Artificial Intelligence MSc

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Level of study:
Masters
Entry Requirements:
More information
Start date:
September 2026
Duration:
One year full-time / Two years full-time with one year placement / Up to two and a half years part-time
Attendance:
Full-time, Part-time, Placement year
Course delivery:
On-campus (Clifton Campus)

Artificial Intelligence students sitting at laptop

Information for 2026/27

About this course

Over the next ten years, artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to create new jobs, improve productivity, help tackle climate change and deliver better public services. The UK government are also heavily investing in AI growth through its AI Sector Deal.

In this course, you'll learn how to deploy, manage, and maintain AI technologies within the business value chain. You will gain the skills to work as part of an interdisciplinary team that include AI expert practitioners, who will be tasked with designing and developing systems that meet business requirements.

When you graduate, you will understand AI principles, concepts, techniques and methods to support the integration of fully developed AI technologies into existing information technology systems by adapting the existing systems to interface with the new technologies.

The course puts theory into practice through skills development relevant to the modern world, particularly the industrial application of artificial intelligence. It offers skills development as an integral part of the curriculum and as preparation for the world of work. As well as practical skills necessary for the Computing professional, with emphasis on design and development, students will develop transferable skills which will make them suitable for graduate employment in an ever-changing job market.

This course is available to students with some prior knowledge of quantitative research methods and experience in software engineering practice, for example, graduates of the Q-step Social Sciences with Quantitative Methods undergraduate degree courses who may also have software development experience through previous work.

The year-long paid work placement is an important feature of the course. It is optional, but if chosen, it will give you a distinct advantage in graduating. We have an excellent placements office to support finding a right placement opportunity for each student.

Conversion course

This is a conversion course intended for those who wish to retrain or gain skills and knowledge in the area of Artificial Intelligence. If you already hold an undergraduate degree or extensive knowledge of AI, you may be better suited to our MSc Robotics and Intelligent Systems, which builds on prior learning in this area.

Placement Opportunities

One year paid work placement option available.
Change your career direction

No prior AI or Computer Science knowledge needed if you have software engineering and quantitative research experience.
World-Leading Research

In the last Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) we’re proud that 80% of NTU's Computer Science submission was assessed to be world-leading or internationally excellent.
Learn from the experts

at a university rated TEF ‘Gold’ for teaching and learning.

On this MSc Artificial Intelligence course, you’ll study six 20-credit modules and work on a major independent project. Each module is taught over a ten-week block, and you’ll take no more than two modules at the same time, giving you space to focus deeply on each area of study.

Module information

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll be studying throughout the course:

We regularly review our course content based on student and employer feedback to ensure they remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or availability in future years. Optional modules will only run where there is sufficient demand. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis to protect the academic and student experience.

Throughout the course, you will experience a variety of teaching and assessment methods designed to help you demonstrate the learning outcomes of each module. Your MSc project forms a significant part of your degree, contributing one‑third of your final grade (60 credits).

We assess your subject knowledge and understanding mainly through written coursework and technical reports. Your ability to apply principles and techniques is developed and evaluated through individual assignments and case‑study work. These activities also help you build key transferable skills, including effective written communication and confident oral presentation.

You will work on simulated real‑world problems in case studies, allowing you to demonstrate problem‑solving abilities and creativity in designing solutions.

Laboratory sessions and workshops give you the opportunity to develop practical skills, particularly those related to hypothesis testing, data collection, and data interpretation.

In the Artificial Cognitive Systems module, work‑based learning is used to give you experience of completing coursework in group settings that reflect professional practice.

Artificial Intelligence and Innovation

On this course, you’ll engage with AI in a practical, informed way, reflecting its use across science and technology today. You’ll explore how AI supports analysis, problem solving and innovation, while developing the skills to understand its limitations and ethical implications.

AI won’t replace scientific knowledge or professional judgement. Instead, you’ll learn how it complements your expertise and enhances professional practice in industry and research.

