Master's degree in Statistics and Operations Research

Programme

The Master in Statistics and Operations Research (MESIO UPC-UB) is a 90 ECTS master's program designed to provide advanced training in statistical modeling, data science, and operational research.

Credit Distribution Overview

To complete the Master's degree, students must earn a total of 90 ECTS, structured as follows:

Component ECTS Description
Mandatory Courses (Obligatorias) 20 ECTS 4 core courses (5 ECTS each) tailored according to your entry background.
Elective Courses (Optativas) 40 ECTS Chosen from a wide range of specialized subjects across key domains.
Master’s Thesis (TFM) 30 ECTS An original research or professional project in Statistics or Operations Research.
Total 90 ECTS

Course Credit Rule: All standard courses in the MESIO curriculum are 5 ECTS, with the exception of Machine Learning, which is a 7.5 ECTS course offered jointly with the MAMME master's program.

Admission Itineraries & Core Curriculum (20 ECTS)

To ensure that all students build a solid foundation tailored to their previous background, the core curriculum is divided into two distinct itineraries. Students are assigned to an itinerary upon admission based on their academic degree:

  • Itinerary 1: Designed for students holding a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics or Statistics.

  • Itinerary 2: Designed for students coming from other academic backgrounds (Engineering, Physics, Economics, Computer Science, etc.).

Both itineraries comprise 4 mandatory courses (20 ECTS total): 3 courses in the First Semester (Q1) and 1 course in the Second Semester (Q2).

Core Courses Comparison Table

Semester Itinerary 1 Itinerary 2 ECTS
Q1 (Autumn)

Models and Methods in Operations Research (Advanced Group)

Models and Methods in Operations Research (Basic Group)

 5 ECTS
Q1 (Autumn)

Statistical Software: R and SAS     (Advanced Group)

Statistical Software: R and SAS (Basic Group)

 5 ECTS
Q1 (Autumn) Advanced Statistical Inference Fundamentals of Statistical Inference 5 ECTS
Q2 (Spring) Probability and Stochastic Processes Multivariate Data Analysis 5 ECTS

Elective Courses & Specialization Tracks (40 ECTS)

Students customize their degree by selecting 40 ECTS in elective courses.

These electives allow students to follow one of the 4 official tracks of specialization (Intensificaciones):

  1. Biostatistics and Bioinformatics

  2. Business and Social Statistics

  3. Operations Research

  4. Data Science

Taking Courses from Other Master’s Programs

To foster interdisciplinary learning and allow personalization:

  • Students are allowed to take up to 15 ECTS from other official Master’s degree programs (such as the MAMME or other master's programs at UPC/UB).

  • Requirement: Taking external credits requires prior academic evaluation and approval by the MESIO Academic Coordination Committee to ensure academic coherence with the student's study plan.

Master’s Thesis (30 ECTS)

The Master’s Thesis (Treball de Fi de Màster - TFM) accounts for 30 ECTS and represents a comprehensive practical or research project.

(Detailed information regarding modalities, guidelines, defense calendar, and thesis proposals can be found on the dedicated Master's Thesis (TFM) page).