Artificial Intelligence

The MSc Artificial Intelligence is a specialist programme that has the core aim of preparing students for both an industrial career, with skills in the fields of computing, knowledge presentation, reasoning, robotics, machine learning, deep learning, neural networks, natural language processing, data analytics in the context of AI and the emerging and advanced topics in AI, and in addition providing a relevant platform to embark on further research studies. They will also be able to apply the acquired skills in the development of AI system and applications.



The delivery of the course is supported by multi-million pound infrastructure of a large-scale pervasive and mobile computing environment, a suite of contemporary sensing technologies and rapid prototyping facilities. The course content has been informed by internationally leading research being conducted in the School and by our strong industry partnerships, most notably with BT through the BT Ireland Innovation Centre (BTIIC) and with PwC through the Advanced Research and Engineering Centre (ARC).



This course has been developed in response to evidence of demand from industry and business for up-skilling of staff in the area of AI and addresses a clear gap in the marketplace for postgraduate study. The MSc in Artificial Intelligence will strive to address the growing demands in the sector by training computing professionals to follow a career in the AI industry. The course also provides a platform to embark on further research studies.



The course is accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, for Partial CITP (Chartered IT Professional) and Partial CEng (Chartered Engineer).



The School of Computing at Ulster University holds Athena Swan Bronze Award since 2016 and is committed to promote and advance gender equality in Higher Education. We particularly welcome female applicants, as they are under-represented within the School at postgraduate taught courses.



Work placement / study abroad

There is no placement as part of the course, however, there are opportunities in the course for you to participate in research and industry related projects through our two Innovation centres BTIIC, CHIC and ARC.



BTIIC is the BT Ireland Innovation Centre (BTIIC) in collaboration with Ulster University and BT. The centre aims to invent new ways of using data analytics, artificial intelligence and the IoT, through two work streams of Intelligent System and IoT.



CHIC is the Connected Health Innovation Centre is funded by Invest NI to support business led research in the area of connected health, with focus on data analytics and IoT. The centre currently has over 30 national and international member companies with both technical expertise and clinical experience.



Advanced Research Centre (ARC) is a joint centre with PWC, Ulster and Queens University Belfast. ARC brings together researchers, engineers and business executives, combining expertise from academia and industry within one R&D centre and aims to downstream innovative research into commercial applications. Three technical work streams are established at Ulster on Digital Transparency, Digital Transformation and Digital Empowerment.



Professional recognition

BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT

Accredited by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT for the purposes of partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional.



BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT

Accredited by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.

The MSc award consists of six compulsory taught modules (totaling 120 credits), in addition to a substantial piece of independent Masters Project (60 credits).



Students will study the following modules;

• Data Science and Machine Learning

• Deep Learning and Its Application

• Robotics & AI

• Knowledge Engineering

• Intelligence Engineering and Infrastructure

• Emerging and Advanced Topics in AI

Applicants must:

(a) have gained

(i) a second class honours degree or better, in the subject areas of Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics or closely related discipline, from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or from a recognised national awarding body, or from an institution of another country which has been recognised as being of an equivalent standard; or



(ii) an equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma or an approved alternative qualification excluding Conversion courses; and the qualification must be in the subject areas of Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics or closely related discipline.



and



(b) provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade C or equivalent). For applicants whose first language is not English the minimum English language requirement is an Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5, Trinity ISE: Pass at level III or equivalent English language tests comparable to IELTS equivalent score.



In exceptional circumstances, as an alternative to (a) (i) or (a) (ii) and/or (b), where an individual has substantial and significant experiential learning, a portfolio of written evidence demonstrating the meeting of graduate qualities (including subject-specific outcomes, as determined by the Course Committee) may be considered as an alternative entrance route. Evidence used to demonstrate graduate qualities may not be used for exemption against modules within the programme.



English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants

The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.



Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Part-time. Typically 10-15 timetabled hours per week Monday – Friday.

Start dates: September 2025

Career options

AI is at the centre of Industry 4.0 – The Fourth Industrial Revolution. Many countries, including the UK, US and China, have taken AI as a priority area for research and development. The UK government and industry have committed to spend nearly £1 billion on AI based on the recommendations made by Wendy Hall, Regius Professor of computer science at the University of Southampton and Jérôme Pesenti, vice-president of AI at Facebook, in their review of the UK’s AI industry.



The new MSc in Artificial Intelligence will strive to address the growing demands being placed on the sector by training computing professionals to follow a career either in industry or academia. The course provides opportunities for training and development of the skills required to contribute to the local and global industrial opportunities that AI offers. AI has applications in almost every industry sector including, but not limited to, Health, Financial Technology, Advanced Manufacturing, Media, Energy, Civic Society and Public Policy. Graduates from the course will be well placed to progress into a career across a range of industrial settings in these sectors. The School have active Industry engagement and links with vibrant technology sector in Northern Ireland. Graduates from the course also have opportunity to embark on further research at the Ph.D. level.