Operational Research with Computational Optimization MSc

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: Mathematics and Statistics

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

On campus

Full-time
  • MSc | 1 year | Start date: September 2026
Part-time
  • MSc | 2 years | Start date: September 2026

Key facts

School

School of Mathematics

College

College of Science and Engineering

Programme website
Study location

King's Buildings campus

Accreditation

Not available

Apply now

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About the degree programme

This programme will show you how to use mathematical techniques to tackle real-life problems ranging from scheduling flights and routing mobile phone calls, over optimising power systems and logistic networks, to managing investments and minimising risks.

Operational Research (OR) is an important skill that is in high demand.

This MSc will give an operational research perspective on computational optimization.

In this video our academic staff and students outline what to expect as part of a Masters in Operational Research.

Study options

In addition to this MSc in Operational Research with Computational Optimization, we offer the following degrees:

Looking back on the programme, what I appreciated most was how it combined the depth of theoretical formulations with efficient solution methods. We weren't just taught how to build mathematical models but how to make them work in practice, even when the real world doesn’t play nicely. 

Fahad Bahzad MSc Operational Research with Computational Optimization, graduated 2025
Fahad Bahzad, MSc Operational Research with Computational Optimization

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Full-time
Part-time

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Deposit

You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your place on this programme.

Costs

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that you might spend £1,167 to £2,330 per month if you are a single student.

Living costs include:

  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel, clothes, books and stationery
  • recreational costs (for example, TV subscriptions and social events)

Living costs

Accommodation costs depend on where you live while studying and the type of accommodation you choose.

University postgraduate accommodation options and costs

Funding opportunities

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

Value: £10,000
Eligibility: UK students on an Operational Research MSc programme
View details: OR Society scholarships

Search for other funding opportunities

You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.

Postgraduate funding opportunities

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 degree, or its international equivalent, in a numerate discipline such as mathematics, engineering, computer science, physical or biological sciences, economics or business. You can increase your chances of a successful application by exceeding the minimum programme requirements.

International qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • 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.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 7 with at least 6 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 145 with at least 135 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.   

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We 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

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

What you will study

This programme involves two taught semesters of compulsory and optional courses followed by your dissertation project.

Compulsory courses

Compulsory courses have previously included:

  • Fundamentals of Operational Research
  • Fundamentals of Optimization
  • Methodology, Modelling and Consulting Skills
  • Simulation
  • Stochastic Modelling

Option courses

Optional courses have previously included:

  • Algorithmic Game Theory and its Applications*
  • Biostatistics
  • Credit Scoring
  • Generalised Regression Models
  • Introductory Probability and Statistics
  • Large Scale Optimization for Data Science
  • Machine Learning in Python
  • Operational Research in the Energy Industry
  • Optimization Methods in Finance
  • Optimization Under Uncertainty
  • Python Programming
  • Risk and Logistics
  • Statistical Methodology
  • Statistical Programming
  • Time Series
  • Topics in Applied Operational Research

*delivered by the School of Informatics

Find courses for this programme

Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.

The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.

Full-time
Part-time

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Teaching and assessment

Assessment

Dissertation projects

Dissertation projects take place directly after the taught component. 

We offer students flexibility by offering dissertations in partnership with public and private sector organisations or an academic project without a direct link to an external organisation. 

We also allow students to propose their own dissertation either with a public or private sector partner or as an academic project.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this programme you will have:

  • built your expertise in mathematical modelling
  • gained flexible problem-solving skills based on a deep knowledge of operational research, optimization and data analysis techniques and the ability to apply them using appropriate software
  • acquired transferable skills to maximize your prospects for future employment in a wide range of public and private institutions, including writing, oral presentation, team-working, numerical and logical problem-solving, planning and time-management
  • enhanced your consulting skills
  • learned practical skills in programming and modelling for a wide range of applications
  • expanded your understanding of related disciplines, such as high-performance computing, finance and engineering

Support for your studies

Student Support Team

In the School of Mathematics, we have a dedicated Student Support Team consisting of six staff members.

You will have a Student Adviser who is your first point of contact during your time at the University of Edinburgh, and who is available to help and advise on a range of issues connected to your postgraduate study.

Study support will be provided by academics acting as Cohort Leads, with wider teaching teams, who will work with students to connect you with your programme of study and provide you with more specialist subject support.

Where you will study

Study location

Teaching for School of Mathematics courses will take place at the King's Buildings campus, usually in the James Clerk Maxwell Building (JCMB).

