The Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science offers graduate programs towards an M.Sc. degree and a Ph.D. degree in four areas:
- Applied Mathematics
- Bioinformatics
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
Classes are small and the environment is friendly. The emphasis is on research and prospective students should carefully consider the research interests of the faculty to see if it conforms with his/her own interests before applying.
Currently, the Faculty admits approximately 30 new Masters students per year and approximately 10 new Ph.D. students per year. There are no tuition fees and most students receive a stipend which covers living expenses. Please note that all classes are taught in English.
Masters Degree: This is a two year program of study. The student is required to complete 30 credit points and a thesis. Typically 20 or more points are completed in the first year and the second year is devoted mostly to work on the thesis as well as to the completion of course requirements.
* How to apply for MSc studies
Ph.D. Degree: This is a four-and-a-quarter year program of study which is open to students who have completed an M.Sc. degree or its equivalent. The main emphasis is on research. The student is required to take complete 12 credit points of courses and to write a Ph.D. thesis.
* How to apply for PhD studies
Direct Ph.D. Program: Students who are accepted to the M.Sc. program and do particularly well in their first year of study may be accepted directly into the Ph.D program before completing the requirements for the M.Sc. degree. In this case, they will still be required to complete the course requirements for the M.Sc., but will not have to write an M.Sc. thesis.
General Information
The academic year is based on two semesters, each of which is approximately 15 weeks long. The first semester begins after the the Jewish holiday of Succot therefore, the first day of classes is usually in the second half of October or early November. A credit point corresponds to one lecture hour per semester.
Application forms may be obtained from:
The Feinberg Graduate School
The Weizmann Institute of Science
Rehovot 7610001, Israel
or from the appropriate WWW site of the Feinberg Graduate School.
Course Selection
Students should select courses according to their track of studies, see details. Students are welcomed to consult with the current members of the Teaching Committee (Vaadat Hora'a) or with faculty members in their field of interest.
Courses taken from outside WIS can in special situations bring credit points; the permission for such extramural courses and the exact number of credit points will be decided by the Teaching Committee.
Recommended courses for Mathematics Students
It is recommended that M.Sc. students in Mathematics take at least two of the following basic courses during their first year of studies, and at least one more by the end of their studies:
- Functional Analysis
- Probabilistic Methods in Combinatorics (given approximately once in two years)
- Probability Theory (with Measure Theory)
- Differential Geometry
- Algebraic Topology
- Algebraic Geometry
- Number Theory
- Lie Algebras
- Representation Theory of Finite Groups
- Midrasha on Groups.
Some of the courses will be given as reading courses.
Additionally, it is advised that M.Sc. students in Mathematics participate in at least one workshop or attend at least one seminar during their course of studies.
Eligibility for Study
Applicants for the M.Sc. program are expected to have completed the requirements for a first degree in mathematics or computer science before the beginning of the academic year for which admission is sought. Applicants with an undergraduate degree in a related area such as engineering (preferably electrical), or science (preferably physics) may also be considered for admission if their record is sufficiently comprehensive and promising. In most cases a technical interview is a prerequisite for admission to the M.Sc. program.
Normally, admission to the Ph.D. program is restricted to holders of an M.Sc. degree, or its equivalent. Under current graduate school regulations, admission requires the agreement of a prospective Ph.D. advisor.
Important Dates
Applications for admission to the M.Sc. program should be submitted by March 31. It is advisable not to wait until the last minute. Particularly strong candidates will be accepted early. Students from Foreign countries may be required to supply Graduate Record Exam scores and/or recommendations from someone known to one or more members of the Faculty. Applications for the Ph.D. program are considered every three months or so. We recommend that you plan to start in the Fall semester and submit the application several months before that.
Additional information may be obtained by writing to the the student coordinator, Ms. Adi Shimron.
Research Positions
Post-doctoral studies at the Weizmann Institute are formally administered through the Feinberg Graduate School. The school provides a fair number of post-doctoral fellowships, which are granted based on the recommendations of the individual Faculties. The current policy of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science is to strongly prefer postdoctoral candidates whose research interests fit those of some Faculty member. Exceptions are considered only in rare cases of outstanding promise.
Applications for post-doctoral fellowships should be made through the Feinberg Graduate School . Note that such an application should indicate a desired supervisor (or host). It is strongly advised that potential candidates contact the desired supervisor prior to their application. In addition, several researchers offer post-doctoral fellowships of their own (funded by their own research grants). For a list of these, see Post-Doctorate Positions Available at the Weizmann Institute of Science
Currently, the Faculty hosts approximately 10 post-doctoral fellows, who typically stay for two years. Most of these fellows are non-Israeli, but some are Israeli. Typically, postdoctoral fellows follow their own research interests, while interacting with Faculty members. In addition, they attend some of the research seminars and sometimes even our graduate courses, but formally this is not required.