What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why? How has the programme/specialisation challenged you (in relation to your previous education)?
I like that the large range of courses allows me to specialise and dive deeper into my area of interest. My track is Applied Mathematics and I am particularly interested in the numerical analysis of partial differential equations. By being able to choose courses on numerics, applied analysis, and partial differential equations, I get to see the same topic from different angles to get a better understanding of it.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class?
I really like the atmosphere in both the lectures and the tutorials. Especially the local courses are usually followed by only 5-15 students. Because of these small groups, there is a lot of interaction between the students and the lecturer. Also, the teaching assistants are often PhD students, and they are very approachable for questions.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?
The most challenging part is organising my schedule. Because the Master's consists almost entirely out of electives, courses can have overlapping classes. This means that sometimes I am not able to come to the tutorial or lecture of a course, and sometimes I am not able to take the courses at all.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
I am currently in my first year. Next year, I will do my thesis (most likely in the direction of finite element methods).
Why do you think is it important that there are people out there with this degree? What are your plans once have received your Master's degree?
Because mathematics is based on logic, I think mathematicians are especially good at recognising false arguments and assumptions. That skill is useful in any job, both inside and outside of science. I do not know yet what I want to do after my Master's. I might want to do a PhD.