Learn Academic / Industrial Research
The goal of a MSc project at NAS is to actively contribute to current research lines. The topics we investigate all relate to doing cutting edge research in Network Science. Because we routinely collaborate with industrial partners at KPN, TNO or Ericsson, we often facilitate joint MSc projects with them.
We Involve You Actively
Throughout your MSc Project, we consider you part of the NAS research group. You will therefore be invited regularly to e.g. attend our meetings, research talks, and present your progress.
Your daily supervisor is also often available, and is usually a senior staff member or PhD student who is actively doing research. We also try to arrange a desk for you.
Potential Topics
Let us share with you a list of topics that pertain to Network Science, and that we have supervised MSc projects on in the past. This will give you an impression of the range of topics MSc students have tackled in the past:
- Robustness of complex networks: How networks can be built in order to withstand system failures, attacks, disasters
- Brain functional networks: Difference between functional networks of healthy and diseased (e.g., Parkinson) individuals
- Quality of Service (QoS) Routing: Improving algorithms to optimally route packets in the Internet
- High-performance data networking:Transporting big data and designing (optical) networks
- Performance analysis of communication systems: Analyzing large-scale complex networks and improving metrics to define performance in different aspects
- Spectrum of a graph (centrality metrics, eigenvector components and eigenvalues of graphs): Determining which nodes and links in a graph are “important”
- Online social networking: Content propagation and privacy aspects of online social networks
- Future Internet technologies: Software-defined and content-centric networking
- Epidemics: Modeling virus spread in complex networks
- Smart energy grids: Modeling and communications aspects of smart energy grids
- Cyber security: Analysis of spreading malware and viruses, DNS security
Duration, Grading and Deliverables
Each MSc project generally takes 45 ECTS worth of study effort. If you work fulltime on your project, this means that your project will take 8 months. Adding one month of holiday, it will take you roughly 9 months.
At the end of your MSc Project, you will deliver a MSc report and give a final presentation. At that point, your MSc project will be graded by a committee of experts.
More information on the graduation policy is available here.
I'm interested, what now?
We maintain a list of presently available MSc projects. So be sure to check these out if your interest is piqued!
Of course if you already have your own project in mind, we encourage you to propose it to us. We will advise you on its feasibility, and judge whether there's a match between your project and our available expertise.
- Study available thesis topics. Come up with a shortlist of 1-3 themes.
- Send a cover letter expressing your interest in doing a MSc project with the NAS group to Dr. Kitsak (
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ), include your resume/CV. - After screening your application Dr. Kitsak will direct you to the appropriate personnel in the NAS group for an interview.
- Once you determine the thesis topic and your mentor within the NAS group write back to Dr. Kitsak and cc to your future mentor.
- Dr. Kitsak will process your application and will inform you of the subsequent steps.
When you're ready, contact Dr. Maksim Kitsak by e-mailing at