About the programme

Master a scientific language which can be used for problem solving in many branches of society. The programme gives you plenty of academic freedom. You can choose from a variety of courses, for example within algebra, analysis, geometry, topology, or the didactics of mathematics. Thus, you can design a course of study that matches your preferred career track. You can also study mathematics with a minor subject.

Admission and application

To apply for admission to this master's degree programme, you must have completed, or expect to complete, a qualifying bachelor’s degree or a similar Danish or international degree programme which is assessed to be relevant. Apply for admission via the application portal.

Below, you can read more about admission requirements and which documents to upload in the application portal. 

Academic admission requirements

Here you'll find the different academic requirements depending on which qualifying degree you hold.

With a Bachelor's degree in

  • Mathematics (matematik) from University of Copenhagen

you are granted legal right of admission and guaranteed a place on the Master’s programme in Mathematics if you apply in time to begin within 3 years of the completion of your Bachelor’s degree.

Learn about when and how to apply

You meet all academic requirements if you hold one of the degrees listed below. Learn about when and how to apply. Note, however, that you still need to document that you meet the programme's language requirements.

From University of Copenhagen

  • Mathematics (matematik) (note, that if you apply in time to begin within 3 years of the completion of your Bachelor’s degree, you have legal right of admission to the Master's programme)

From Aarhus University

  • Mathematics with the BSc elective subject course package (studieretning) in Mathematics

From Aalborg University

  • Mathematics (etfagsuddannelse)

Check which master’s programmes at UCPH your bachelor programme is pre-approved for admission - only available in Danish

If you have a Bachelor’s degree other than those listed above, you must submit additional documentation along with your application so we can evaluate whether or not you meet the admission requirements. Learn about when and how to apply.

If you have a Bachelor’s degree, Professional Bachelor's degree or equivalent from Danish or international universities you are qualified for admission if your programme includes the following:

  • Subject elements in mathematical analysis - at least 30 ECTS credits
  • Subject elements in linear algebra and algebra - at least 22.5 ECTS credits
  • Subject elements in geometry and topology - at least 15 ECTS credits

If you have a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Science and IT from University of Copenhagen you are qualified for admission if your programme includes the following:

  • A specialisation in Mathematics as well as the MSc admission course package in Mathematics.

If you have a Bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Mathematics or Mathematics-Economics from University of Copenhagen you are qualified for admission if your programme includes the following:

  • Subject elements in algebra - at least 15 ECTS credits
  • Subject elements in geometry and topology - at least 15 ECTS credits

We may also admit applicants who, after an individual academic assessment, are deemed to possess educational qualifications equivalent to those required above.

Qualifying degree and other courses/projects

When we assess whether you meet the admission requirements for the Master's degree program, Danish legislation only allows us to assess your Bachelor's degree. Consequently, you cannot study supplementary courses between Bachelor's and Master's degree programs in order to meet the admission requirements.

If you have passed courses/projects before you complete the qualifying Bachelor's degree, these can be included in the assessment, even though they are not part of the Bachelor's degree program.

  • It applies to courses/projects you have taken as single subjects and courses/projects you have taken as part of another study program.
  • A maximum of 30 ECTS credits of these courses/projects may be included.

International Bachelor’s degree

You can only get an answer to whether or not your degree meets the admission requirement by applying for admission to the MSc Programme. Only the admission committee can evaluate whether you are qualified or not and they only do this once they have received your application.

Bachelor’s degree from Denmark

You are entitled to 1 pre-assessment for 1 study programme, where, based on an assessment of the documentation you have submitted, we will inform you whether you meet the admission requirements.

This is a service offered by SCIENCE, but it is not a service you have to make use of in order for you to apply for admission.

Read about pre-assessment

Language requirements

Unless you have a legal right of admission to the programme you are applying for, you are required to document proficiency in English.

See language requirements

Application deadlines

Study start in September

1 March at 23:59

Application deadline for Danish applicants and applicants from within the EU, EEA and Switzerland.
Open for applications from 16 January. You will receive a reply by 10 June.

15 January at 23:59

Application deadline for applicants from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.
Open for applications from 15 November. You will receive a reply by 1 May.

Study start in February (legal right of admission only)

15 October at 23:59

Application deadline for Danish applicants and applicants from within the EU, EEA and Switzerland.
Open for applications from 15 August. You will receive a reply by 10 December.

1 September at 23:59

Application deadline for applicants from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.
Open for applications from 1 July. You will receive a reply by 1 December. 

