Signal Processing and Communications MSc

Signal processing and communications provide the theoretical foundations for any application which generates, processes, transmits or stores any type of information. They underpin many of the technological advancements which are currently driving rapid change in industry, such as data science, deep learning, and the Internet of Things.

Our MSc in Signal Processing and Communications will enable you to contribute to the industries and research that will help make our world smarter, healthier, and more sustainable.

You will be immersed in the most recent and exciting developments such as:

• deep neural networks
• compressive sensing
• wireless communication theory
• numerical Bayesian methods.

You will gain an understanding of the theoretical foundations of these subjects, as well as recent advanced topics and how they are applied to solve practical situations.

Through the MSc research project, you will demonstrate applications and delve deeper into the underpinning theory by investigating a solution to a real-world signal processing and communication problem.

Who this programme is for

Our programme is suitable for graduates who wish to develop specialist knowledge and skills relevant to industries where signal processing, machine learning, and digital communications are integral.

It is also suitable as advanced study in preparation for a PhD in the field, and as a graduate, you could have the opportunity to obtain a scholarship to continue your studies with us.

Why study in Edinburgh?

• Participate in cutting-edge research projects supervised by world-leading academics at a top global institution
• Access dedicated high-performance computational resources to train machine and deep learning models as part of the MSc dissertation
• Obtain a solid foundation in new advances in digital communications, signal processing, and machine learning and explore applications in cutting-edge vibrant industries
• Have the opportunity to obtain a scholarship to continue your studies for PhD in digital communications, signal processing or machine learning at the School of Engineering.

How will I learn?

You will receive lectures, coursework and practical exercises to deepen your knowledge and you will have opportunities to:

• learn from our internationally leading researchers whose research informs our teaching
• hone your programming skills
• access dedicated high-performance GPU computing facilities for your MSc project
• engage with the Institute for Digital Communications, often in collaboration with industrial partners.

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.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the programme you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Trinity ISE, or Oxford ELLT test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the programme begins, regardless of your nationality. (Revised 14 January 2025 to include Oxford ELLT.)

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

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.

Our Careers Service provides information and advice for taught postgraduate students:

• Careers services

(Revised 11 October 2024 to explain Careers Service resources)