Master's Degree Programme
| About the programme Language: English (See language requirements) | Place of study: Aarhus | Commencement: August / September and January / February |
Have you thought about how rates for a new mortgage loan should be fixed – with an interest-rate ceiling or as interest-only loans? In fact it was mathematics–economics graduates who developed the model used for fixing the cost of such loans. All major companies face complex problems, and many turn to a mathematics–economist when they do. Mathematics–economists are experts in designing optimisation strategies, something that requires great theoretical insight into both economics and mathematics.
As a student of mathematics–economics, you have the option of specialising in a subject within a broad area, including one of the areas of mathematics–economics in which Aarhus University is particularly strong: mathematical finance, economics, and operations research.
Career profile
Job prospects for mathematics–economists are extremely positive and career opportunities are many. A large proportion of our graduates find work in the private sector. Banks and insurance companies are the major workplaces for mathematics–economists, with many being employed as problem-solvers in consultancy and telecommunications companies. Planning departments in large industrial or manufacturing companies also represent a relevant job market. In the public sector, there are jobs in administration and planning at universities and other educational institutions, on supervisory boards and in ministries. The degree programme also qualifies graduates for a career as a researcher.
In this section you can learn more about the admission requirements relevant to the master's degree programme in Mathematics - Economics. Depending on your educational background and your qualifications, there are different ways to meet the admission requirements:
This section is relevant for you, if you have:
The two sections listed below are relevant only for students with a bachelor's degree from a Danish institution:
Below you will also be able to learn more about language requirements and find out whether or not this master's degree programme has a limited intake.
If you have an international educational background, you must meet both the general admission requirement and the specific admission requirements:
You must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent that is comparable to a Danish bachelor's degree in both level and duration (180 ECTS).
For more information about how your bachelor's degree is assessed, please see the national database.
If you meet the general admission requirement, the university will continue on to assess whether or not you meet the specific admission requirements.
You can be admitted to the master's programme if the university assesses that your education has a level, scope, and content that corresponds to the academic requirements specified below.
| Subject area | Number of ECTS |
| Mathematical analysis | 20 |
Linear algebra | 10 |
National economy
| 30 |
| Optimization or operations analysis | 10 |
| Business economics, finance and accounting | 20 |
| Statistics | 20 |
| (Advanced) probability theory | 10 |
| Integral and measure theory | 10 |
| Programming language | 10 |
| Total | 140 |
Certain Professional Bachelor's degrees or similar covering specific subject areas from other Danish institutions have been determined to fullfill the admission requirements to this master's degree programme:
| Required subject areas - A Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Aarhus University with elective subjects within: | Number of ECTS |
| Mathematics-Economics (e.g. financing, operations research, economics) corresponding to one of the recommended course combinations, which qualifies for the Master's programme in Mathematics-Economics. Depending on the courses in the Bachelor programme there can be specific requirements for the course combination in the Master's programme. | 50 |
We cannot assess in advance whether your specific degree will meet the above requirements. Therefore, we recommend that you apply for the programme if you believe that you meet the academic requirements. In this regard, it is a good idea to compare your degree with the programmes that provide direct admission.
The following Bachelor's degree programme(s) from Aarhus University entitles you to an offer of admission to the Master's degree programme in Mathematics-Economics:
Bachelor’s degree programme in Mathematics-Economics from Aarhus University
Please note that you must apply for admission to the Master's degree programme within three years of completing your Bachelor's degree programme.
Learn more about Legal right of admission.
Certain Bachelor's degree programmes from Aarhus University and various other Danish Universities have been determined to meet the admission requirements to this Master's degree programme in Mathematics-Economics:
This master's degree programme has a limited intake.
Because of the limited intake all qualified applicants will be prioritised according to a set of selection critieria (see below).
Meeting the admission requirements does not automatically ensure your offer of admission. Only if you have a specific bachelor's degree from Aarhus University with a so-called 'legal right of admission' will you be guarenteed an offer of admission to this master's degree programme.
If there are more qualified applicants than available student places, the selection will be based on the following criteria (each criterion counts for 1/3):
Grades from the qualifying degree
Grades achieved in relevant subject fields:
Mathematics:
Linear Algebra
Mathematical Analysis
Integral and Measure Theory
Probability Theory and Statistics:
Finance
Operations Analysis:
Linear and Convex Optimisation
Economy:
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Accounting
Please note that grades achieved after the application deadline are not included in the grade point average (GPA).
Relevant subject fields (measured in ECTS). In this assessment, ECTS credits that are a part of the admission requirements described under ‘Other qualifying degrees’ are not included.
Mathematics:
Linear Algebra
Mathematical Analysis
Integral and Measure Theory
Probability Theory and Statistics:
Finance
Operations Analysis:
Linear and Convex Optimisation
Economy:
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Accounting
In order to be admitted to this programme you must meet the university's english language requirements.
Students with bachelor's degree from Aarhus University with a so-called 'Legal right of admission' are exempt from the English language requirement.
Unfortunately, Aarhus University is not able to assess your qualifications beforehand. In order for your qualifications to be assessed you must apply for admission. To learn more, please go to Assessment of your qualifications.