We’ll help you build confidence, adaptability and informed judgement, preparing you for a changing workplace where human expertise remains essential.

How you're assessed

Typical assessments include coursework reports and presentations.

Contact hours

For each 20-credit module, you’ll spend about 200 hours learning overall. Around 40 of those hours will be taught in lectures or seminars. The rest of the time is for independent study, reading, research, or working on assignments.

Pedro Machado

Associate Professor

Dr Pedro Machado is an Associate Professor of Neuromorphic Computing in the Department of Computer Science, recipient of the Royal Academy of Engineering Leverhulme Fellowship (2026), fellow of the AdvanceHE and IEEE CertifAIEd lead assessor.
Visit Pedro Machado's staff profile
Salisu Yahaya

Senior Lecturer

Salisu Yahaya
Visit Salisu Yahaya's staff profile
Muhammad Arifur Rahman

Senior Lecturer

Dr M. Arifur Rahman is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Computer Science, NTU.
Visit Muhammad Arifur Rahman's staff profile
Philip Woodall

Senior Lecturer

Philip Woodall expert in data management and data quality
Visit Philip Woodall's staff profile
David Adama

Senior Lecturer

Dr David Adama is a Lecturer with the Department of Computer Science at Nottingham Trent University, where he is also a member of the Computational Intelligence and Applications (CIA) research group.
Visit David Adama's staff profile
Taha Osman

Principal Lecturer

Taha is a Principal Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science. He is also the Postgraduate Courses Manager for the Department.
Visit Taha Osman's staff profile
Tom Hughes-Roberts

Principal Lecturer

Tom Hughes- Roberts is a Principal Lecturer (Student Experience Manager) in Computer Science at NTU.
Visit Tom Hughes-Roberts's staff profile

Entry requirements

UK students

Academic entry requirements: 2.2 honours degree or equivalent in a technical or scientific subject*

Applicants must demonstrate knowledge of mathematics usually through modules taken on an undergraduate degree or through relevant professional experience.

Applicants must not hold an initial degree in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science or Machine Learning.

*including, but not limited to, sport science, biomedical sciences, environmental science, mathematics, statistics, economics, accounting, information systems, computer science, cybersecurity, software engineering, animal sciences, veterinary sciences, psychology, engineering.

Additional requirements for UK students

Other qualifications and experience

We welcome applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds and work experience. We consider credit transfer, vocational and professional qualifications, and any work or life experience you may have.

You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.

Getting in touch

If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.

International students

Academic entry requirements: 2.2 honours degree or equivalent in a technical or scientific subject*

Applicants must demonstrate knowledge of mathematics usually through modules taken on an undergraduate degree or through relevant professional experience.

Applicants must not hold an initial degree in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science or Machine Learning.

We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country.

English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.

Additional requirements for international students

If you need help achieving the academic entry requirements, we offer a Pre-Masters course for this degree. The course is offered through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC) based on our City Campus.

English language requirements

View our English language requirements for all courses, including alternative English language tests and country qualifications accepted by the University.

If you need help achieving the language requirements, we offer a Pre-Sessional English for Academic Purposes course on our City campus which is an intensive preparation course for academic study at NTU.

Other qualifications and experience

You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.

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Sign up to receive regular emails from the International Office. You'll hear about our news, scholarships and any upcoming events in your country with our expert regional teams.

Getting in touch

If you need advice about studying at NTU as an international student or how to apply, our international webpages are a great place to start. If you have any questions about your study options, your international qualifications, experience, grades or other results, please get in touch through our enquiry form. Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world.

Policies

We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.

Fees and funding

UK students

- see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.

Full-time - £10,300
Full-time with placement year - £10,300 + £1,905 for placement year
Part-time - £5,150

Please note that if you are considering a course that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for the first year of study. The course fee for the second year may be subject to annual review.

