We recently caught up with Professor José Luiz Fiadeiro from the Department of Computer Science to find out more about MSc in Artificial Intelligence.
Q1. What areas can students expect to study in MSc in Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides a set of advanced technologies through which machines can sense, comprehend, act and learn. Our degree teaches both the foundational aspects and the practical skills through which our graduates contribute to reinventing how businesses and organisations operate, compete and thrive in ways not seen since the Industrial Revolution.
Students can expect to study topics in Machine Learning (we offer four modules, including Deep Learning), which are the methods and techniques through which systems can learn; Natural Language Processing, including conversational systems and recurrent deep learning architectures for text processing; Autonomous Intelligent Systems, including planning, probabilistic reasoning, Markov decision processes, reinforcement learning techniques for cooperation and coordination; Experimental Design, including principles and quantitative methods for the design and analysis of computational experiments, which are notions that are at the core of current research and practice in AI.
For students who don’t have any background in AI, we offer a module through which they can acquire a deep understanding of foundational Artificial Intelligence principles and techniques to model complex real-world problems, as well as writing algorithms and problems to solve them.
Q2. What do you think makes this course different from similarly titled courses on offer across the UK?
Because of the research expertise available in the Department, we can afford to offer a wide pool of modules that students can choose from, all taught by world leading academics. The Department operates a dedicated state-of-the-art computing cluster HP DL380 comprising 32 processors, 32 Terabytes of disk storage, GPU and RDMA networking, which students can use for lab work and projects. The possibility of going on a paid industrial placement, up to one year, is another distinctive feature of our programmes.
Q3. What are the entry requirements for this degree?
Candidates should have, or expect to gain, at least an upper second-class honours degree (or the UK equivalent) in Computer Science, Economics, Engineering,
Mathematics, Physics or other subjects that include a strong element of both mathematics and computing. Industrial experience may compensate for lesser degrees or lack of technical qualification, as will demonstrated programming skills and a strong ability to learn. All applications are treated on an individual basis. Non-native English-speaking applicants should hold IELTS 6.5 or a recognised equivalent qualification.
Q4. What prospects would students studying this course benefit from?
Students will acquire skills that will make them highly employable in all sectors of the economy. For example, they will be able to: design and implement AI solutions for real-world complex problems; apply well-founded principles to building reliable autonomous intelligent systems; analyse complex AI systems in terms of their performance, reliability, and correctness; design and implement effective experiments to inform and test AI solutions; work with software languages to develop AI capabilities such as diagnosis, planning, learning, and autonomous decision making; formalise, design and build autonomous systems applications in open and uncertain environments; design and implement natural-language processing techniques; deploy computational linguistics in conversational systems and human-computer interaction; implement machine learning and deep learning solutions; and program data-analysis algorithms using specialised software packages.
Because the programme will run for the first time in 2019/20, we cannot provide any data on where our graduates are working. However, we have an excellent record of graduate employability for our other MSc programmes, as indicated on our website. Part of this success is associated with our Year-in-Industry pathway, which gives students the opportunity to acquire other important work skills; most of our students get job offers by the companies where they are placed or move on to other companies.
Discover more in the Computer Science brochure.
Find out more about MSc in Artificial Intelligence.