MSc in Computing Science
University of Groningen
Key Information
Campus location
Groningen, Netherlands
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 2,314 / per year *
Application deadline
01 May 2024
Earliest start date
01 Sep 2024
* EU/EEA students: €2,314 | non-EU/EEA students: €20,700
Introduction
How can we develop secure and robust software? How can we teach computers to see? How can we make our software easily adaptable to new tasks? How do we improve learning by computers?
If you find these questions fascinating, you should choose the Master's degree program in Computing Science in Groningen. This program deals with both the theoretical and the practical aspects of computing.
You will develop and increase your in-depth knowledge within the areas of Data Science & Systems Complexity, Intelligent Systems & Visual Computing, or Software Engineering & Distributed Systems. Most courses offer insightful lectures covering both theory and practice. Apart from acquiring core computing science skills, mathematics and research methodology are also important.
In student colloquia, research and presentation skills are developed. For those aiming to go into business rather than academia, project management, and related topics are also offered. All skills acquired are actively used in research projects, either within the university or during business and industrial internships.
Because computing science is pivotal in many areas of research, students can easily participate in one of many research collaborations with other fields, such as bioinformatics, medicine, and astronomy. In addition, contacts with many businesses facilitate internships in a variety of fields, matching the interests of most students.
Why study this program in Groningen?
- Three unique specializations within the Netherlands
- Excellent computing facilities: A large University Computing Center, with e.g. a Peregrine high-performance cluster
- Several visualization facilities: Reality Cube with 2.5 m edges, Reality Theatre with an 8.5 x 2.8 m screen, wall touch display for interactive visualization
- Students can easily participate in one of many research collaborations with other fields, such as bioinformatics, medicine, and astronomy
- Our faculty is the home of the 2016 Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry, Ben Feringa, and the Nobel Prize winner in Physics, Frits Zernike
Research
The Master's program in Computing Science is closely linked to the Bernoulli Institute. Its mission is to perform outstanding academic research and teaching in Mathematics, Computing Science, and Artificial Intelligence. Within the Master's degree program of Computing Science you can use excellent computing facilities and conduct research in the following areas:
Distributed Systems, which are becoming the standard way to build information systems, in particular, Web Services, Service-Oriented Architectures, eBusiness, and mobile computing;
Intelligent Systems, with projects on machine learning, computational intelligence, computational artificial intelligence, pattern recognition, computer vision, with applications in medicine, health care, finance, law enforcement, robotics, animal breeding, genetics, bioinformatics;
Scientific Visualization and Computer Graphics, in particular 3-D medical imaging, visualizing large, multidimensional astronomical data sets, general data visualization, visualizing bioinformatics data (genomics and proteomics);
Software Engineering and Architecture, dealing with the process of creating programs from the requirement analysis all the way to its management, in particular software patterns, explicitly handling variability and managing architectural knowledge;
Data Science and Systems Complexity, with complex systems generating big data, and big data helping to identify, control, and analyze complex systems and apply data science methods in practical problems of companies and governments;
Information Systems, which are the backbone of any enterprise with a special focus on cutting-edge concepts, architectures and technologies for EAI, business process management (BPM) and workflows, SOA and REST architectural styles, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things, Blockchain platforms, Information Assurance and Security and in the fields of data-driven healthcare, logistics and SCM, advanced biometrics, manufacturing, Science, and scientific computing.
Curriculum
2-year program; credits per year: 60 ECTS; most courses are 5 ECTS.
Program options
- Intelligent Systems and Visual Computing (track)
- Data Science and Systems Complexity (track)
- HTSM Honours Master (honors program)
- Science Business and Policy (track)
- Software Engineering and Distributed Systems (track)
Study abroad
- Study abroad is recommended
- For an average of 20 weeks
- Maximum of 60 EC
Exchange: All our science and engineering programs offer study abroad possibilities at a number of partner institutions. Our partners include top-100 universities in Europe (for example in Germany, UK, and Sweden) and in the USA, China, South-East Asia, and South America. Our exchange programs have a typical duration of one semester and count toward your final degree.
Internship: This program offers you the opportunity to carry out a research project of a variable number of months at a company in the Netherlands or abroad, as part of your thesis. Our choice of industry partners ranges from large multinationals (such as Shell, Philips, Unilever) to dynamic small and medium enterprises in the Groningen area.
Admissions
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Having completed the Master's degree program in Computing Science, you will be spoilt for choice regarding future employment. There are hardly any areas of business or research which do not require computer scientists, either software engineers, and architects, or researchers. Usually, our students are offered suitable jobs within one month of graduating (or even before graduating).
After graduating, most of our alumni move on to software companies (or found their own) or to academia, usually by entering into Ph.D. programs.
Those in the industry are generally promoted to managerial roles after a few years and, for example, become project managers. In academia, the usual path is from Ph.D. via post-doctoral researcher to a university staff member, though quite a few of our successful Ph.D. students have moved on to industry as well. Many MSc and Ph.D. students have gone into the field of medical imaging, either at various universities or in the research labs of large companies. More and more are moving into bioinformatics.
Your future:
- As a data scientist, you will turn big data into value in a variety of sectors: banking, insurance, big corporations, and small fast-growing start-ups, government
- Data scientists with a computer science background are the type of specialist that is most sought after by businesses and the government
- As a software architect and designer of cloud systems
- Typically our graduates find excellent jobs within one month and can choose from multiple job offers
Job examples
- Data scientist for a big bank, international company, or government
- Software architect and designer of cloud systems
- Expert in Medical imaging, Bioinformatics, IT systems for e-health care
- Designer of advanced, secure distributed information systems
- Designer of block-chain systems
- Researcher aspiring for a Ph.D. degree