Heriot-Watt is ranked 2nd in Scotland (National Student Survey 2025), 5th in the UK (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026) and Top 200 in the world (2026 World University Subject Rankings). Heriot-Watt is a leader in applied mathematics research and education. Our faculty is at the forefront of many areas, including mathematical biology and ecology, machine learning, data science, financial modelling, and more. This two year Master's programme aims to provide students with the cutting-edge mathematical and statistical skills needed for success in today's data-driven world. Through a diverse curriculum and real-world projects, students will gain a solid theoretical foundation as well as hands-on experience applying mathematical concepts to tackle complex challenges across industries. Whether your interests lie in mathematical biology and ecology, artificial intelligence, big data analytics or other emerging fields, this programme will prepare you with the sophisticated analytical abilities and computational tools to launch an impactful career. The two-year MSc breakdown The first year (Stage 1) of this two year MSc Programme is a pre-masters year that will equip you with a solid, theoretical and practical foundation in applied mathematics. The second year (Stage 2) is the same as our current one-year MSc Programme in Applied Mathematical Sciences which is designed to equip students with the modern, transferrable mathematical skills to prepare them for careers in industry and research. International students: please note our minimum IELTS entry requirement is 5.5 in all sections. The whole two year programme only requires one visa. We encourage applications from a broad range of technical backgrounds. The Maxwell Institute of Mathematical Sciences We are part of the Maxwell Institute for Mathematical Sciences, a joint research institute bringing together within a single body the research activities of: The Department of Mathematics at Heriot-Watt University. The Department of Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics at Heriot-Watt University. The School of Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh. We are part of the Edinburgh Research Partnership in Engineering and Mathematics, alongside the University of Edinburgh, which consists of five joint research institutes and a joint graduate school.
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
-> Year 1 --> --> UK & EU: A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree or non-UK equivalent containing some maths and/or statistics content.
OS: A minimum of a 2:1 honours degree or non-UK equivalent containing some maths and/or statistics content.
We welcome applications from international students and accept qualifications from around the world. Please refer to the entry requirements for your country for more details.