MSc/Dip in Informatics
At Edinburgh we define Informatics as the study of how natural and
artificial systems store, process and communicate information. Research
in Informatics promises to take information technology to a new level,
and to place information at the heart of 21st century science,
technology and society.
Why Study Informatics in Edinburgh?
The breadth and
depth of research in Informatics at Edinburgh means that you will have
access to more relevant courses than anywhere else, all taught by
leading researchers. Edinburgh's has a longstanding tradition of
world-class research and teaching in Informatics, a discipline central
to a new enlightenment in scholarship and learning, and critical to the
future development of science, technology and society. As one of our
students you will be involved in that enlightenment and will take part
in these exciting new developments.
Programme Content and Structure
This is our most popular MSc (Master of Science) course, providing the widest range of choice of speciality.
You can take full advantage of that fact that our research spans the
entire field of Informatics, including some areas of expertise that are
unique to Edinburgh. You will have over 50 courses to choose from,
grouped into the following specialist areas:
The course spans a full 12-month period from September to August the following year and consists of two parts: taught and research. During the taught part of the course, September to April, you will attend lectures, tutorials and group practicals and acquire the theoretical foundation to enable you to engage in independent research.
Between May and August, you will get the opportunity to make a practical application of your knowledge by undertaking a major individual research project on which you will write a dissertation. The project is normally isupervised by a member of academic staff as one of his/her research interests, with assistance from his/her research team. To give you an idea of the kinds of projects our students undertake, please see our recent MSc Thesis List.
You might also be interested in some of our other Masters degrees in Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Science and Computer Science.
Entry Requirements
You should have a first or upper second class honours degree or its equivalent, and in an area of Informatics, such as Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Science or Computer Science. You should also have experience in computer programming.
Applicants with degrees in these disciplines will also be considered: Education, Electrical Engineering, Psychology, Mathematics, Philosophy, and Physics.
Course Costs
Costs include a tuition fee, research costs fee and living expenses.
| Fee type |
Home/EU |
Overseas |
| Tuition Fee |
£4,600 |
£14,000 |
| Additional Programme Costs |
£200 for Diploma
£600 for MSc |
Fees are subject to annual revision. For the latest information on fees, please visit Registry Office web site.
Living expenses are estimated at around £190 per week. More...
Scholarships and Financial Aid
The UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Council (EPSRC) offers sponsorship to students from the UK/EU via the Collaborative Training Accounts (CTAs) scheme, which links postgraduate training with the workplace. CTAs are available to those UK/EU students whose primary specialism is Bioinformatics, Computational Systems Biology, Knowledge Representation and Reasoning, Learning from Data, and Natural Language and Language Engineering. These studentships cover tuition fee, research costs and subsistence for UK students, and tuition fee and research costs for EU students. Please indicate when you apply that you wish to be considered for one of these studentships.
A variety of funding schemes are available for overseas students. For example, the Scottish Executive is currently offering 22 scholarships to overseas students intending to study in the UK. Scholarships are available, it is just a matter of finding them. Our Financial Aid page will provide you with useful pointers.
Careers
Almost a third of the UK's IT industry and research activity in Informatics is concentrated in the area around Edinburgh. In addition, Scotland is actively encouraging talented graduates to settle and work within its borders. Our reputation means that our graduates are well regarded by potential employers, both at home and abroad. Our students make direct vocational use of their degree and are employed as researchers, software developers and engineers, in academia and in industry. See our
careers page for possible career routes and alumni destinations.
