematic problem structuring and mathematical modelling. The Master's Programme in Mathematics and Operations Research educates top mathematical thinkers with strong analytical and logical reasoning skills. The demand for experts with these mathematical and problem-solving skills continues to grow rapidly in many areas of society, offering graduates a large variety of career opportunities in companies, research institutes, and universities.
Mathematics and Operations Research graduates will have:
Aalto University’s tuition fee for master’s programmes taught in English is 15 000 euros per academic year. Tuition fees apply to citizens of countries other than those of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
Aalto University has a scholarship programme to support non-EU/EEA citizens who study in a fee-charging degree programme. The scholarship may cover 100% or 50% of the tuition fee.
More information on tuition fees and scholarships at Aalto University is available at the Scholarships and Tuition Fees webpage.
Master’s Programme in Mathematics and Operations Research comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits. The two-year programme consists of:
The studies are flexible and can be completed at the student's own convenience. Basic core courses provide a strong foundation before further study in specific sub-areas. By selecting modules that fit with the student’s particular interests, the student will develop a wide palette of skills and creativity to tackle problems of significant importance. The programme has three majors: Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Systems and Operations Research. The major is chosenupon entering the programme. In addition to the major, students may select a minor from any discipline that suits their preferences.
Mathematicsembraces mathematical thinking and educates students on how mathematical theories are constructed and how mathematical problems are formulated and solved. Education is research-oriented with all courses taught by mathematicians who lead active research projects related to the course topics.
This major is well suited for students who plan to become researchers or university teachers in mathematics or related sciences. A master’s degree in mathematics also provides the student with a broad range of skills in problem solving, logical reasoning and flexible thinking, which are attributes valued throughout society. The covered mathematical areas include abstract and commutative algebra, algebraic geometry, complex analysis, differential geometry, graph theory, mathematical physics, partial differential equations, probability theory, and real analysis. A high proportion of students majoring in mathematics will continue their studies to a doctoral degree.
Applied Mathematics is designed for students who are interested in applying mathematical sciences to other disciplines and learning to connect mathematical models and theories to real-world data via advanced statistical methods. It is based on a solid mathematical core that gives the student a broad set of skills in computational methods, statistics, and optimisation needed for working on challenging mathematical problems. The major also includes an elective part that provides flexibility to focus on a master's thesis project in a chosen area of interest. A high proportion of students majoring in applied mathematics will continue their studies to a doctoral degree.
The importance of mathematical and statistical techniques is increasing in science and engineering as new fields employing sophisticated mathematical models are constantly emerging. The driving forces for such development are the ever-increasing computational resources, which should be used wisely and to their full power. This requires educating mathematicians who are able to interact and collaborate with experts in application areas. The major in Applied Mathematics responds to this need.
The Systems and Operations Research major educates experts who master quantitative methods and can tackle decision problems in the planning and management of complex systems. Core topics in the major are optimisation, statistics, forecasting, dynamic systems, simulation, and decision and risk analysis. The major includes hands-on laboratory assignments exercises and team-based projects assignments on real problems posed by external organisations.
Overall, the major is founded on a balanced engineering-economic approach which builds on structured problem solving, systems thinking, and mathematical modeling. This approach allows operations research (OR) professionals to optimise the use of limited resources, to improve the efficiency of production and services, and to support decisions in recognition of risks and multiple objectives.
Examples of possible topics covered in the programme include:
More information on the programme content and curriculum can be found in the Student guide. There may be some changes to the courses for the academic years 2024–2026 — the new curricula will be published in April 2024, when they will also be visible in the Student guide.
The Master’s Programme in Mathematics and Operations Research is international by definition. Education is acknowledged globally and – as mathematics is a universal language – graduates can take their skills to any country in the world. The Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis that offers the programme co-operates closely with high-quality international universities, research institutes and companies in the field.
Aalto University is international by nature, welcoming thousands of degree and exchange students from abroad every year. These students join the diverse Aalto community not only through their studies, but also through multiple free time events, celebrations and extracurricular activities around the campus. Active tutoring programs and support services work hard to help international students integrate to the Nordic culture and feel at home in Finland.
The programme qualifies for doctoral studies (Doctor of Science in an applicable field).
Mathematics and operations research are among the fastest growing fields in which the demand for highly skilled experts continues to increase rapidly. Throughout the programme, students get a good grasp of their strengths and career aspirations by participating in various projects together with research teams, companies, and organisations.
The Master's Programme in Mathematics and Operations Research has a strong reputation in educating top-level experts with strong analytical skills and the ability to think two steps ahead. Such skills are in high demand in various specialist and management positions in the industry and the public sector, and thus students can use their expertise in a number of ways after graduation. Examples of career paths our graduates have taken include:
Many of our recent graduates choose to pursue doctoral studies at Aalto University or at another top-ranking school for science.
Aalto University has well-established career services to support students’ employment in Finland and abroad. Thanks to the flexible curriculum, many Aalto students work already during their studies and guarantee themselves entry positions before graduation. There is also a very active entrepreneurship community at Aalto, working as a springboard for founding a company.
School of Science Master's graduates are highly successful in finding jobs corresponding to their education. On this page you can find information on job titles, job sectors and career development of our graduates.
