Education and training at EPCC: learn from the experts!

We continually develop our offerings, providing our students with excellent career prospects across an impressive range of sectors. We hope you will choose to study with us and look forward to meeting you!

Taught programmes

Masters’ programmes

Since 2001, EPCC’s masters’ programme have trained students in the skills required to become experienced practitioners and leaders across high performance computing, computational and data science, and software engineering.

Doctoral and research study opportunities (PhD)

We offer PhD study opportunities in areas related to high performance computing, computational and data science, parallelism, software sustainability and software engineering. We also have a record of successful industry collaboration in this space.

Postgraduate professional development courses

Courses from our online MSc programme can also be taken as standalone Postgraduate Professional Development courses, providing you with a great way to expand or refresh your knowledge in a particular area.

Why study with us?

As the UK’s first National Supercomputing Centre, EPCC offers a rare combination of opportunities.

Our teaching staff have a wealth of experience and expertise at the forefront of computer science, high performance computing, parallel programming and data science.

In addition, our wide, varied, and interesting hardware ecosystem - from national supercomputing services to experimental testbeds - offers a unique setting for in-depth research and excellent connections into industry. The skills and knowledge gained by our students ensure they are well positioned to be at the forefront of computing.

EPCC is part of the University of Edinburgh, which was ranked in the top 30 universities in the world by Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, and 34th by QS World University Rankings 2026.

Masters’ programmes

EPCC runs two established masters’ programmes, which are available on-campus and online:
• High Performance Computing
• High Performance Computing with Data Science.

We also offer an MSc programme in Imaging, Vision, and High Performance Computing in collaboration with Heriot-Watt University, UK.

Our programmes have a strong practical focus, and students have access to an impressive range of leading-edge high performance computing and data platforms and technologies.

PhD study

Please see our list of current potential research topics and supervisors. We also welcome proposals in one of EPCC’s areas of research interest, and collaborative PhD projects with an industrial partner.

Before applying we recommend contacting us at phd@epcc.ed.ac.uk.

In-depth training for national HPC service users

EPCC training is delivered by experienced practitioners and backed up by practical exercises and real-world examples.

Through our links with national services, international collaborations and other projects, we deliver a comprehensive range of courses in high performance computing and data science to students, academic researchers and commercial clients across the UK and beyond. We also work throughout the University of Edinburgh to deliver interdisciplinary programmes building on expertise from across the University.