How to apply

Choose the category below that fits you and read more about how to apply for admission. You will also find information about application deadlines and documentation on the websites.

Citizen in a country outside EU, EEA or Switzerland

Bachelor’s degree from Denmark

International bachelor’s degree

Prioritisation of applicants

If the number of qualified applicants to the programme exceeds the number of places available, applicants will be prioritised according to the following criteria:

  • Total number of ECTS credits within mathematics

Limitation on second degrees

If you have already completed a Master's degree, please check out the rules concerning a second degree.

Admission statistics Mathematics 2023
Admitted 36
Admission distribution (legal right/other) 61% / 39%
Applicants 116
Age average 25
Legal gender distribution (cpr. - m/f) 75% / 25%
Nationality (dk/international) 56% / 44%
Available spots No

Programme structure

You can choose from a wide variety of restricted elective and elective courses to design a programme of your interests. Mathematics has many disciplines: Algebra, analysis, geometry, topology, etc. It also includes application-oriented disciplines such as mathematical physics, probability theory and optimisation, as well as cultural disciplines like the history of mathematics and the didactics of mathematics.

Although these disciplines are studied independently, it is remarkable how closely related they are when you take a closer look. Mathematics as a whole can be approached in many ways.

You can also study mathematics with a minor subject.

Do a Project in Practice or Study Abroad

You can use some of your elective courses to do a Project in Practice in collaboration with a company or an organisation. You can also choose to study abroad as part of your programme. Read more here:

Master's Thesis

Your studies will conclude with a thesis project in which you work in more detail within one of the themes that you focused on in your course of study. Often the thesis will be written in association with one of the Department's research teams, where you have access to both a supervisor and the entire team's knowledge and involvement. In other cases, you might instead be investigating something entirely new.

In recent years, solutions have been found to profound problems that have existed for hundreds of years or more (Poincaré's conjecture and Fermat's last theorem), and the enthusiasm that accompanies these new breakthroughs has led to many thesis topics.

Examples of thesis topics:

  • Algebra and the theory of numbers
  • Geometric analysis and mathematical physics
  • Noncommutative geometry
  • Topology
  • Didactics of mathematics

Programme Overview

The programme can be structured in two ways, depending on, whether you start your studies in September or February:

Course table, Study Start in September

Restricted elective courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 30 ECTS
Thesis: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS. The table is primarily for guidance and may be subject to revision.

Year 1

Block 1Block 2Block 3Block 4
Restricted elective courseRestricted elective courseRestricted elective courseRestricted elective course
Restricted elective courseRestricted elective courseRestricted elective courseRestricted elective course

Year 2

Block 1Block 2Block 3Block 4
Elective courseElective courseThesis
Elective courseElective course

Course table, Study Start in February

Study start in February is only for students with legal right of admission to the programme. Read about legal right of admission here >>

Restricted elective courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 30 ECTS
Thesis: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS. The table is primarily for guidance and may be subject to revision.

Year 1

Block 3
 
Block 4
 
Block 1
 
Block 2
 
Restricted elective courseRestricted elective courseRestricted elective courseRestricted elective course
Restricted elective courseRestricted elective courseRestricted elective courseRestricted elective course

Year 2

Block 3
 
Block 4
 
Block 1
 
Block 2
 
Elective courseElective courseThesis
Elective courseElective course

Restricted Elective Courses

Choose your restricted elective courses from the lists below. Click on each course for a detailed description.

You are obliged to choose courses worth 30 ECTS from this list:

You are obliged to choose courses worth 30 ECTS from this list:

* The course is not offered in the academic year 2025/2026.

Please note: The MSc in Mathematics with a minor subject is only for applicants with a Danish Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics including the required courses from the minor subject. The minor subject consists of courses taught in Danish, where the first part is compulsory in the Bachelor’s degree, and the remaining is part of the MSc.

Programme overview

You can study mathematics with a minor subject if you want to acquire the competences to teach or disseminate both subjects. This enables you to teach in Danish upper secondary schools and at university colleges. You will also be qualified to find work in the private and public sector e.g., in jobs that require your knowledge within two academic fields. Furthermore, you have the prerequisites for further studies e.g., a PhD programme.

The programme can be structured in different ways depending on whether your minor subject is within or outside the field of science, and whether you start in September or February. Below, you will find examples of course tables showing the study structure if you start in September or February with a minor subject within the field of science. 

