General information
By the way, mathematics has been present at the University of Sarajevo since 1950, when the Department of Mathematics was formed as part of the Department of Science and Mathematics of the Faculty of Philosophy.
In 1960, the Department of Science and Mathematics grew into the Faculty of Science and Mathematics with 5 departments, including the Department of Mathematics. In July 2022, the Department of Mathematics will change its name to the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences
The activity of the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences is twofold: educational and scientific. As part of the educational activity, students are offered high-quality contents in the field of mathematics and computer science.
Studies at the Department of Mathematics are organized according to the 3+2+3 system in accordance with the Bologna principles of study, which means that all students attend the mandatory 3 years of study (or 6 semesters) – the first cycle of studies, after the successful completion of which they obtain a corresponding diploma (depending of the chosen major), after which they can optionally attend another 2 years of study (that is, 4 semesters) – the II cycle of studies, the successful completion of which brings students an additional diploma of a higher rank.
Students who complete the first and second cycle of studies can enroll in the third cycle of studies, which lasts 3 years (6 semesters), upon successful completion of which a corresponding degree is obtained depending on the chosen field of research.
In the first cycle of study, which lasts 3 years, the student can choose one of the following 5 courses:
- General direction
- Applied mathematics
- Computer Science
- Teaching major (Mathematics)
- Teaching major (Mathematics and informatics)
Upon successful completion of the three-year study, the student acquires the following titles, depending on the chosen major (listed in the same order as in the presentation of majors and study groups):
- Baccalaureate/Bachelor of Mathematics
- Bachelor of Mathematics – Applied Mathematics
- Bachelor of Mathematics – Software Engineering
- Baccalaureate/Bachelor of Mathematics – teaching major
- Baccalaureate/Bachelor of mathematics – mathematics and computer science
In the second cycle of study, which lasts two years, a student can opt for one of the following 4 courses:
- General direction
- Applied mathematics
- Computer Science
- Teaching major
Upon successful completion of the II cycle of studies, the student acquires the following degrees, depending on the chosen major (listed in the same order as in the presentation of majors and study groups):
- Master of Mathematics
- Master of Mathematics – Applied Mathematics
- Master of Mathematics – Software Engineering
- Master of Mathematics – teaching major
The Department offers the following doctoral studies (III study cycles):
Joint doctoral study of natural and mathematical sciences in education, Study program – Mathematics in education
Doctoral study of mathematical sciences in Southeast Europe
Upon completion of the “Joint Doctoral Study of Natural and Mathematical Sciences in Education, Study Program – Mathematics in Education”, the title is awarded
- Doctor of Mathematical Sciences in Education
Upon completion of the “Doctoral Study of Mathematical Sciences in Southeastern Europe”, one of the following two titles is obtained:
- Doctor of Mathematical Sciences
- Doctor of Computer Science
depending on the chosen field of research.
The subjects at the Department are classified into different groups, which are the responsibility of individual Chairs of the Department of Mathematics. Thus, the Department has the following chairs:
- Department of Algebra
- Department of Geometry and Topology
- Department of Analysis
- Department of Applied Mathematics
- Department of Probability and Statistics
- Department of Theoretical Computer Science
- Department of mathematical logic, basics of mathematics and combinatorics
- Department of Mathematics and Informatics in Education
Teaching at the Department of Mathematics is organized in three ways:
- Lectures
- Practical exercises
- Laboratory exercises
Theoretical concepts of the subject are presented at the lectures, which are elaborated through concrete examples and tasks in auditory exercises. Laboratory exercises are organized in those subjects where it is necessary for the student to master practical knowledge through work in the laboratory. This mainly refers to subjects in the field of theoretical computer science and applied mathematics.
Two centers operate at the Department of Mathematics:
- Center for Theoretical and Applied Mathematics and Computer Sciences
- Computer center
Practical work on computers in computer laboratories is organized in accordance with the highest standards. Thus, the rule that each student has his own workplace is strictly observed, which is a rarity in other faculties of the University of Sarajevo.
The employment opportunities for graduates of the Department of Mathematics are numerous, so that almost all students quickly find employment immediately after completing their studies. The best students are offered the possibility of employment at the Faculty as teaching assistants (assistants) in the courses of the Department of Mathematics.
Students majoring in teaching very easily find employment as teachers or professors of mathematics and/or informatics in primary and secondary schools, given that there is a shortage of such staff throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. Students of other majors are offered a large number of possible places where they can find employment outside of education, among which we will mention only the most significant:
- Banks
- Software houses
- Financial institutions
- Insurance institutes
- Statistics Offices
- Numerous institutes that have a need for mathematical modeling
Thus, it should be noted that a significant number of graduates of the Department of Mathematics work today as leading experts in prestigious software houses, insurance institutes and banks, both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in other countries. Many of the former students of the Department of Mathematics have successfully pursued postgraduate and doctoral studies at the most prestigious universities around the world.