BSc Artificial Intelligence with Industrial Experience / Course details

One of the challenges in computing is to make computers demonstrate intelligent behaviour, so that they can solve new problems or cope with the unknown. Current achievements include image and voice recognition, and NASA's Mars Rovers. By combining the study of artificial intelligence and traditional computing techniques with an understanding from psychology of how humans learn, these degree programmes prepare you for a career applying computing in challenging applications.

Artificial intelligence related topics covered include techniques for representing and reasoning about knowledge, including approaches in machine learning in which general patterns are learned from examples. These programmes give you the opportunity to study these techniques, and their application in areas such as computer vision, games, natural language processing and the semantic web.

This is a four year programme and involves you undertaking a one year work placement in industry between the second and third years of your study at Manchester. Besides the money that you earn during this year, you also gain practical experience that can be invaluable both in your final year project and when competing for graduate jobs. Students with industrial experience not only tend to improve their final degree performance but also tend to develop clearer ideas about their future career path.

Detailed programme and course unit information is available here

• Ability to get relevant industrial/business experience as part of the degree programme.
• Allows you to design and develop all aspects of artificial intelligence systems
•  Students can make course unit choices that allow them to change between the Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence and Distributed Computing programmes at the end of the first year.

At Manchester we aim to provide a unique experience. Studying Computer Science with us will give you the chance to follow your academic curiosity and explore a fascinating subject.

A significant amount of your work will be project-based team work, tackling real problems. You will see how computer science is directly applicable to solving problems, across a broad range of areas.

The emphasis throughout is on independent learning, supported by regular meetings in small groups with personal tutors. You receive practical help and support from experienced staff and postgraduates, with leading experts guiding your learning and stimulating your interest. This approach is supported by conventional lectures and comprehensive on-line learning resources. We also provide excellent facilities, including specialist laboratories to support areas such as engineering and robotics.

Unseen examinations account for about 60% of the assessment. These assess your abilities in the selection and application of knowledge, problem solving, and the design and evaluation of software or electronics. Other assessment is mainly through laboratory-based coursework that provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of computer science of electronic principles by tackling specific problems on a more realistic scale, both individually and in groups.

The remaining assessment is through presentations and essays where, in particular, you demonstrate the transferable skills you have acquired. In the third and final year, the non-examination assessment is mainly made up of the practical project.

I always has the mind-set in my degree that I was learning how to learn. I feel like the BSc in Computer Science gives you a very holistic view of the subject, all the way from logic gates to high-level modules like Computer Vision.

Seb Masaru, BSc Computer Science

The community, the Department, the University, and the city itself are so vibrant in Manchester. You get the sensation that the people here are all extremely approachable.

As you would expect from leaders in the field, we offer some of the most up to date facilities in the world. Amongst the wide range of facilities available to you are:

• Newly refurbished computing labs furnished with modern desktop computers, available with Linux and Windows
• 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 Department dedicated exclusively for the use of our students.
• Access to a hardware library, with top of the range equipment, including drones, robots and oculus rifts.