The studies in the programme are research-oriented and closely related to the research conducted at the Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis.
Aalto University embraces collaboration, creativity, and the sharing of knowledge, and thus the Master’s Programme in Mathematics and Operations Research strongly fosters cross-departmental interaction. The primary focus of the programme is on teaching the universal language of science. Students learn to apply mathematical models and theories, advanced statistical methods, and computational optimisation skills to any discipline where such knowledge is needed. Some of the cutting-edge topics revolve around climate action, sustainable energy transition, modelling of pandemics, large-scale inverse problems in medical imaging, privacy-enabled cloud computing, unsupervised statistical learning, and network analytics for next-generation AI solutions.
Aalto University is well-known for bridging disciplines of business, arts, technology and science. The lively campus and freedom of choosing elective courses across the University bring students from different fields under one roof. This spontaneous multidisciplinary environment sparks new ideas, gathers enthusiasts around them and gives birth to friendships, networks, and every so often, startups.
Mathematics and Operations Research applicants meeting the general eligibility criteria for master's studies are evaluated according to the below Evaluation criteria. The evaluation process is described under Applicant evaluation process. In addition to the obligatory application documents, this study option asks the applicants to submit also the documents listed under Requested documents.
The applications to Mathematics and Operations Research are evaluated based on the following criteria:
| What is evaluated? | Grades of the previous degree(s), and possible other university studies, pace of studies |
| What we look for in an applicant? | The applicant’s study success will be evaluated based on the grade point average (GPA) and results in key courses. Excellent previous academic performance is expected. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
| What is evaluated? | Contents and scope of previous studies |
| What we look for in an applicant? |
Applicants are expected to have a relevant Bachelor’s degree that contains solid mathematical foundation in differential and integral calculus, linear algebra, and probability and statistics. The contents of the applicant’s previous degree(s) are evaluated based on the courses available on the official transcript of records and the course descriptions submitted. Relevant professional certificates and/or online courses are judged case-by-case, but they do not, in general, compensate for the university level studies that include also the theoretical foundations of the required subjects. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
| What is evaluated? | Applicant’s further applicability to the study option, motivation, commitment for studies, and professional written communication skills |
| What we look for in an applicant? |
Applicant’s motivation and commitment for studies is evaluated based on the motivation letter. Studies in the Master’s programme should provide genuinely new knowledge for the applicant. If the applicant already has a Master’s degree (in any subject) or is studying towards one, the motivation letter must clearly address the additional benefits that he or she seeks to gain by studying in the Master’s Programme in Mathematics and Operations Research. We may not consider for further evaluation applicants that already have a master’s degree in mathematics, operations research, or overlapping previous studies in the field. To be considered for acceptance in the programme, the additional benefits must be indisputably substantial. In most cases, non-degree studies are recommended to complement a previous Master’s degree. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Motivation letter |
| What is evaluated? | Recognition and quality of the applicant's previous institution |
| What we look for in an applicant? | The recognition of the applicant’s home university affects the final interpretation of the academic performance. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | International and national rankings of higher education institutions |
| What is evaluated? | Other acquired knowledge/achievements e.g. publications, non-formal education, competitions |
| What we look for in an applicant? |
Applicants will benefit of the following:
|
| Method of demonstrating competence | Curriculum vitae (CV), letters of recommendation, publications, recognitions and awards |
During the evaluation of eligible applications, applications to Mathematics and Operations Research are first evaluated based on the following criteria:
Only the applications who fulfill the requirements for these criteria will be evaluated against the full set of evaluation criteria.
After the evaluation of the remaining criteria below, the best applicants will be selected based on the joint evaluation of all criteria.
The admission process is very competitive and only the best applicants are selected yearly. Not all applicants fulfilling the requirements can be admitted.
In addition to obligatory application documents, applicants to Mathematics and Operations Research are requested to provide the following programme-specific documents.
*) The lack of these documents will adversely affect the evaluation of your application.
Are you wondering what it is like to study at Aalto? Come chat with our students about all things Aalto on Unibuddy chat platform.
A fascinating course offering, the opportunity for paid summer internships, and high-quality education. Aalto University’s Mathematics and Operations Research programme was the right choice for Matilde Costa, who has a passion for algebra and number theory.
Our main research areas are algebra and discrete mathematics, analysis, applied mathematics and mechanics, stochastics and statistics, and systems analysis and operations research.
The Guild of Physics is the association for the Engineering Physics and Mathematics students at the Aalto University, although everyone else is welcome too. The Guild was founded in 1947 and currently has about 550 members.
Do you want to study in the Nordics in Finland? At Aalto University science and art meet technology and business. We believe in the power of curiosity and encourage our students to explore the unknown as well as to learn and do things in a whole new way.
Finland’s excellent reputation in education, combined with a wide range of courses offered in English, makes Finland and Aalto University an attractive study destination for international students.
Learning Services of Aalto University School of Science
For enquiries regarding the programme-specific application documents or studies in the programme, please contact Learning Services of Aalto University School of Science
Admission Services
For enquiries regarding the application process, obligatory application documents or English language proficiency, please contact Admission Services