Question: To what address should I send e-mail for any specific query regarding academic questions?

Q: Should I send an e-mail to any other address?

A: No. All the e-mails will be received and read by the professor who coordinates the program. Pick any one of the two addresses above but please do not duplicate messages by writing to both. Also, please avoid sending e-mails to personal addresses or to other people.

Q: How soon should I expect an answer to the queries I formulated?

A: In less than a week. The answer may be delayed if it is necessary for the coordinator to make additional inquiries with other university services or academic authorities.

P: If my query is purely administrative, where can I obtain information?

R: Consult the CEP (Center for Graduate Studies) web site. There is a direct link at the Department page of our program.

Question: What is the duration of this Master's Program? How many credits does it consist of?

Answer: One year (60 credits). This refers to the level M2, the usual one.

Q: Why is this a one-year master and not a two-year program like in various other countries?

A: One is supposed to enter this program after having completed an undergraduate degree and in Spain an undergraduate degree typically takes 4 years (240 credits). In France, Italy or the United Kingdom, to mention only some countries, undergraduate studies normally take 3 year (180 credits), followed by a two-year Master's Program (120 credits). In this respect, our Master's Program corresponds only to the fifth year of studies.

Q: Does this program lead to an official title? Is it valid internationally?

A: After completing the program, one obtains an official UAM title that is valid in all of Spain as well as in other countries, especially within the European Union.

Q: If I obtain this title and it turns out that it is not automatically recognized in a certain country, what should I do about it?

A: You should consult with the Ministry of Education, the Secretary of State for Eductaion or an equivalent institution of the country in question to obtain information about the procedure for recognizing your title there.

Q: What are the tuition fees for this program?

A: All public prices for official university studies are established by a decree by the Council of the Regional Government of Madrid.

The current price of each ECTS credit for this Master is 58,50€, which should be multiplied by 60 (the number of ECTS credits). The complete information can be found at the CEP (Graduate Center) web site: http://www.uam.es/ss/Satellite/es/1242663124158/contenidoFinal/Tasas_y_precios_publicos_de_Masteres.htm

Question: What academic background should a person interested in studying this Master have?

Answer: In order to access the usual level (M2), applicants should have completed a significant number of semesters with mathematical content, both practical and abstract and at a high theoretical level, distributed among the 5 areas of Mathematics considered official in Spain (Algebra, Analysis, Applied Mathematics, Geometry & Topology, and Statistics). We recommended consulting the web site of undergraduate studies in Mathematics and the contents available there of the third and fourth year elective subjects to check the expected level. The subjects with content in, for example, pedagogy of mathematics, accounting, chemical or agricultural engineering, among other disciplines, do not count much towards the total computation.

Q: What is the ideal profile of the candidates for this Master's Program? 

A: The one of a person with an undergraduate degree in Mathematics. A very suitable alternative profile is that of a theoretical physicist or similar. In both cases, it is necessary to have completed a minimum of 240 credits prior to registration in order to be able to directly access the M2 level of master's degree. That is, 3-year studies do not give access to M2 level.

Q: Are there other acceptable profiles?

A: Yes, for example: other graduates in physics, computer science, naval, aeronautical, industrial engineers or similar, or alternatively, holding a master's degree or doctorate in Sciences. In most of these cases, admitted candidates will first have to complete several intermediate courses, level M1.

Q: Can I access the Master's degree if I have not completed the 240 credits required or if I do not have an adequate profile?

A: No, in neither case can you directly access the usual level, M2. Therefore, in case of being admitted, you will have to first pass through the level M1 (intermediate courses of up to 60 credits).

Q: What does the M1 level consist of?

A: The M1 level consists of one year of studies equivalent to some advanced undergraduate course work. The Academic Committee will determine in each individual case the number and the exact list of courses to be studied by each applicant. Usually M1 means taking between 6 and 8 courses that cover different areas and are distributed in both semesters. These are very similar to the courses in the third or fourth year of Degree in Mathematics, especially to the elective subjects of the fourth year. Efforts will be made on part of the academic committee to ensure that the study load is evenly distributed between the two semesters. Important: completing M1 courses means attending the same classes as our undergraduates and most of these are offered in Spanish only.

Q: How long will the studies last if you study M1 level first?

