This MSc has been created as part of a £13 million Office for Students initiative to accelerate the number and diversity of skilled artificial intelligence (AI) and data science graduates. It has been designed from both an employer and student perspective, based on our internationally recognised research in multidisciplinary AI and Data Analytics, to provide distinctive and inclusive teaching for students from a wide variety of backgrounds. As part of this, a number of £10,000 Scholarships are available for black, female and disabled students.

To meet employer demand, the number of skilled people in AI and data science needs to increase by 70% by 2020, just to keep pace with demand. There is also an acknowledgement that increasing diversity in the AI workforce is vital to ensure that everyone with the potential to participate has the opportunity to do so, in order to reflect the needs and make-up of society as a whole. This course, therefore, has been developed with an Employer Steering Group including organisations such as Synectics Solutions Ltd, Powelectrics, Aspire Housing, SSE Enterprise Energy Solutions, Santander, Caja Ltd Astec IT Solutions, Teal Legal, Hildebrand Technology Limited, Rushkeep, Digital Law UK & Anson Evaluate, so that it not only meets the current demands of industry but also the skills that future industrial AI and data science will require.

This course aims to support students, from both STEM and non-STEM disciplines by providing those without prior experience, the foundations of areas such as programming and mathematics, so that all students can then progress to more advanced areas such as Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Visualisation, Cloud Computing, the “Internet of Things” and Intelligent Systems. During the course, students will also further develop their academic and professional skills and get the chance to work with other students and external organisations to make a real interdisciplinary and societal impact in taught modules, an A.I. and Data Science ambassador scheme and as part of an industrial project/placement.

TEACHING FACILITIES

You will be taught in dedicated teaching and laboratory space equipped with cutting edge computer systems. We also have a MakerSpace, a multi-purpose research lab equipped with a variety of robots and aVicon motion-tracking system, a Gaming Lab and a perception lab with state-of-the-art virtual reality equipment. You will also have the opportunity to access data and systems from current research projects such as the Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (SEND) and to visit the Horwood Energy Centre on the Keele campus, the control room for SEND.

DURATION: 1-year full-time

SUBJECT AREAS: Computer Science, Natural Sciences, Science

FEES (2021/22 ACADEMIC YEAR): £16,500

SCHOLARSHIPS: £1,000 to £10,000