See the full programme overview, description of the admission requirements, as well as the knowledge, competences, and skills you obtain in the curriculum for Mathematics with a Minor Subject.

Example 1: Study Start September, Minor Subject Within the Field of Science

Restricted elective courses: 45 ECTS
Minor subject: 45 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS. The table is primarily for guidance and may be subject to revision.

Year 1

Block 1Block 2Block 3Block 4
Minor subjectMinor subjectRestricted elective courseRestricted elective course
Minor subjectMinor subjectMinor subjectMinor subject

Year 2

Block 1Block 2Block 3Block 4
Restricted elective courseRestricted elective courseThesis
Restricted elective courseRestricted elective course

Example 2: Study start February, Minor Subject Within the Field of Science

Study start in February is only for students with legal right of admission to the programme. Read about legal right of admission here >>.

Restricted elective courses: 45 ECTS
Minor subject: 45 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS. The table is primarily for guidance and may be subject to revision.

Year 1

Block 3
 
Block 4
 
Block 1
 
Block 2
 
Minor subjectMinor subjectRestricted elective courseRestricted elective course
Minor subjectMinor subjectRestricted elective courseRestricted elective course

Year 2

Block 3
 
Block 4
 
Block 1
 
Block 2
 
Restricted elective courseRestricted elective courseThesis
Minor subjectMinor subject

Restricted Elective Courses

Choose your restricted elective courses from the lists below. Click on each course for a detailed description.

You are obliged to choose courses worth 30 ECTS from this list:

You are obliged to choose courses worth 15 ECTS from this list:

* The course is not offered in the academic year 2025/2026.

Curriculum

Please note: The programme curriculum is for the current academic year. A revised curriculum for the coming academic year will follow.

Video: Josef-Nam and Pia talk about the study programme in Mathematics

Career opportunities

Mathematics is an exact science, and a mathematical theorem is not accepted until a stringent proof has been produced for it. Acquiring the requisite precision is demanding, and continual practice is necessary.

Before a mathematician can produce a stringent proof, he or she must undergo a creative process in order to achieve an understanding of what the theorem is about and how it can be proved. At this stage, the mathematician draws especially on imagination and experience.

In some cases, computers can also be used to develop ideas about what is right or wrong, but only in rare cases can they be used to prove a theorem.

Mathematics is also communication. Mathematicians talk about things outside the experience of daily life, and a strong talent for storytelling is needed to make it comprehensible. Presentation is a high priority among mathematicians, and a key aspect of the programme.

Competence Description

A graduate in mathematics will be able to:

  • Conduct independent, stringent argumentation
  • Structure a study of open mathematical issues
  • Define mathematical disciplines in relation to each other, but also to take advantage of interdisciplinary skills.
  • Independently take responsibility for his or her own professional development and specialisation.

A graduate in mathematics will also have acquired the skills to:

  • Read and understand original mathematical literature
  • Convey and communicate mathematical issues and problems on a scientific basis
  • Explain, orally and in writing, mathematical studies of open issues.

Employment

MSc graduates in mathematics have many different job opportunities, and there is basically no unemployment. Many graduates find employment in the private sector, where they either work specifically with applying mathematics to specialised problems, for instance within economics or telecommunications, or act as "trouble shooters" in a broader sense.

When we ask employers why they hire our graduates, they often emphasise the mathematician's abilities to see patterns in problems that often arise and to solve them once and for all.

There is also a high demand for mathematics teachers in upper secondary education and other post compulsory education programmes. Moreover, there is the opportunity to continue conducting research in mathematics after earning a PhD.

Student life

High quality education in English, a flexible study structure, excellent facilities, an international study environment, attractive and green campus areas, and the opportunity to experience life in Copenhagen, the cool capital of Denmark. These are some of the qualities about studying at Faculty of Science (SCIENCE) at University of Copenhagen that you can expect.

Throughout the year, various social activities are arranged for all SCIENCE students and for international students specifically. These activities include:

  • Introduction Days for new students 
  • A welcome programme for international students
  • International dinners, courses, and lectures
  • Sports activities such as fun runs or bicycle races
  • Career workshops

Students live in residence halls outside campus or share a flat in the Copenhagen area. You will find that the relatively small size of Copenhagen makes it easy to get around, even by bike.

Where Will I be Studying?

The Mathematics programme is primarily based at North Campus.

