During your study at the University of Antwerp, you can live through a wide variety of applications of computer science. You will get first hand experience in a challenging, creative, dynamic and multi-disciplinary environment where you can contribute to the realisation of international projects.

The common theme of the master programme is modelling as applied in all the subdisciplines of computer science. This comprises:

• modelling and simulation of scientific phenomena (e.g. the human genome project, weather prediction)

• interactions between parts of complex machines (e.g. automotive, medical devices)

• understanding the foundations of computer science (e.g. search engines, programming languages, network protocols)

As in all scientific disciplines such models allow us to understand and control our environment, as such allowing us to make predictions about what will happen in critical situations.

The master programme culminates in the master's thesis. The aim of this thesis is for you to show that you are able to (under supervision of a promoter) explore independently a complex subject in a scientific manner and write down the acquired insight into a coherent text.

Your programme:

All major challenges in science and technology in the current century are multidisciplinary in nature; i.e. several disciplines must bond together to create inspiring environments. Computer scientists play a pivotal role: they collect and organise the data to ensure that the numerous software systems, networks, algorithms can exchange information seamlessly. For instance at the CERN lab, computer scientists mediate between physicists and engineers. Similarly in the human genome project, computer scientists ensure that doctors and biochemists can exchange the complex information encoded in DNA strings.

The modern economy with its emphasis on global competition and sustainable development poses interesting challenges for computer scientists. New industrial systems, implementation and optimisation of specialised software, networks with higher performance and security, faster computation cycles — these all present opportunities for young computer scientists.

Career opportunities:

• In a corporate organisation you can work as a technology consultant, software designer, system developer, software architect, software analyst, web designer and developer, project leader, industrial researcher...

• Many computer scientists end up in the Research and Development departments of industrial organisations (both large and small) to address technological challenges of all kinds.

• Your background allows you to deal with fast changing environments; which is a necessary prerequisite for project management positions.

• A scientific career in academia where you think about in depth problems of computer science. Together with other scientists and companies you work inside European or international projects on a variety of disciplines.

On top of these sectors there are a number of application areas with great economic significance and technological value where computer scientists can make a difference: alternative energy sources, high performance computing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, wireless communication, self healing materials, superconductors, semi-conductors.