MSc ACS: Artificial Intelligence

Course description

Artificial Intelligence is a well-established, exciting branch of computer science concerned with methods to make computers, or machines in general, intelligent - so that they are able to learn from experience, to derive implicit knowledge from the one given explicitly, to understand natural languages such as English, Arabic, or Urdu, to determine the content of images, to work collaboratively together, etc. The techniques used in AI are as diverse as the problems tackled: they range from classical logic to statistical approaches to simulate brains.

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2019, the tuition fees are as follows:

• MSc (full-time)
• UK/EU students (per annum): £11,000 
• International students (per annum): £23,000
• MSc (part-time)
• UK/EU students (per annum): £5,500 
• International students (per annum): £11,500

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Entry requirements

_{English language}

In order to be accepted onto an MSc programme in the School of Computer Science, applicants need to provide evidence of having achieved the required level in a recognised English language qualification.

• IELTS: overall score of 7.0 with no sub-test below 6.0
• Pre-sessional English run by the University Language Centre

_{English language test validity}

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course. Please contact us for further information: [email protected]

Application and selection

_{How to apply}

Apply online

As there is high demand for this course we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Due to the competition for places, we give preference to applicants with grades above our minimum entry requirements.  

Applications for 2019 entry:

• Stage 1: Application received by 2 November 2018; Decision by 11 January 2019.
• Stage 2: Application received by  4 January 2019; Decision by 1 March 2019.
• Stage 3: Application received by 8 March 2019; Decision by 26 April 2019.
• Stage 4: Application received by 31 May 2019; Decision by 28 June 2019.

Whilst we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next deadline date.

_{Advice to applicants}

Apply online

As there is high demand for this course we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Due to the competition for places, we give preference to applicants with grades above our minimum entry requirements.  

We can only process applications that are submitted with the following supporting documents:

• Online application form
• First and second year transcripts (translated if not in English)
• A list of your final year units and a GPA certificate which shows your current average, expressed as a percentage and verified by your current institution.
• Two academic reference letter s, ora professional reference letter if you graduated more than two years ago

Teaching and learning

Computational thinking is becoming increasingly pervasive and is informing our understanding of phenomena across a range of areas; from engineering and physical sciences, to business and society. This is reflected in the way the Manchester course is taught, with students able to choose from an extremely broad range of units that not only cover core computer science topics, but that draw on our interdisciplinary research strengths in areas such as Medical and Health Sciences, Life Sciences and Humanities.

Coursework and assessment

Lectures and seminars are supported by practical exercises that impart skills as well as knowledge. These skills are augmented through an MSc project that enables students to put into practice the techniques they have been taught throughout the course.

Facilities

• Newly refurbished computing labs furnished with modern desktop computers
• Access to world leading academic staff
• Collaborative working labs complete with specialist computing and audio visual equipment to support group working.
• Over 300 Computers in the School dedicated exclusively for the use of our students.
• An Advanced Interfaces Laboratory to explore real time collaborative working;
• A Nanotechnology Centre for the fabrication of new generation electronic devices;
• An e-Science Centre and Access Grid facility for world wide collaboration over the internet.
• Access to a range of Integrated Development Environments (IDEs)
• Specialist electronic system design and computer engineering tools.

Careers

Students following the Artificial Intelligence pathway have all the career choices and options as described for general Advanced Computer Science.

In addition, students of this pathway are ideally placed to work in positions requiring an understanding of modern AI formalism and technologies such as Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, and Semantic Technologies. This includes the obvious positions in the games industry, but also positions in finance, commerce, and scientific research, and many more.

We maintain close relationships with potential employers and run various activities throughout the year, including career fairs, guest lectures, and projects run jointly with partners from industry. This is managed by our Employability Tutor; see the School of Computer Science's employability pages for more information.

Visit the MSc ACS: Artificial Intelligence page on the University of Manchester website for more details!