The University’s North Campus is centrally located. It is home to scientific, pharmaceutical and health science research, and neighbour to the Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Metropolitan University College, and Fælledparken.

Many exciting building activities are going on at the campus areas at the moment, including the construction of a new Natural History Museum and the Niels Bohr Building. Furthermore, North Campus is part of a coherent district of science, health and interdisciplinarity – Innovation District Copenhagen – which is being developed these years.

You can read more about campus life at the university here:

Here you will find some useful links and videos about student life and housing in Copenhagen, and the welcome programme for international students at Faculty of Science.

Video: Study Science at University of Copenhagen

Meet Elizabeth and Alex who study at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. See what it is like to live and study in Denmark.

Video: SCIENCE Welcome Programme

The SCIENCE Welcome Programme is a great way for international students to be introduced to the Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen.

Testimonial

Read interviews with students and graduates from the Master of Science programme (MSc) in Mathematics:

Bo holds both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Mathematics. “The programme is called mathematics, just like in upper secondary school, but it’s very different. Our strength is that we are problem solvers: When presented with a problem, we quickly get to grips with it and find a way to solve it.”

Why did you choose to study mathematics?

After upper secondary school, I wanted to continue studying. I considered many other degree programmes, including Nanotechnology and Physics, but Mathematics seemed to be the most exciting. I like the theoretical element.

What does the programme involve?

Compared to mathematics in upper secondary school, university mathematics is far more abstract. It’s like being given a lot of imaginary tools and then being told: Solve this problem! And how do you do that? It takes time, a lot of thought and a creative approach. It’s an exercise in saying ‘if this is true and this is true, then this must also be true’.

Pure mathematics is basic research, so you can’t say exactly where you will be able to use the conclusions you reach. One of the interesting aspects is the theoretical conclusions that have turned out to be useful in areas like quantum mechanics. We test whether the theories work – afterwards there are other people who can make use of what we worked out.

Can you make it more concrete?

It’s difficult, because the discipline is very abstract. However, in my bachelor project I did operational analysis in cooperation with SAS, which is relatively tangible.

I looked at ways to optimise SAS’ earnings by analysing a lot of statistical data on the destinations served by the company, the staff required, and the collective agreements concluded with the trade unions.

This resulted in a huge system of variables and conditions that could be used for calculations. Computers are normally used for such calculations, but it can take weeks even for a computer to tackle such complexity.

There’s often not time to wait so long, as the assumptions underlying the calculations may change, e.g. in the event of illness or an aircraft accident. The factors included in the calculation therefore need evaluating, and you have to decide which are the least important ones and which can be relaxed, in order to get a near-optimal calculation in just a few hours.

What was your thesis about?

It was on the Lindelöf hypothesis. It looks at how a complex function behaves within a specific delimited area.

It’s a good example of a case where ‘if one thing is true, the other must also be true’. If one of the major mathematical conjectures – the Reimann hypothesis – is one day proven, several results in my thesis will directly follow. (Un)fortunately this did not happen before I submitted it.

Why do you find abstract mathematics so interesting?

At times during my studies I felt that the course was perhaps too theoretical, and that I should have done Mathematics-Economics instead. But what you learn is how to use a mathematical language that is absolutely correct. When we think of mathematics, we generally think that there is always a single correct answer, and this is still true when you move to higher levels of abstraction. Everything is clinically structured, so you can always express yourself 100% clearly.

A mathematician’s key strength is being a problem solver. When presented with a problem, we quickly get to grips with it and find a way to solve it.

The degree programme is so theoretical that it would seem that we are not directly employable anywhere – but we learn a mindset that makes us employable everywhere! Additional training will always be needed when you join a private company, for example, in order to get an insight into the kind of problems you have to solve.

What does your current job involve?

I work at Edlund A/S, which develops pension software. It is a program in which case processors enter information. It can then keep track of policies, prepare quotations, do forecasts, calculate bonuses etc. There are mathematicians involved in all of this – both the underlying calculations and the actual development of the software.

Mathematicians find it relatively easy to understand the pension rules and programming, so most of my colleagues are mathematicians. Programming is probably the closest you get to using pure mathematics.

Where else can you get a job?

Mathematicians generally tend to work in three main areas: as upper-secondary school teachers, as theoretical researchers – i.e. doing PhDs – and in the private sector. 

Typical private-sector employers are pension companies, banks and consultancy companies like Deloitte and SimCorp, which make stock trading systems, or Oticon, where mathematicians help calculate how to optimise the hearing aids. We can make calculations about everything that engineers work with.