A: A minimum of two years is required to complete the M1 + M2 cycle.

Q: Is it possible to start M1 or M2 studies in the middle of the academic year to save time?

A: No. Due to the admission and enrollment procedures, any of the M1 and M2 level courses start in September.

Q: If I first need to pass M1 level, how will I know which subjects I should study?

A: This will depend on the academic record of each applicant and will be determined by the Master's Committee on an individual basis. Therefore, it is not possible to determine the exact contents in advance. If a person is admitted in the program with the requirement to take M1 level, the official letter of acceptance will indicate which subjects corresponding to the M1 level must complete before being able to access M2 level and in which period of time they must be completed.

Q: If I have not completed a degree in Mathematics or have not studied in Spain, how can I find out if the courses I have studied are appropriate or not?

A: As a guideline, you can consult in the Department of Mathematics web site the programs corresponding to each year of our undergraduate studies, especially the elective subjects of third and fourth year, to compare the contents.

Question: Is the knowledge of English necessary to follow this master and what level is required?

Answer: Yes. It is part of our commitment as an international program. In general, graduates of UAM all have the B1 level in English as a minimum. From the year 2016-17 (inclusive), as requested by the National Agency for the Evaluation of Quality and Accreditation (ANECA) and in order to maintain our international commitment, knowledge of English is required at the level of B2 or equivalent for accessing the Master in Mathematics and Applications, just like in other international programs.

Q: In what languages are the classes in this master taught?

A: By default, they are taught in Spanish. However, if only one student officially enrolled in an M2 subject does not have sufficient Spanish proficiency and requests that the course be taught in English, this subject will be taught in English from that moment on, since it is required that all those enrolled have a sufficient level of this language. Therefore, in any year it is so perfectly possible that all subjects are imparted in Spanish as all subjects are imparted in English. However, subjects of M1 level are offered almost exclusively in Spanish at this time.

Q: Is it necessary to officially accredit knowledge of English? If so, when should this be done?

A: Yes, it is. This must be done during the admission process and, in any case, before enrollment (i.e. before the start of the course). If you have a B2 level certificate, you should attach it among the documents uploaded through the online application.

Candidates who do not have the B2 level, must provide a sworn statement to have the necessary knowledge (a model is available on the Department of Mathematics webpage). Apart from this document, they should include in the section "Additional documentation" any relevant certificate (Cambridge Test, TOEFL, etc.), a document proving that they are currently attending a B2 level course, a proof of extended stay in an English-speaking country or any brief explanatory document which they consider appropriate to attach. Naturally, citizens of English-speaking countries need not submit such requirements but should accredit their citizenship by providing a copy of their passport; a brief explanatory statement in English (free format one-paragraph file) should be helpful.

Q: Is the knowledge of Spanish necessary to follow this master?

A: Theoretically, it is not required in our courses. However, for daily life in Spain and for various academic issues, even in order to be able to fill out the online application, it is advisable to have some knowledge of Spanish.

Question: How many courses should I choose in each semester?

Answer: In addition to the annual Master's Thesis subject (18 credits), in almost all cases it is necessary to choose 3 courses in the first semester (24 credits) and 3 in the second one (18 credits) to be able to take exactly 60 credits in total, due to differences in the number of credits. Except in the special cases of external course recognition, none of the advanced seminars should be selected since these subjects do not have any teaching associated with them; they are usually used only for course recognition for the subjects taken elsewhere in a similar program.

Q: What courses should I mark on the pre-registration sheet?

A: The 6 chosen courses (three per semester) plus the Master's Thesis (MT). In no case should you mark more courses in the pre-registration sheet than 6 + MT. You can select fewer courses should you intend to complete the master over an extended period, for example, in 3 or 4 semesters.

Q: What can I do if, due to a computer incompatibility, I cannot download or open the pre-registration sheet from the Centre of Graduate Studies (CEP in Spanish) webpage?

A: It is sufficient to prepare a .doc or .pdf file with the complete list of selected subjects (up to 3 per semester + the MT) and upload it instead.

Q: I am interested in broadening my knowledge. Besides the MT and the 6 courses required, can I enroll into other courses officially?

A: No, it is not possible to take more than 60 credits officially. The Dean’s Office will not approve of it. However, you may ask professors for a special approval to audit other courses without course work or grade.

