Signal Processing and Communications MSc

The MSc in Signal Processing and Communications is a full-time 12-month programme.

Courses can change from year-to-year depending on availability. Those listed provide a representation of courses previously offered. Courses for the forthcoming year will be published on the Degree Programme Table in the Spring.

In Semester 1 you will take courses covering important aspects in signal and image processing, digital communications, and estimation theory.

Semester 2 elaborates further on those foundations to provide you with skills and knowledge at the cutting edge of machine learning, MIMO systems, and advanced communication systems, among others.

MSc dissertation project

In the summer months (May to August), you will complete your MSc dissertation project under the supervision of one of our academics.

Examples of recent dissertation topics include:

• Digital twin-assisted quantitative 3D bioimpedance tomography for lung imaging
• Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces for optical wireless communication
• Investigating heart rate as a biomarker for seizure detection and forecasting
• Visible light communication using photon counting (SPAD) receivers
• Joint radar and communications waveform design and detection
• Texture analysis of bone scans to detect osteoporosis using machine learning techniques
• Acoustic-based hand gesture recognition for smartphone operation
• Speech localisation using deep neural networks
• The space of invisibility in X-ray computed tomography
• Active learning: Towards data-efficient deep learning

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.

The programme is designed to provide broad training in digital communications, machine learning, and signal processing. We cover the theoretical foundations as well as advanced topics at the cutting-edge of current research.

The objectives of our programme are to:

• identify fundamental principles of signal processing and communications
• apply these principles in scientific and technological terms
• consider current limits and future priorities for signal processing and communications.

The increasing demand for experts in signal processing and communications means you will be well-placed to develop a rewarding and exciting career.

On graduating you will be well placed to pursue a career in an industry such as:

• machine learning and deep learning
• data science
• internet of things
• communications
• radar
• medical images and physiological monitoring
• audio and speech recognition and production
• anywhere else where signal processing and communications is applied, such as in smart grids or Earth observation.

Alternatively, you could choose to pursue research work in an academic or industrial environment or go into PhD studies in Edinburgh or in other prestigious institutions in the UK and abroad.

• Careers service

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, typically in electrical and/or electronics engineering with a specialisation in signal processing and/or communications.

We will also consider your application if you have a background in a related field, such as computer science, machine learning, physics or mathematics.

Entry into this programme is competitive. A typical offer will normally require a UK first class honours degree, or equivalent, and high grades in fundamentals, such as mathematics, signals and systems, probability and statistics, and communications and signal processing are required. In addition, some of the courses and/or your final MSc project may require programming or learning a new programming language. Therefore, you will normally need to demonstrate practical knowledge and/or experience in a high level programming language.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• 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 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 6 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)

Any applicants who are required to pay will receive an offer with full details. (If there is no information on your offer about the deposit, then you are not required to pay.)

Find out more about tuition fee deposits:

• Tuition fee deposits

Living costs

You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.

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

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Engineering International Masters Scholarships

• £3,000

The scholarships will be awarded to overseas applicants who have been accepted for admission on a full-time basis for an eligible postgraduate taught Masters programme within the School of Engineering.

The scholarship will be awarded broadly on the basis of academic merit with candidates requiring a first-class honours degree from a UK university or overseas equivalent.

Learn more about this scholarship:

• Engineering International Masters Scholarship

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding