High Performance Computing (Online Learning) MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL), PgProfDev

What is High-Performance Computing?

High-Performance Computing (HPC) is the use of powerful processors, networks and parallel supercomputers to tackle problems that are very computationally or data-intensive.

What will I learn?

This programme aims to provide you with in-demand skills and knowledge of the techniques and technologies underpinning parallelism and HPC. Skills and knowledge will be gained across a wide range of industries and academic disciplines.

The flexible structure ensures you acquire the core principles required before proceeding to your choice of more advanced topics. This allows you to take on the programme at your own pace. The curriculum has been designed specifically to maximise opportunities for students to take the programme flexibly, although inter-course pre-requisite criteria do provide some limitations.

You can study:

• MSc - 3-6 Years (Part-time Intermittent Study)
• Postgraduate Diploma - 2-4 Years (Part-time Intermittent Study)
• Postgraduate Certificate- 1-2 Years (Part-time Intermittent Study)
• Postgraduate Professional Development - 2 Years (Part-time Intermittent Study)

Further information can be found in the programme structure section below.

EPCC

EPCC (formerly the Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre) is the UK’s leading supercomputing centre with staff who are experienced HPC practitioners.

EPCC is a major provider of HPC training in Europe with an international reputation for excellence in HPC education and research. It is also associated with a well-established on-campus MSc programme that has been successful in training generations of specialists in parallel programming.

The Centre ensures you will benefit from access to advanced HPC systems. These may (depending on the course and dissertation project selection) include:

• ARCHER2 - the UK national Tier 1 supercomputing service
• Cirrus - a heterogeneous system EPSRC Tier-2 National HPC Facility

Online learning

Our online learning technology is fully interactive, and award-winning and enables you to communicate with our highly qualified teaching staff from the comfort of your own home or workplace.

Online Community

As an online student, not only will you have access to the University of Edinburgh’s excellent resources, but will also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.

Equipment requirements

This programme will not require you to run code locally as you will have access to the HPC systems provided as part of the programme. However, the ability to code on your device is required - therefore a laptop or desktop computer running Windows, iOS, or Linux is recommended.

We are globally recognised for our research, development and innovation and we’ve provided our students with world-class teaching for more than 425 years.

An Edinburgh degree works for you

The University of Edinburgh is one of the world’s top universities, consistently ranked in the world top 50 and placed 22nd in the 2024 QS World University Rankings.

Our graduates are ranked 26th in the world by employers1.

Excellence in research

The University of Edinburgh has an international reputation for innovative research across a wide range of disciplines.

According to the results of the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF2021), the University is ranked fourth in the UK based on the quality and breadth of its research - known as research power - and is Scotland’s top-ranked institution.

The REF2021 results reveal that nearly 90 per cent of the University’s research activity is in the highest categories – 4 star and 3 star – which are classified respectively as ‘ world-leading’ and ‘internationally excellent’, a growth of 10 percentage points since the previous REF in 2014.

Innovation in teaching

The latest report from the Quality Assurance Agency awarded us the highest rating possible for the quality of the student learning experience. We are always working to develop innovative approaches to teaching in order to discover the methods that work best for students, including e-learning techniques and peer-assisted learning.

Experts in online learning

We offer the largest portfolio of postgraduate online degrees in the UK2, welcoming more than 8,000 online students since 2005. Our flexible and supportive programmes are well-established and an increasingly popular choice for students looking to balance further study with professional or family commitments.

Beautiful capital city

Ranked in the world’s top 10 student cities3, Edinburgh is a compact city with excellent transport links, which makes it easy to get around and to travel to other parts of Scotland.

Large enough to offer something for everyone, but small enough to feel like home, Edinburgh is a modern, sophisticated and beautiful European city with a diverse, multicultural community.​

Facilities and support to help you succeed

You will have access to one of the largest and most important academic libraries in the world, housing over 1.8 million printed volumes. You’ll also benefit from 30 open-access computer labs with 24-hour access across key locations, as well as free laptop loans.

We offer a free Student Counselling Service and a University Health Centre, and our Student Disability Service provides a range of support for students with disabilities. We also offer excellent childcare services, making it easier to juggle parenthood and study.

Impressive global community

Our ambitious internationalisation strategy ensures the teaching and research we deliver offers global benefits. We’re ranked in the world's top 20 most international universities4. Students from two-thirds of the world’s countries study here.

We collaborate with a host of world-leading institutions in fields as diverse as e-science, engineering, life and medical sciences, and arts and culture. We’re also a member of the global research network Universitas 21 and the European networks Coimbra Group and LERU.

Leading on social responsibility and sustainability

We are committed to being a world leader in addressing global challenges including poverty, climate change and the growing demand for energy, food and water.

As Scotland’s first Fairtrade University, we have been promoting better conditions for farmers and communities in developing countries since 2004.

We have championed environmental sustainability since the early 1990s and were a founder signatory to the Universities and Colleges Climate Commitment 2009 and to the 10:10 campaign.

The University is host to several Global Academies committed to tackling issues related to health, justice, environment, and agriculture and food security. The Academies cross boundaries in research and teaching, adopting a multi-disciplinary response to challenging global issues.

1QS World University Rankings 2024 2Higher Education Statistics Agency 2017/18 3QS Student Cities 2023 4Times Higher Education, World’s Most International Universities 2022