Computer Science MSc

You will follow two taught semesters of lectures, tutorials, project work and written assignments (September to May). During this time you will also learn research methods (such as literature review and project planning) to prepare for your final project and dissertation, which is completed during the summer.

Courses

Around half your taught course credits must be chosen from areas in core computer science (foundations and systems). Course offerings follow the main research areas of our staff, which include:

• parallelism and distributed systems
• security and privacy
• programming languages
• theoretical computer science
• quantum informatics

Example courses offered recently in computer science foundations and systems include:

• Advanced Databases Systems
• Blockchains and Distributed Ledgers
• Computational Complexity
• Computer Networking
• Distributed Systems
• Internet of Things: Systems, Security, and the Cloud
• Introduction to Quantum Computing
• Parallel Programming Languages and Systems
• Secure Programming

For your remaining courses, you may choose further options from foundations and systems or from a wide range of courses offered in other areas of Informatics, including:

• artificial intelligence
• software engineering
• social and biological computation

Guidance is provided to help you choose a set of courses that work well together, giving you specialised expertise in your chosen area.

Please note: This degree has flexible course options. Students are only admitted onto the degree if they will have a viable set of options, but not all courses on offer are appropriate for all admitted students. The School of Informatics offers a wide selection of courses, but not all optional courses are guaranteed to run every year, and a few high-demand courses may limit enrollment to students on the most relevant degree(s).

Project

The project is an essential component of the master's degree. It is a substantial piece of full-time independent work supervised by a member of teaching staff.

You will have prepared for your research project in semester 2. The project is undertaken over the summer months, culminating in the submission of a dissertation.

Students typically choose from a wide range of projects proposed by our academic staff. Students who are sponsored by or have close contact with an industrial company may wish to undertake a project which relates to that company’s activities. Students who self-propose topics (including those in conjunction with industry) must find an interested supervisor from the School of Informatics.

Part-time study

Those studying the two-year part-time option take half of the taught credits in their first year, and the other half in the second year, followed by full-time work on the final project in the summer at the end of the second year.

There is also a three-year part-time option which spreads the final project over a third year.

Both options require flexibility during the semesters: our large course offering means that taught courses have contact times at irregular hours throughout the whole week.

Delivery

This is an in-person programme, and we expect you to be in Edinburgh.

Courses are taught on campus, both full-time and part-time, during teaching hours (currently 9am-7pm) Monday – Friday. To succeed, you will need to maintain a consistent level of study each week.

Students are expected to stay in Edinburgh for the duration of their degree programme. This includes during the writing of the dissertation until the submission deadline.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Through this programme you will develop specialist, advanced skills in the development, construction and management of advanced computer systems.

You will gain practical experience and a thorough theoretical understanding of the field making you attractive to a wide range of employers or preparing you for further academic study.

Start-ups and spinouts

The University of Edinburgh has a long track record of start up companies and innovations, including key players in the industry set up by Informatics master’s alumni:

• FanDuel, a unicorn company
• Robotical
• RISE Nutrition
• Carbon Glance
• Predictiva

Edinburgh Innovations – start-up opportunities

We have fantastic resources through the University’s commercialisation service, Edinburgh Innovations, to help you successfully nurture your entrepreneurial ideas and launch your own enterprise.

• Edinburgh Innovations

Career development through societies

Our active student societies, such as CompSoc and Hoppers, offer skills building, networking and industry events.

Recent speakers include:

• Spotify
• Amazon
• Meta

Find out more about CompSoc and Hoppers:

• CompSoc
• Hoppers

Careers Service

Our award-winning Careers Service plays an essential part in your wider student experience at the University, providing:

• tailored advice
• individual guidance and personal assistance
• internships and networking opportunities (with employers from local organisations to top multinationals)
• Events such as the annual Careers in Tech and Data Fair, giving you opportunities to meet recruiters actively looking to recruit our students
• access to the experience of our worldwide alumni network

We invest in your future beyond the end of your degree. Studying at the University of Edinburgh will lay the foundations for your future success, whatever shape that takes.

• Careers Service
• Flagship Events – Careers Service

Hear from our Alumni

• Alumni Perspectives

You will be based in the School of Informatics’ main teaching building, Appleton Tower. The building provides purpose-built facilities and dedicated learning and teaching spaces, all located in the University's Central Area.

IT facilities include computer labs with more than 250 high-spec machines and comprehensive support provided by dedicated computing staff.

In the project phase you will also have access to Appleton Tower's floor 9 (accessed only by master's students at this time) which has computing labs, private study spaces and beautiful panoramic views across Edinburgh.

The Informatics Student Experience Team is based within the Student Services in Appleton Tower.

If you take courses from other Schools, these might be delivered in the Nucleus building, on the University's Kings Buildings Campus.

You will have access to the University's facilities across all University sites.

For example:

• libraries
• study spaces (some of which are open 24 hours)
• computing facilities
• social spaces
• leisure facilities

Student Adviser

All students have a named Student Adviser who you can visit in Appleton Tower. The team provide general support and guidance to students who are encountering difficulties with any aspect of University life.

Where appropriate they will liaise with other University Support Services, so they are able to provide the best possible support and advice for you. They can also help with a wide range of administrative and practical issues to do with your degree programme.

• My Student Advisor

Take a virtual tour

Take a closer look at all our facilities on the University’s Virtual Visit site:

• Virtual Visit

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in informatics, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, computer science, electrical engineering, mathematics, physics or another quantitative discipline.

Entry to this programme is competitive. A typical offer will normally require a UK first class honours degree.

Competence in programming is essential. During your degree you must have completed a programming course in at least one of the following: C/C++, Java, Python, R, Matlab, Haskell, ML.

During your degree you must have completed the equivalent of 60 SCQF credits or 30 ECTS credits of mathematics that have typically covered the following subjects/topics: calculus (differentiation and integration), linear algebra (vectors and multi-dimensional matrices), discrete mathematics and mathematical reasoning (e.g. induction and reasoning, graph theoretic models, proofs), and probability (concepts in discrete and continuous probabilities, Markov chains etc.)

Students from China

This degree is Band B.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Deposit

If you receive an offer of admission you will need to pay a deposit to secure your place.

• £1,500 (this contributes towards your tuition fees)

Find out more about tuition fee deposits:

• Tuition fee deposits

Tuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money

  • taking out a loan

  • family support

• personal savings

• income from work

• employer sponsorship

• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Scholarships and student funding

You can find funding opportunities, tuition fees and costs of living for prospective UK and international postgraduate students on the University website.

• Postgraduate scholarships and student funding

You are also encouraged to undertake your own research into the range of potential scholarships and other funding outside the University for which you may be eligible.

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding