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Does the Mathematics Degree Fit Me and My Expectations?

Interests

  • Technical Discussions With Fellow Students

    You will quickly notice that you see the same faces in many lectures. This creates a very familiar atmosphere. Take the opportunity to talk to other students personally and to discuss one or the other mathematical problem with them from your perspective. Individually organized working groups can be very helpful in mastering the material!

  • Explore New Mathematical Structures

    In the master's degree program you will deepen the material from the bachelor's program and at the same time get to know new structures. You can influence the choice of specialization modules much more than in the bachelor's degree. What would you be most interested in? Can you imagine maintaining your interest throughout the master's degree?

  • Finding and Recognizing Cross-Connections in Mathematics

    On the one hand, mathematics consists of the detailed elaboration of the solutions to important types of problems. On the other hand, the standardization of the solution approaches in different areas is of central importance. Methods that have established themselves in one area are often applied to a completely different problem in a different environment in order to achieve groundbreaking advances. Keep an eye out for such connections, it's worth it! When you recognize them, new worlds can quickly open up to you!

  • Study Technical Literature

    Our departmental library is very well stocked with current literature. In the master’s degree, you will also have to study the specialist literature to follow up on the lectures and to prepare for seminar presentations. If you don't know our library yet, pay it a visit! You can browse there comfortably and be inspired by the specialist literature.

Traits

The following qualities will help you to master your studies:

  • Enthusiasm and interest in mathematics.
  • Ability to engage with new ideas and structures.
  • Ability to abstract, e.g. to transfer a found solution to another area.
  • Diligence in the preparation and follow-up of the material.
  • Persistence and patience, because understanding mathematical content takes time, like learning a language.
  • Frustration Tolerance so as not to be discouraged by difficult-to-solve problems.

In summary, we can state that if you have completed your B.Sc Mathematics studies well, you know what to expect.

Prior Knowledge

Don't kid yourself: It won't work without any prior knowledge. You should bring:

  • Good mastery of the subject matter of the bachelor’s degree in mathematics
  • Experience preparing presentations
  • Knowledge of LaTeX is also helpful, especially for writing the master's thesis

Warning Signs

Studying math can be a lot of fun! However, please note the following tips:

  • Plan your specialization direction well in advance.
  • Perseverance and independent work are essential, e.g. for the independent processing of the exercise sheets.
  • Continuously work on expanding your own limits.
  • Don't worry: nobody can understand all the mathematics!
  • You should not underestimate the work intensity and the time required. They usually only have a few courses in their timetable, but have to plan time for preparation and follow-up work.

Job-Related Aspects

With regard to your future career choice, please note the following:

  • The mathematics from your studies will not be used in your professional life (unless you choose a university career).
  • Mathematical problems are easier to solve in practice than at university, but more responsibility must be taken for the results.
  • Improving your communication skills and networking in the Master's program increases your chances of starting a career.
  • Skills acquired while studying (programming languages, designing presentations, giving recitation classes) often pay off directly later on.

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