The MPhil programme on Scientific Computing is offered by the University of Cambridge as a full-time course which aims to provide education of the highest quality at Master’s level.
Covering topics of high-performance scientific computing and advanced numerical methods and techniques, it produces graduates with rigorous research and analytical skills, who are formidably well-equipped to proceed to doctoral research or directly into employment in industry, the professions and the public service.
It also provides training for the academic researchers and teachers of the future, encouraging the pursuit of research in computational methods for science and technology disciplines, thus being an important gateway for entering PhD programmes containing a substantial component of computational modelling.
The MPhil is administered by the Department of Physics, but it serves the training needs of the Schools of Physical Sciences, Technology and Biological Sciences. The ability to have a single Master’s course for such a broad range of disciplines and applications is achieved by offering core (i.e. common for all students) numerical and High Performance Computing (HPC) lecture courses, and complementing them with additional courses relevant to the specific discipline applications.
In this way, it is possible to generate a bespoke training portfolio for each student without losing the benefits of a cohort training approach. This bespoke course is fully flexible in allowing each student to liaise with their academic or industrial supervisor to choose a study area of mutual interest.
An indication of the success of this course is that all of its past graduates to-date have been offered fully-funded PhD placements in this University and elsewhere.
Course objectives
By the end of the course, students will have:
- a comprehensive understanding of numerical methods, and a thorough knowledge of the literature, applicable to their own research;
- demonstrated originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in their field;
- shown abilities in the critical evaluation of current research and research techniques and methodologies;
- demonstrated self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and acted autonomously in the planning and implementation of research.