The Master’s degree programme in mathematics–economics is taught at the Department of Mathematical Sciences and the School of Economics and Management and counts as 120 ECTS credits. You specialise by participating in course activities and projects and by writing a thesis. During your very first week, you structure your own individual study programme with the help of a teacher by choosing courses from a course catalogue. Your programme is based on your academic qualifications and interests and the subjects you studied for your Bachelor’s degree. The plan must be approved by the Board of Studies before you can enrol for examinations.
For more information about the individual courses, go to: kursuskatalog.au.dk/en/
At the University of Aarhus, you are in close contact with researchers in a way that you rarely experience at other universities. The door to the professor’s office is always open if you need clarification of the study material, and you are encouraged to ask questions at lectures and during project work. We make heavy demands on your academic skills and independence. In return, you gain considerable benefits in the form of academic challenges and scientific knowledge, in addition to broad competences.
The teaching at the university focuses on independence, critical thinking and collaboration. Part of the teaching is in the form of lectures that introduce new angles to the material compared with the textbooks and give you a general overview of the subject. You also receive extensive guidance when working with examples and projects.
The varied forms of teaching, collaboration in groups and the opportunity for close scientific dialogue with the researchers provide you with general competences that are in great demand in the global job market. These competences include abstract, critical and independent thinking, analytical skills and strategic planning. You can use these skills in many contexts – even in jobs you didn’t know you were qualified for.
The teaching is divided into two semesters per year. For an example of a course calendar, go to: studerende.au.dk/en/studies/subject-portals/studies/teaching/teaching-calendar/
If you have the necessary skills and interest, you have the option of applying for admission to the PhD programme. You can apply when you have completed your Bachelor’s degree and one year of your Master’s degree or when you have completed your Master’s degree. In the PhD programme, you start working on a research project and are gradually trained through courses and personal guidance to become a researcher.
For more information, go to: phd.au.dk/gradschools/scienceandtechnology/
The study environment for mathematics–economics benefits from an excellent canteen and the many committed and active students. The social and academic associations at the department offer a number of festive traditions and they organise many events. The mathematics–economics students have their own association, as well as Tågekammeret (the Cloud Chamber) and Eulers Venner (Euler’s Friends), which are responsible for most of these activities. The department also organises company visits and study tours. These alternate from year to year between trips abroad and to Copenhagen. A special newsletter called Giffen is published for the students of mathematics–economics.
The University of Aarhus is unique, especially because the buildings are grouped in one campus area close to the Aarhus city centre. The campus has many green areas and a beautiful park surrounding a small lake. Here you also find student accommodation and an underground system of corridors, which means that you don’t have to get your feet wet going from the canteen to your study area. There are also lecture theatres and a host of activities ranging from sports days to the regatta on the lake, interesting lectures, a film club, libraries and university celebrations. The campus ensures that you have easy access to the canteen, student counsellors, teachers, the bookshop, the State and University Library and the Friday bar.
The university is not all Aarhus has to offer. As the second-largest city in Denmark, Aarhus has numerous different cultural activities. The well-known Aarhus Festival is celebrated for a week at the beginning of September every year and the streets really come to life. During the rest of the year, you can visit different music venues and concert halls in the city or find entertainment at one of the many theatres in Aarhus. The city’s many museums include ARoS – the major international art museum, which is a spectacular place for visual experiences. If you have had enough of cultural activities, you can ride your bike to the beach in no time or go for walks in the Risskov woods or in the beautiful woods around Marselisborg. The forty thousand young students in Aarhus make up 17.5% of the population, which leaves its mark on city life. Aarhus is a young, dynamic city with plenty of opportunities.
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The chart shows the five most common types of work for graduates 1-2 years after finishing their degree. The data is derived from a survey made by Epinion for the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and Aarhus University in 2020.
With a Master’s degree in mathematics–economics, you have the following competences:
A large part of the mathematics–economics graduates work in the private job market. In recent years, many graduates have been employed in consultancy firms or telecommunications companies. The tasks here mainly consist of analysing problems for a company, for example, in order to subsequently develop a model that can be used to solve the specific problem at hand. In that way, you act as both a supervisor and a problem-solver.
Virtually all graduates who specialise in finance get work in the financial sector, such as banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions.
Planning departments in large industrial or manufacturing companies also represent a relevant job market for mathematics–economics graduates. The increased focus on maximising or minimising areas such as cost structures is just one of many examples of a field where you can apply the tools you learn when studying mathematics–economics.
Another are of employment is teaching, typically at a business college. A number of graduates find work in public administration and planning – at universities and other educational institutions, for example, or on supervisory boards and in ministries.
Some mathematics–economics graduates go abroad, where they are employed in private sector companies. In recent years, several graduates from the University of Aarhus have been employed by banks in the UK, for example. Another trend worth mentioning is the increasing number of graduates who are employed in research positions abroad, either in the private business sector or at public research institutions, such as universities in Europe or the USA.
Employment opportunities for mathematics–economics graduates are extremely good – both in Denmark and internationally. You therefore have many career options after completing your degree.
