Master's Mathematics in Data Science
Are you happy juggling the data that social media, for instance, generates? Are you genuinely excited by procedures for gathering, preparing, and analyzing data? Do you want to apply these procedures using complex data in ecological systems? The Mathematics in Data Science Master's program at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) rigorously prepares you for working in the future-proof area of big data. As a data expert, you are sought after in research and development, the finance sector, biotechnology and logistics, the health system, insurance companies, and IT security.
Major fields of study
The main focus during the Mathematics in Data Science Master’s program is on the areas of Data Engineering, Data Analytics, Data Analysis, Machine Learning, and Data Science. Students therefore focus on techniques of data retention and data evaluation. They learn to tailor these procedures to specific problems and to combine or redevelop them, thereby deriving prediction and classification models. In addition, they deal with the development of algorithms for problem-solving purposes. Interdisciplinary courses are equally important elements of the Master’s program. These deal with the social and political implications of big data as well as conveying fundamental legal knowledge and foreign language expertise.
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Here you will find important dates, deadlines and other relevant information.
Application deadlines
If you want to start your Master's program, you should apply as early as possible. All documents necessary for admission must be uploaded via the TUM Online-System by the deadlines.
Application deadline for the winter semester: 1 January to 31 May.
Application deadline for the summer semester: 1 September to 30 November.
Registration for your exam
In order to attend an examination (written or oral exams) you have to register in TUMonline using curricula support. Observe the registration periods:
25.05. - 30.06.2023
Exceptions are possible.
Consultation hours for Master's Students
For information on consultation hours and academic advisors please refer to our new website.
Profile: The essentials for the Master's program
Full-time study
The Master’s program "Mathematics in Data Science" at the TUM is a full-time study program. The standard duration of study is four semesters.
Commencing the degree program
Students can commence the Master's program at TUM either in the winter or summer semester.
Language of instruction
"Mathematics in Data Science" can be pursued entirely in English. Some teaching sessions take place in German.
Mathematical modules
Methods and algorithms from Statistics, Machine Learning, Optimization, and the Theory of Data Representation are important mathematical elements of the Mathematics in Data Science Master's program.
Informatics
The TUM Department of Informatics offers a Master’s program in Data Engineering and Analytics. This focuses on technical and algorithmic aspects. The courses of study overlap with one another in part, such that students of each course work closely with one another.
Advanced seminar
The Advanced Seminar is one of the compulsory requirements. Please note when selecting a seminar that permission to commence the thesis is in some departments dependent upon you having successfully completed the Advanced Seminar.
Timetable
Details of all the modules that are relevant to the degree program, along with associated times and locations, are available in the department’s curriculum at TUMonline. Here you can create your own timetable and save it digitally.
Final thesis
The area in which you acquire advanced knowledge during the degree program informs your choice of topic for your Master's thesis. Read everything you need to know about the Master’s thesis here.
Professional internship
A six-week professional internship is integrated into the program. The accompanying Internship Seminar offers you the opportunity to inform yourself about suitable occupations and to discuss the experience you acquired during the internship.
Extradisciplinary competencies
You can round up your individual personal competence profile through modules out of the field of extradisciplinary competencies. Lead by your own interests you can choose out of a large offer of soft skilsl or language courses.
Semester abroad
During your Master's program, you can already spend one or two semesters abroad at one of TUM's partner universities. Important: Inform yourself in good time. The recognition of modules completed abroad is possible.
Master’s – then what?
Many of our students already get to know their future employer during their studies. TUM maintains close contact with leading corporations. Our Career Service is there to help you. Every third Master's graduate successfully completes a Doctoral Project.
Examination regulations and degree program documentation
All students must note the general information concerning examinations as well as the current program-specific Academic and Examination Regulations (FPSO). Information on the degree program's concept can be found in the degree program documentation.
Subject requirements
(Please notice that applications for the summer semester 2022, due to the amendmend of academic regulations, will presumably be subject to a modified list of modules for the "Basics of the Bachelor's degree course in Mathematics at the TUM". Further Information will be available here by the end of July 2021.)
In order to commence the Mathematics in Data Science Master’s program at TUM, a recognized university degree in Mathematics, Informatics (with a minor in Mathematics) or a comparable study program is required. Those who are interested should refer to the program-specific Examination Regulations under "Grundlagen aus dem Bachelorstudiengang Mathematik der TUM” [“Foundations for the TUM Bachelor's program in Mathematics] and to the Attachment 3, to find out which competencies must be proven in detail.
