Admission requirements
The course is open to third-year bachelor Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy students and first-year master students of all programs of Physics, Mathematics, Astronomy and Computer Science (including Bioinformatics, ICT&Business, Informatica&Economie).
The course assumes basic knowledge of physics, mathematics and computer science at the bachelor level. In particular, familiarity with elementary notions from calculus, probability theory and statistical physics are helpful. Some light computer programming will be involved as well.
Description
Transportation, traffic, energy, communication and social networks form the backbone of modern society. In recent years, there has been a growing fascination with the complex “connectedness” that such networks provide. This connectedness manifests itself in many ways: in the rapid growth of the Internet and the World Wide Web, in the ease with which global communication takes place, in the speed at which news and information travels around the world, and in the spread of an epidemics or a financial crisis. These phenomena are based on the links that connect people and their decisions, and have global consequences. The course aims to provide students with a concise introduction into this lively area, and covers both theoretical principles and practical applications from a variety of different directions. Complex Networks is a multi-disciplinary course: it exposes views on Complex Networks from Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science, is aimed at students of and is taught by faculty from these disciplines.
Topics: * Real-world networks: concepts, properties, challenges; * Models: random graphs, preferential attachment, small worlds; * Maximum-entropy statistical ensembles of networks; * Network algorithms, visualization, simulation; * Percolation & epidemiology on networks; * Pattern detection on networks; * Computational complexity of processes on networks.
Course objectives
This course aims to provide an introduction to the field of complex networks, covering both theoretical principles and practical applications from different perspectives. Complex Networks is a multi-disciplinary course: it exposes views on the area from mathematics, physics and computer science, and is open to students from all programs in these three disciplines. At the same time it assumes basic knowledge at the bachelor level in each of these disciplines, including key concepts from calculus (differentiation, integration, limits), probability theory (probability distributions, random variables, stochastic processes), statistical physics (ensembles, entropy), and computer programming (C or Python). In terms of panorama, the course material is both challenging and rewarding. At the same time, it chooses a style of presentation that is tuned to a mixed audience, which inevitably means a breach with the styles that are commonly adopted in the three disciplines separately. As part of the learning goals of the course, the students should develop an interdisciplinary view to the study of Complex Networks. This is the reason why the course is taught by three instructors with different background. Each lecture (and the associated homework) takes a viewpoint from either Mathematics, Physics, or Computer Science. To further strengthen interdisciplinarity, students are asked to form mixed teams for doing the homework together.
Timetable
In MyTimetable, you can find all course and programme schedules, allowing you to create your personal timetable. Activities for which you have enrolled via MyStudyMap will automatically appear in your timetable.
Additionally, you can easily link MyTimetable to a calendar app on your phone, and schedule changes will be automatically updated in your calendar. You can also choose to receive email notifications about schedule changes. You can enable notifications in Settings after logging in.
Questions? Watch the video, read the instructions, or contact the ISSC helpdesk.
Note: Joint Degree students from Leiden/Delft need to combine information from both the Leiden and Delft MyTimetables to see a complete schedule. This video explains how to do it.
Mode of instruction
See Brightspace
Assessment method
written examination (70%)
weekly assignments (30%)
The teachers will inform the students how the inspection of and follow-up discussion of the exams will take place.
Reading list
- Course Notes/Diktaat (provided)
Registration
As a student, you are responsible for enrolling on time through MyStudyMap.
In this short video, you can see step-by-step how to enrol for courses in MyStudyMap.
Extensive information about the operation of MyStudyMap can be found here.
There are two enrolment periods per year:
Enrolment for the fall opens in July
Enrolment for the spring opens in December
See this page for more information about deadlines and enrolling for courses and exams.
Note:
It is mandatory to enrol for all activities of a course that you are going to follow.
Your enrolment is only complete when you submit your course planning in the ‘Ready for enrolment’ tab by clicking ‘Send’.
Not being enrolled for an exam/resit means that you are not allowed to participate in the exam/resit.
Contact
Prof. Diego Garlaschelli Dr. Rajat Hazra Dr. Akrati Saxena
Remarks
Transferable skills: scientific curiousity, creating connections among different contexts and disciplines, thinking out of the box, being able to formulate hypotheses about problems for which one has no prior knowledge, abstraction and generalization in a multidisciplinary context.
Software
Starting from the 2024/2025 academic year, the Faculty of Science will use the software distribution platform Academic Software. Through this platform, you can access the software needed for specific courses in your studies. For some software, your laptop must meet certain system requirements, which will be specified with the software. It is important to install the software before the start of the course. More information about the laptop requirements can be found on the student website.