Q: I want to study this master part-time (so as to finish it in two years, for example). What is the minimum number of credits per year in which I must enroll?

A: Minimum 24 credits per year (until a situation is reached where there are less than 24 to finish the master, which is when the restriction stops applying). For example, you can take two courses in each semester (16+12=28 credits) and the rest plus the MT (32 credits) in the second year.

Q: What is the difference between the first-semester courses and those in the second semester?

A: The former ones are considered basic while the latter deal with more advanced or applied topics.

Q: Does the course offer vary from year to year?

A: All courses are offered every year, except when in the previous year the minimum number of students (five) was not reached. Thus, some variations in this sense may occur from time to time.Also, some of the applied courses may not be offerred in certain years.

Q: Do the contents of the courses vary from year to year?

A: The ones in the first semester usually have the same content, without substantial variations. However, when the content is extensive, a choice of topics is usually offered at the discretion of the professor. The second-semester courses can vary completely from one year to another.

Q: When will the courses offered for the next academic year and the teachers that will teach them be known?

A: Usually, courses for the academic year beginning in September of a given year will be approved in March of the same year approximately, and then the list of subjects and teachers who will teach them will be published first on the websites of the Department of Mathematics and of the Faculty of Sciences, typically by April.

Q: I have enrolled a course. Does that guarantee that it will be taught?

A: No. There must be a minimum of 4 or 5 people enrolled per course. In no case will a course be taught with fewer than three enrolled students. The coordinator will ensure as uniform a distribution as possible at the beginning of each semester to ensure the teaching of a maximum number of courses, always respecting the preferences of the students.

Q: Once the semester has started, can I make enrollment changes? Is this free or does it include an additional fee?

A: It is possible to cancel the enrollment in one course and enroll in another. For this, an authorization of the Master's Program coordinator is required and an application must be submitted to the Dean’s Office. At the beginning of each semester, there is a short period (approximately, during the first three weeks) to make such changes without additional payment.

Q: How is the grading done in each course?

A: It depends on the semester and the course. This information is specified in the teaching guides. In the first semester, a combination of problem sheets, exams and presentations (oral or written) are usually used. In the second semester, often only term papers are presented (orally and in writing) and sometimes solutions to exercises should be handed in during the term and these may also count.

Q: If I fail a course, will I have another chance?

A: Yes, for each course there is an extraordinary exam, typically in June. If a course is failed on both occasions, it is possible to enroll in the same course during the next academic year (with an increased registration fee).

Question: Is each MT advised by a member of the Department?

Answer: Yes. Each student must have an advisor of the Department who determines the topic and the contents of the work. It is also possible to have two advisors, especially when the topic of the work is multidisciplinary (for example, if it covers topics in both Geometry and Analysis). Work with the advisor (or advisors) is typically done through weekly meetings throughout the year, in addition to the student’s individual work.

Q: When should I look for an advisor and when should I start working on my MT?

A: Each student who wants to finish the master's degree in a year should contact a Department professor at the beginning of the first semester and find an advisor before the beginning of November. The MT is an annual subject and, therefore, it is necessary to begin to compile the bibliography and do some preliminary studies well before the end of the first semester.

Q: Can an MT be supervised by a person from another institution (CSIC, another university in Madrid or from elsewhere)?

A: Yes, but in this case it is necessary that the work be supervised or endorsed by a member of the Department who will act as tutor. The report on the MT has to be signed by both the advisor and the tutor. An MT can also have one supervisor from the Department and another from another institution. In each case, there is a special paperwork involved with the Internship Office (OPE) that has to be done well ahead of time.

Q: In the case that the MT has at least one advisor from outside the Department, is there any extra paperwork involved?

A: Yes, before starting your work on the MT (for example, during the month of October), you should send a request for external internship to UAM's Office of Internships to show that a part of the work will be done outside of UAM so that appropriate agreements can be signed if necessary. This should be done even if the advisor is a member of an institution that is physically located on the same campus but does not belong to UAM (for example, if the advisor is a member of the ICMAT and is not a member of the Department of Mathematics).

Q: What requirements must my MT fulfil?

A: The basic rules regarding the extension, contents, deadlines, etc. are indicated at the following link. Of course, all the details of the contents should be discussed with the advisor of the work.