Check List
You should have acquired the following competencies before your application: Attachment 3
For questions please contact: mscapp_datascience (at) ma.tum.de
Formal requirements
Students from abroad: GRE Test or Gate Test
Applicants who acquired their university degree in Bangladesh, China, India, Iran, or Pakistan must provide proof of a sufficient pass mark in the admission test GRE (Graduate Record Examination) - Quantitative reasoning: 157, Analytical writing: 3,5. Institutional Code: 7806 Department 5199. Alternatively, students can apply using the associated score card for the Indian GATE-Test (Mathematics).
Information
You can find out if special requirements apply to your country here. For questions please contact theTUM CST: studium (at) tum.de
Language requirements
Proof of English language skills
For the "Mathematics in Data Science" Master’s program at TUM you must provide evidence of adequate knowledge of the English language. Students whose official language of instruction during their undergraduate studies was not English must demonstrate proficiency in the form of an acknowledged language test, such as
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (at least 88 points on the TOEFL iBT),
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (at least 6.5 points),
- or Cambridge Main Suite of English Examinations (advanced (CAE) or proficiency (CPE)).
If you wrote your Bachelor's thesis in English, adequate proficiency in English is deemed proven.
Check List
- A list of certificates recognized as proof of German or English language proficiency may be found here. .
- German as a foreign language for international students is offered free of charge by the TUM Language Center.
contact TUM CST: studium (at) tum.de
Application: How to get a place
Language certificates
Language tests are only offered on the appointed days and their evaluation requires some time. In any case the certificate has to be uploaded before the application deadline. Schedule enough time for that!
Preliminary Documentation (VPD)
You can apply for the preliminary documentation from uni-assist throughout the year but you have to apply before the end of TUM application period. If you have applied for a VPD but it is not yet available, you can confirm the timely competion of the application for the VPD by submitting our form instead. Yo can then submit the final VPD to study (at) tum.de as soon as you receive it.
Application period
for the winter semester: 1 January to 31 May
for the summer semester: 1 September to 30 November
All necessary documents must be uploaded by the end of the application deadline!
Enrollment deadline
You don't need to have your Bachelor's degree at the moment of your application: some documents, such as your Bachelor's certificate, can be sent up to the so called enrollment deadline. This deadline is normally about 5 weeks after the start of the corresponding semester.
Compile the necessary documents for your application as early as possible. All documents necessary for admission in a Master´s program at the Technical University of Munich must be uploaded on the platform TUMonline. A candidate account is required for this purpose. Please note that only one account is created. If you already have an applicant’s account, click underneath your visiting card on "Bewerbungen – neue Bewerbung erfassen” [Applications – create a new application]
| Documents, that have to be sent in before the application deadline | External applicants | TUM Mathematics Bachelors |
| Transcript of Records with courses equivalent to a minimum of 120 credits | ✓ | ✓ TUMOnline printout |
List of the best 120 credits with grade calculation: | ✓ | ✓ |
| Curriculum description of the underlying university degree (as a doc- or pdf-file), resp. module description | ✓ | ✓ |
| Actual Curriculum Vitae (CV) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Letter of Motivation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Proof of sufficient language skills for an English-language degree program | ✓ | ✓ |
Essay on one of three given topics
| ✓ | ✓ |
| uni-assist VPD certificate (VPD) | ✓ Only applicants outside of the EU/EWG |
| Documents, that have to be sent in within the enrollment deadline | External applicants | TUM Mathematics Bachelors |
| Signed printout of the application for enrollment (from TUMonline) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bachelor’s certificate and bachelor’s diploma or comparable qualification for admission | ✓ | If you proceed directly after your TUM Bachelor to the TUM Master your diploma will be forwarded to the Student Registration Office automatically. |
| Proof of sufficient health insurance | ✓ | |
| Passport photo | ✓ |
The electronic applicant wizard guides you step by step through the online application procedure.
All required documents for admission must be uploaded.
Important: choose "consecutive Master degree" as the form of study below the point "study programme selection".
In order to obtain a place in the Master´s program, you must follow the procedure for verification of eligibility. This takes place once every six months and is carried out by the Faculty of Mathematics. After reviewing your application documents, the board of examiners decides whether you will receive an acceptance, a rejection, or an invitation to an aptitude assessment interview.
The suitability interview, which has to be completed by only a few candidates, takes place personally in Garching or as a webconference in German or English and lasts 20 to 30 minutes. The interview focuses on the candidates' motivation and ability to apply structured working methods. The expertise acquired from undergraduate courses is also assessed.
After you have been admitted for the master's program and after you have accepted the place of study in your TUMonline account, you still have to pay the administrative fees and submit the necessary documents for enrollment. This includes amongst others the signed application for enrollment on paper as well as the certified diploma. The list of required documents can be found in your TUMonline account. Only then you'll be enrolled.
