Master of Science (Mathematics and Statistics)

Course MC-SCIMAT (2010)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2010.

Year and Campus: 2010 - Parkville
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Level: Graduate/Postgraduate
Duration & Credit Points: 200 credit points taken over 24 months full time. This course is available as full or part time.

Coordinator

Dr Paul Norbury

Contact

Melbourne Graduate School of Science
Faculty of Science
The University of Melbourne

Tel: + 61 3 8344 6404
Fax: +61 3 8344 5803
Web: http://graduate.science.unimelb.edu.au

Course Overview: The Master of Science - Mathematics and Statistics is one of the research training streams of the Master of Science. The research training streams give students the opportunity to undertake a substantive research project in a field of choice as well as a broad range of coursework subjects including a professional tools component, as a pathway to PhD study or to the workforce.
Objectives: After completing this course students should have:
  • discovered the challenge of research in Mathematics and Statistics;
  • a deeper knowledge of Mathematics and Statistics;
  • completed a substantial piece of research; and
  • a sound preparation for future research in Mathematics or Statistics.
Course Structure & Available Subjects: The Master of Science - Mathematics and Statistics program allows students to focus on a specialist area of the discipline and broaden their experience by taking subjects from other specialisations.

Students must complete a total of 200 points over the two year full-time (or four year part-time) program, comprising:

Discipline subjects (137.5 points)

Students must take 11 of the following subjects:

Statistics and Stochastic Processes
  • 600-655 Business Forecasting
  • 620-502 Mathematics of Risk
  • 620-618 Probability for Inference
  • 620-620 Statistical Inference
  • 620-624 Stochastic Processes
  • 620-639 Data Mining
  • 620-638 Consulting and Applied Statistics
Operations Research and Discrete Mathematics
  • 620-616 Optimisation for Industry
  • 620-615 Network Optimisation
  • 620-501 Scheduling and Optimisation
  • 620-646 Advanced Discrete Mathematics
  • 620-647 Enumerative Combinatorics
  • 620-712 Experimental Mathematics
Applied Mathematics
  • 620-637 Computational Differential Equations
  • 620-617 Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena
  • 620-635 Advanced Materials Modelling
  • 620-629 Integrable Models
  • 620-644 Mathematical Biology
  • 620-500 Random Walks and Random Structures
  • 620-664 Topics in Dynamical Systems
Pure Mathematics
  • 620-645 Measure theory
  • 620-636 Commutative Algebra
  • 620-619 Representation Theory
  • 620-634 Algebraic Topology
  • 620-630 Algebraic Geometry
  • 620-640 Differential Geometry
  • 620-628 Functional Analysis
  • 620-713 Differential Topology
  • 620-715 Advanced Complex Analysis
  • 620-714 Geometric Group Theory
With the approval of the supervisor and departmental Master program Coordinator, a student will be allowed to substitute up to three of the Discipline Mathematics & Statistics subjects with lower level subjects or subjects from contiguous areas. Of these substitute subjects, up to two can be 200 or 300 level subjects needed to obtain requisite knowledge for Master level Discipline Mathematics & Statistics subjects and up to two can be Master level subjects taught by other Departments of the University.

Professional tools (12.5 points)

Students undertaking the Master of Science (Mathematics and Statistics program) must take the Professional Tools subject 600-617 Systems Modelling and Simulation, unless they have completed 620-131 Scientific Programming and Simulation (2007) or equivalent. If students have previously completed 620-131 Scientific Programming and Simulation (2007) or equivalent, they must take one of the following Professional Tools subjects:

Science Tools
  • 615-505 e-Science
  • 600-618 Ethics and Responsibility in Science
Communication Tools
  • 600-616 Science in Context
  • 600-619 Scientists, Communication and the Workplace
Research Project (50 points)

The Research Project is an integral part of the Master of Science (Mathematics and Statistics program) and a thesis is the main requirement for this component. Students must pass the Research Project to be awarded the Degree.

Students enrolled in the Master of Science (Mathematics and Statistics program) are required to complete a 50 point Research Project. Students may enrol in one or more Research Project subjects as indicated below to ensure they have completed a total of 50 points by the end of their course.
  • 620-649 Research Project - 50 points
  • 620-650 Research Project - 37.5 points
  • 620-651 Research Project - 25.0 points
  • 620-652 Research Project - 12.5 points
Subject Options:

Statistics and Stochastic Processes

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Not offered in 2010
12.50
Semester 1
12.50

Operations Research and Discrete Mathematics

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Not offered in 2010
12.50
Not offered in 2010
12.50
Not offered in 2010
12.50

Applied Mathematics

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Not offered in 2010
12.50
Not offered in 2010
12.50

Pure Mathematics

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Semester 1
12.50
Semester 1
12.50
Not offered in 2010
12.50
Not offered in 2010
12.50
Not offered in 2010
12.50

Professional Tools

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Semester 2
12.50
Semester 2
12.50

Research Project

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Semester 1, Semester 2
50
Semester 1, Semester 2
37.50
Semester 1, Semester 2
25
Semester 1, Semester 2
12.50
Entry Requirements: Bachelor degree with a major in an appropriate discipline with at least an H3 (65%) average in the major or equivalent.
Core Participation Requirements: It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study and reasonable steps will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the University’s programs. Students who feel their disability may impact upon their active and safe participation in a subject are encouraged to discuss this with the relevant subject coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.
Further Study: The Research Training programs offer a pathway to a PhD.
Graduate Attributes:

Graduates will:

  • have the ability to demonstrate advanced independent critical enquiry, analysis and reflection;
  • have a strong sense of intellectual integrity and the ethics of scholarship;
  • have in-depth knowledge of their specialist discipline(s);
  • reach a high level of achievement in writing, research or project activities, problem-solving and communication;
  • be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning;
  • be able to examine critically, synthesise and evaluate knowledge across a broad range of disciplines;
  • have a set of flexible and transferable skills for different types of employment; and
  • be able to initiate and implement constructive change in their communities, including professions and workplaces.
Links to further information: http://graduate.science.unimelb.edu.au

Download PDF version.