What are your former fellow students doing?

There were 70 students in my year when we started, and 20 had graduated by the time I finished my studies. Almost half of us work at Edlund, which is extraordinary compared to other years. Some are with Danske Bank, and a handful have done PhDs. Several of them have since landed PostDoc positions around the world. 

Would you recommend the degree programme to prospective students?

Yes, I would. I didn’t realise Mathematics was so theoretical. But it’s a really good programme and you shouldn’t be intimidated by all the theory, because it gives you the general meta knowledge that makes it easy to feel at home in a wide range of workplaces.

The way you learn to think is more important than the specific things you learn. If you start the degree programme with these expectations, you will not be disappointed. You also need not fear ending up unemployed when you graduate!

The social life on the degree programme is just fantastic. It exceeded my expectations. During my studies, I worked as a first-year student tutor, I worked for our journal and took part in the student revue – to make sure I had something other than just theoretical mathematics to focus on.

Do you have any tips for new students?

You don’t have to know what area you want to work in afterwards. Simply take in the experiences and tasks and think about which ones you find interesting. This makes it much easier to tailor your degree programme to your interests, so you are in a good position when you finish – and you can always work out exactly what workplace to look for then.

Interview with Mauricio, MSc Student, from Columbia.

I applied to Copenhagen because the University has some of the best teachers in the world in Operator Algebras, which is my field, perhaps the very best. I can only say that my dreams were fulfilled a hundred per cent.

Originally I got a taste for Scandinavia as an exchange student in Norway. I was able to take in and appreciate the natural beauty of the countryside and the Scandinavian lifestyle. But I must admit that before I got to Copenhagen I was worried that Scandinavia was academically isolated, despite the really good teachers in my on field. Now I know better.

The teaching is also different from the teaching in Columbia where I did my bachelor at a public university in Bogota. There is more interaction between students and teachers in Denmark.

Back home there is more emphasis on exams and good grades. In Denmark there is more joy of learning than pressure of passing, although of course you have to meet the deadlines of your exams and assignments. But there is more of a collective feeling than an individual race to get the best grades among the students at Copenhagen.

And the contact between the professor and students is very close. He can give me good advice, but I can also give him good advice in connection with solving mathematical problems.

With regards to the social side of life in Denmark, I've made Danish friends. Friends I can trust through and through. In South America you can make friends with somebody in just one day. In Denmark it's more step by step, although you shouldn't go thinking that the Danes lack spontaneity. It just takes a bit longer, that's all.

Another good thing about Denmark is that 98 per cent of the population have a sense of civic responsibility. This rubs off on the way people get along together.

It means that Copenhagen is a clean city and crime is at a low compared to many other places in the world. The city is also beautiful architecturally, with many lovely buildings from the end of the 19th century. It's a city with plenty of opportunities to cycle around in green spaces. Living in Copenhagen is like living in a small town with the advantages of a big city.

And one more thing I really notice: sexism or machismo as we call it in Latin America is pretty well non-existent in Denmark. I like that. There is more equality of the sexes than in many other places.

Mathematics does not lead to endless career paths, but the possibilities are far greater and more varied than most people realise. From teaching in upper-secondary schools to research positions or jobs in the public or private sector. I’ve been employed as an IT developer at Danske Bank since I graduated from the University of Copenhagen last year.

Kamilla Drimer Berg – mathematics graduate employed at Danske Bank in Lyngby.

I can draw on my mathematics degree in my work because mathematics makes you think logically and in a structured way, which is necessary when developing computer systems. The bank also has a programme for new graduates like me. This means I get plenty of support from my colleagues and also get to know the workplace really well.

The job? I visited an education fair, where the Danske Bank stand attracted my attention. It’s great to get out into the real world after university. I’ve been given a very warm welcome.

It’s like starting over again in a new and exciting way. You have to get to grips with many new things, and it’s challenging. I still have a lot of contact with my former fellow students and other university friends. To prospective students I would say that you have to be driven by genuine interest. Not just the prospect of landing a good job afterwards.

Contact student guidance

Contact SCIENCE Student Service

Do you have questions about the programme structure, study or career opportunities, admission requirements or application procedure, please feel free to contact SCIENCE Student Services.

Contact SCIENCE Student Services

Location

  • Faculty of Science, North Campus, Universitetsparken 5, DK-2100 København Ø.

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