Recognition of examination and study achievements
Please find out for which modules from your Bachelor´s degree you may be able to receive credits from your Bachelor´s degree and where you have to submit the application request for their recognition.
Check List
Ruth Flechtner
Master’s thesis: From planning to submission
In order to successfully complete a Master’s program at the TUM Department of Mathematics, students must write a scientific thesis: the Master’s thesis. Everything you need to know about the Master’s thesis, from planning to submission, can be found here in overview.
Any questions?
For questions relating to the content of your Master’s thesis, please contact your thesis supervisor as defined in the General Academic and Examination Regulations (APSO) or the Student Advisory Office responsible.
Time frames
You have six months to complete your Master’s thesis. This period begins on the date of registration. You normally complete the Master’s thesis in the fourth semester of your Master’s program, after you have fulfilled all other academic and exam requirements.
Examiners and assessment
The Master’s thesis must be approved and evaluated by someone who is authorized to do so (thesis supervisor as defined in the APSO) at the TUM Department of Mathematics. (Exception: For the master's program "Mathematics in Data Science" all persons authorized as examiners in the TUM Department of Informatics can also act as a thesis supervisors.) You will find an overview of all such persons in the following list:
Registration: When and where?
It is possible to register your Master’s thesis on the 1st and 15th of each month (though not retrospectively). The completed form must be submitted in due time as a pdf or photo/scan (readable) to master (at) ma.tum.de, either by the student (examiner in CC) or by the examiner (student in CC). The signature of the examiner can be provided digitally on the document, or the consent of the examiner is made clear in the attached e-mail correspondence. It is currently not necessary to send the original forms by post. Please do not forget to provide a German and an English title for your thesis – both will appear on your transcript of records.
Registration: Which documents?
In addition to the Registration Form, you must also sign and submit the Route Card for the Diploma Supplement of the TUM Department of Mathematics. Please send the completed form as a pdf or photo/scan (readable) to master@ma.tum.de. Please also submit the route card even if no activities are supposed to be incorporated.
Note: The Diploma Supplement is an English-language supplement to the university diploma and describes the qualifications linked to the study program. Under the heading “Additional Information” in this document, you can request the incorporation of specific details of extracurricular activities completed within the framework of your degree course.
Language
The thesis can be written in the German or English language.
Formal considerations
Cover page and page 1
Here you indicate the topic of the work as well as your name and that of the supervisor. In addition, you indicate the date of submission.
Page 2
Here you make the following declaration:
“I hereby declare that this thesis is my own work and that no other sources have been used except those clearly indicated and referenced.” (Place, date, signature either on a tablet or as a scan of your original signature). If you do not wish to use a digital signature, you may alternatively submit a separate page with the declaration and your original signature at the Infopoint.
Change of title
Please write an e-mail containing the new thesis title to master(at)ma.tum.de and copy in your co-supervisor and your supervisor.
Digital submission
The Master's thesis has to be submitted digitally. Please submit the thesis as a pdf file to master (at) ma.tum.de within the deadline. If you have to hand in code or other files, please e-mail all files collected in a zip folder. Printed copies and USB sticks will no longer be accepted.
Date
Should the submission date fall on a weekend or a public holiday, submission on the subsequent workday is also possible. Theses can of course also be submitted prior to the planned submission date.
Extension
In the event that you need more time to work on your thesis, you must submit an application to master@ma.tum.de for an extension, at least seven days prior to the planned submission date. This application must have been signed by your thesis supervisor (or you have to send the consent of the supervisor in electronic form). In the event of a second extension, the Chair of the Examination Board must sign the application as well as the thesis supervisor.
LaTeX
The typesetting system LaTeX is the standard program worldwide for the compilation of theses that contain mathematical formulas. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with LaTeX as early as possible during the course of your studies. It is a good exercise to prepare sheets for seminar presentations using LaTeX.
You can find further information, templates and helpful advice on our LaTeX info page.
Thesis Templates for LaTeX
Literature
The TUM Library does not only offer outstanding access to all manner of books, newspapers, and electronic media, it also offers courses on, by way of example, bibliographical research and how to correctly cite works.
Please also note subject-specific practices when citing works.
Further seminar papers and tools specific to mathematics
For licensing and contractual reasons, some of these databases are only accessible via domains belonging to the TUM Departments of Mathematics and/or Informatics. Please address queries where applicable to your supervisor or the TUM Library:
MathSciNet – Mathematical reviews on the web
- JADE – Journal Articles Database
- ERAM – Electronic Research Archive for Mathematics
- Online database at Zentralblatt MATH
- Mathematics Education Database
English theses
The English Writing Center offers all TUM members free one-to-one advice on writing English texts and helps you to enhance your writing skills.
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