The MScHub in JCMB is specifically for School of Mathematics MSc students, and offers a dedicated space for studying and socialising, including its own kitchen facilities.

Academic facilities

Full details of the facilities available at King’s Buildings (including libraries, study spaces and catering outlets) are available on the College of Science and Engineering website:

Facilities at King's Buildings

Career opportunities

You will gain the transferable skills required to pursue careers in a data-rich operational research environment, and will be in an ideal position to apply for work in a wide range of institutions in the public and private sector.

The degree is also excellent preparation for further study in operational research, optimization or data science.

Most of our recent graduates have gone on to work in the private or public sector, take up PhD positions or begin their own companies. Some examples of positions held by our recent graduates include:

  • Analytics Consultant
  • Software Engineer
  • Data Scientist
  • Operations Research Scientist
  • AI Engineer
  • PhD Student
  • Optimization Developer
  • Tech start-up founder

The skills you will learn are in demand by a vast range of high-profile organisations where recent graduates have joined:

  • British Airways
  • Edinburgh Airport
  • the Government OR Service
  • National Energy System Operator (NESO)
  • Ernst & Young
  • OPTRAK Distribution Software Ltd
  • smaller specialised OR, finance, and energy companies

The School of Mathematics Business Development Team can also put students in touch with Edinburgh Innovations, who offer services for students interested in enterprise and entrepreneurship. There are several events during the year to explore and develop start-up ideas.

Edinburgh Innovations

Professional links

The School of Mathematics has connections with a wide number of industrial partners, organisations, charities and government departments.

As an MSc student in the School you will have opportunities to engage with these external organisations through regular employability events, careers workshops, and our annual analytics challenge (whose recent partners have included Edinburgh Airport and the Data and Marketing Association). 

There is also the opportunity to undertake a dissertation project with an external partner.

Recent external partners for dissertations in the Operational Research MSc programmes include:

  • NatWest
  • Department for Work and Pensions
  • KrakenFlex (Octopus Energy)
  • Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders)
  • Sopria Steria
  • Flexitricity

Further study

After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.

Applying for research degrees

Moving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service)

Graduate profiles

You can browse some recent Operational Research graduate testimonials on our School website.

Student experience

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. 

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. 

With the Careers Service, you can: 

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions 

Visit the Careers Service website 

How to apply

You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.

You should only apply to one of these programmes: 

  • Operational Research (OR)
  • OR with Computational Optimization
  • OR with Data Science
  • OR with Risk

If you are considering applying to more than one programme, you should be aware that we cannot consider more than 3 applications from the same applicant.

When to apply

Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines.

We strongly recommend you apply as early as possible. Applications may close earlier than the published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.

We may make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis. However, the majority of applications will be held until the advertised deadline.

We aim to make the majority of decisions within eight weeks of the selection deadline.

If we have not made you an offer by a specific selection deadline this means one of two things:

  • your application has been unsuccessful, in which case we will contact you to let you know
  • your application is still being considered, it will be carried forward for consideration in the next selection deadline, and we will be in touch once a decision is made

The final deadline may be extended if any places remain on the programme.

If the final deadline is extended, we encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

Selection deadlines

RoundApplication deadlineDecisions made or applications rolled to the next deadline
115 December1 March
231 March31 May
331 May31 July

When to submit your supporting documents

You must submit all supporting documents by the application deadline, or we will be unable to consider your application. Regardless of when you apply, you have 28 days from submitting your application to supply any supporting documents through the Application Hub, after which we will automatically reject your application.

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

You will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

References

You must submit one reference with your application.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

After you apply

Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.

Checking the status of your application

We will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.

Receiving our decision

What to do if you receive an offer:

What our students say

Student blogs

Learn about what life is like as a MSc student in the School of Mathematics by hearing from the people that have experienced it first-hand! Our student bloggers come from all across the world, and have studied on a variety of our MSc programmes.

Postgraduate blogs

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single postgraduate taught students from outside the UK and new, single postgraduate research (typically PhD) students who:

  • apply for accommodation by 31 July in the year when you start your programme
  • accept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 July
  • study at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in September

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

We also offer accommodation options for couples and families.

Accommodation for couples and families

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

Societies

Sport Clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life. 

Find out more about living in Edinburgh

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include: 

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustments

Health and wellbeing support services 

Disability and Learning Support

General enquiries

Admissions
School of Mathematics
James Clerk Maxwell Building
The King's Buildings Campus
Edinburgh
EH9 3FD

futurestudents@ed.ac.uk

Academic contact

Dr Kit Searle

Programme Director

Contact details

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