Q: In what language should I write the MT?

A: Preferably in Spanish although it is also possible to write it in English. It is important to write it in a language mastered the author.

Q: Can I write the introduction or acknowledgments in another language, different from the rest of the work?

A: Yes.

Q: Should the work be bound?

A: This is highly recommended. The Department has binding tools available.

Q: Are there any additional format requirements?

A: It is essential that the cover indicate all relevant data: the author, the title, the advisors, the month and year of the presentation and also that it is an MT presented at UAM.

Q: Once the MT has been written and handed in, can I change or correct errors and errata?

A: Significant changes are not allowed, but an erratum (up to two pages to be attached to the work) can be submitted as a supplement.

Q: Can the University publish my work or make it available in a public portal?

A: No, unless you authorize it in writing. There are pertinent forms in the Department's Secretary’s Office.

Q: In what language should I present orally my MT?

A: Always in Spanish, except for the students from other countries who are more fluent in English.

Q: Is the oral presentation public?

A: Yes, although it is very similar to an exam. The public does not intervene in it. The session is conducted by the chair of the Academic Committee. Each candidate has 15 minutes to make the oral presentation (typically with a computer projector, using a Beamer or Power Point) and then the committee can ask questions for up to 5 minutes.

Q: Who forms part of the academic committee in each presentation?

A: The members of the Master’s Committee (all or only some), sometimes assisted by other professors who are specialists in certain areas, except for MT of the joint Master's degree with the Polytechnic School that follows other rules.

Q: How many periods during the year are there to defend an MT?

A: There are usually two: one in July and one in September, plus the extraordinary one in February or March, for those who have completed all the courses but have not yet defended the MT.

Q: How is the grade for each MT determined?

A: It is based on the confidential recommendation of the advisors and the quality of the presentation made by the student before the Academic Committee, including the answers to the questions posed.

Q: Will the courses I have studied determine my final specialty to be specified in my Master’s Diploma?

A: Yes, but this will essentially be determined by the courses taken in the second semester and the MT. To obtain the Master's degree with specialty in Applications, it is necessary to study a minimum of two courses from the list of five applied courses in the second semester and prepare an MT of applied character. Similarly, to obtain the Master's degree with specialty in Introduction to Research, it is necessary to take at least two courses from the list of five advanced research courses and to write an MT of the same type.

Q: How can I determine if I am doing an applied MT or an MT of initiation to research?

A: The nature of the MT will be determined by the advisor of the MT (who, if necessary, may indicate this in his/her report to the Master Academic Committee before the defense of the work). For example, in the area of Statistics it is possible to carry out both an applied work and an introduction to research, and similarly in other areas.

Q: Can you do internships in companies during the master?

A: The master does not explicitly contemplate the internships in companies although it allows them. In general, they do not count for credits.

Q: Can the MT work be done in a company?

A: A part of the MT can be developed in a company. However, it is necessary to have a tutor in the Department who will approve of the content of the work and supervise it, in addition to the supervisor in the company.

Question: Can I take some course equivalent to one of this program at another university (within their Master's Program)?

Answer: Only at a university that has signed an agreement about this with UAM and with an explicit authorization of both program coordinators. For example, exceptionally it is possible to take (only) one course out of 6 at the Complutense University of Madrid. In this case, the grade obtained in the course taken there should be communicated by their Master's Program coordinator to our coordinator at UAM in due time and the coursework will be officially recognized through a grade awarded for one of our two Advanced Seminars  (in Research or Applications), depending on the course content.

Q: I have already studied a similar Master's Program at another university. Would it be possible to get recognized some of the courses taken there so as to reduce the number of necessary credits to be taken at UAM?

A: Yes. In order to do this, you should file an official application to the Dean's Office. It should be seen over by the coordinator of the Master's Program in Mathematics and Applications. Make sure you enclose all the pertinent data and coursework certificates from the studies in question. The final decision will be made by the Vice Dean for Graduate Studies and the Faculty of Sciences Graduate Committee.

Q: During my undergraduate studies I had taken a course similar to one in this Master's Program. Would it be possible to get the credits recognized?

A: No. An undergraduate course can never be recognized as equivalent to a graduate one.