Combined Master's Degree Programme for Working Professionals (3 years)
| About the programme Language: English (See language requirements) | Place of study: Aarhus | Commencement: August / September (See if this programme also offers a January/February start for international applicants). Programme type: Combined Master's Degree Programme for Working Professionals (3 years) |
The Combined Master’s degree programme in Statistics gives you in-depth knowledge of statistical methods, mathematical models and probability theory. You learn to use these tools to analyse data, investigate complex problems and draw conclusions. In addition to core subjects in mathematics and statistics, you can tailor parts of your degree to your academic interests and specialise in areas such as theoretical statistics, applied statistics or probability theory.
The programme has a strong theoretical focus, so you need a solid background in mathematical statistics and advanced probability theory based on measure and integration theory. Teaching is research-based, with lecturers who are active researchers, and includes lectures as well as theoretical and practical exercises. You will also have opportunities to work closely with academic staff, particularly when writing your Master’s thesis.
The Combined Master’s degree programme consists of one year of full-time study followed by two years in which you take courses while working in a relevant job. This allows you to build on your full-time studies while connecting your academic knowledge with professional experience.
The programme has a standard duration of three years.
In this section you can learn more about the admission requirements relevant to the Combined Master's degree programme in Statistics. 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 these sections, you can learn more about the employment requirement and the English language requirement. You can also find out which ranking criteria we use to assess your application when prioritizing among the submitted applications.
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 The following subject areas must be covered:
| 30 |
| Mathematical statistics | 20 |
| Probability theory | 20 |
| Total | 70 |
We cannot assess in advance whether your specific degree will meet the above requirements. Therefore, we recommend that you apply for the program if you believe that you meet the academic requirements. In this regard, it is a good idea to compare your degree with the programmess that provide direct admission.
No Bachelor's degree programme(s) from Aarhus University entitles applicants to an offer of admission to this Combined Master's degree programme.
Certain bachelor's degree programmes from Aarhus University and various other Danish Universities have been determined to meet the admission requirements to this Combined Master's degree programme in Statistics:
If you hold a Bachelor’s degree from a non-Danish university, you must complete the appendix below and upload it to the application portal. The appendix helps the academic assessors with the assessment of your application.
Download appendix
You must meet the requirement of being in relevant employment when you transition to the part-time part of the programme, i.e. after the first year.
“Relevant employment” means that you work at least 25 hours per week in a public or private company, or as an entrepreneur, and that your work tasks are professionally related to both your qualifying education and the education you are applying for.
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.
All Master’s degree programmes at Aarhus University have limited intake. This means that you are not guaranteed admission even if you meet the entry requirements. When we prioritize among applicants, we assess your application based on a set of fixed ranking criteria, which you can see below.
If you have a legal right of admission, you are guaranteed a place in the programme and do not need to consider the ranking criteria.
Ranking criteria:
In criterion three, the score is based on the proportion of subjects on the bachelor’s degree diploma that fall within the relevant subject fields. In this assessment, ECTS credits that are a part of the admission requirements described under ‘Other qualifying degrees’ are not included.
Please note that grades achieved after the application deadline are not included in the assessment.
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 Combined Master’s degree in statistics counts as 120 ECTS credits and mainly consists of subjects within the statistics field of study. 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 from the Department of Mathematics 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 exercises. 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 in small groups that introduce new angles to the material compared with the textbooks. You also receive extensive guidance in how to work with examples and projects, and you are given a personal supervisor in connection with your thesis.
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.
If you have the necessary skills and interest, you have the option of applying for admission to the PhD programme. 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 http://phd.au.dk/gradschools/scienceandtechnology/programmes/mathematics/
The academic regulations for Combined Master's Degree Programme for Working Professionals in Statistics will be available in late autumn 2026.
The academic regulations contain further information about the content of the individual courses. You can also find information about the structure of the programme and the requirements you must meet as a student, including examination formats and requirements.
Students on the graduate programme must choose at least two of out three specialisations. Each specialisation constitutes 30 ECTS of the student’s study programme.
The three specialisations are:
You study at the Department of Mathematics, which not only has classrooms, but also has a canteen, computer rooms, a library, a bookshop, recreational areas and study areas.
As a Master’s degree student, you can get your own desk in an office that you share with other Master’s degree students.
To be a student is exciting and challenging, but also very time-consuming. There is nevertheless time for more than just subjects and lessons. A number of student organisations such as Eulers Venner (Euler’s Friends), the Friday Bar and TÅGEKAMMERET (the Cloud Chamber) are based at the department and organise academic activities, study tours, celebrations and social functions. The Danish Youth Association of Science promotes familiarity with science by organising lectures, study tours and more.
The different student associations at the university consist of students who meet to discuss issues relating to the degree programme. These organisations influence the academic content of the degree programmes, from department and centre level to the top management levels at the university.
Aarhus University 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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This data is derived from AU's 2016 employment survey. This data should not be considered a completely accurate representation of the labour market and job functions for all graduates of the individual degree programmes. It exclusively represent the responses submitted to the survey in the years in question.
With a Combined Master’s degree in Statistics, you develop analytical skills and the ability to use advanced statistical methods to solve complex problems. You can pursue a career in a range of fields, including the pharmaceutical industry, finance, insurance, telecommunications, universities and public research institutions. Your work may involve analysing large datasets in collaboration with specialists from other disciplines, planning clinical trials to assess the effects and potential side effects of new medicines, or developing statistical models to support decisions. In the insurance sector, for example, you may work as an actuary, helping to calculate insurance premiums. If you wish to pursue an academic career, you can also apply for a PhD programme and continue into research and teaching.