Find out about the extra support we may be able to provide to help pay for uni, including scholarships, discounts and loans.

Scholarships

You might be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies. We award scholarships to those who can demonstrate excellent achievement, passion and dedication to their studies. See which courses are eligible for scholarships.

Alumni discount

We’re happy to offer a 20% alumni discount to most current NTU students and recent NTU alumni. This discount is currently available for those starting an eligible postgraduate taught, postgraduate research or professional course.

Postgraduate loans

There is a government postgraduate loan scheme for Masters degrees. The loan contributes towards costs of study, and students can put it towards tuition fees, maintenance costs or other costs at their discretion. Find out more about postgraduate loans.

International students

- see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.

Full-time - £19,900
Full-time with placement year - £19,900 + £1,905 for placement year

Find out about the extra support we may be able to provide to help pay for uni, including scholarships, discounts and loans.

Scholarships

Alumni discount

Living costs

See our advice on managing your money, the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget.

Paying fees

As an international student, you'll need to make an advance payment as part of your offer conditions. You'll then need to pay your tuition fees in full, or have an agreement to pay in two further instalments, in order to enrol on the course.

Find out how and when to pay your fees, including information about your advance payment, instalment dates and how to make payments securely to the University.

Enquiries

If you have any queries relating to advance payments or arrangements to pay, please contact our friendly and experienced international enquiries team.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

Textbooks and library books

Your modules will point you to key textbooks and recommended reading. Many are available online, and in our libraries, but some students choose to buy their own copies. You’ll receive resource lists showing where to access eBooks, digital resources and physical copies. Our friendly Library team is always on hand to help you find what you need.

Printing and photocopying costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the printing and photocopying information on the Library website.

Placements

If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.

Fees and funding advice

For more advice and guidance, phone the Student Money Team on +44 (0)115 848 2494.

Cost of living information and support

Managing your money can help you make the most of life at NTU. Here's how we can support you, and now you can make your funding go further.

Cost of living in Nottingham

Our student benefits and free services

Money advice for international students

Careers and employability

The course has been designed to be industry-fit with active engagement from local and regional commercial partners. It will develop your integral understanding of business processes, statistics, and key computer science concepts for AI and management. This will help students from a diversity of backgrounds to transition to fields where these technologies are already being applied in sectors such as retail, manufacturing, and entertainment, and there is significant potential for further uptake, for example, in pharmaceuticals, education, and transport.

Some graduates venture into other sectors and are equally successful in gaining employment because of the transferable skills gained on the course. Other graduates who enjoyed the extensively applied research element of the course and the work on the MSc project will go on to study for a PhD.

Recent graduates have gone on to roles in the following organisations:

Savvy Build
Mediprospects AI
BigSpark
Sundance Multiprocessor Lda

Placement opportunities

NTU is one of the most employment-focused universities. Increasingly, employers want to recruit graduates who have real-world work experience. That’s why all of our courses, across every subject area, offer you a work experience opportunity. Our experts help build and support your future with various career programmes and events.

The school of Science and Technology will work closely with you to help you find a placement and strengthen your CV and interview techniques. You'll be supported and assessed throughout your placement year and will write a reflective report and diary at the end of your placement. When you successfully complete your placement and submit your placement report, you will be eligible to receive an additional Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Practice award.

Please note that placements are not guaranteed and the process is competitive through an application and interview process.

Re:search Re:imagined

Research is about more than writing papers and proposing new ideas. By daring to think differently, we’re disrupting the research landscape and finding the answers to the questions that matter. From conservation management to sustainable farming, we’re inspiring the brightest minds to rise and find solutions to some of the most significant global challenges facing society.

Employability Promise

Personalised support, one-on-one coaching and industry-specific advice – it’s all part of our Employability Promise. And it doesn’t end when you leave NTU – you’ll have access to all our careers services for three years after you graduate (conditions apply).
Graduate employers

Graduates from this course have successful careers in organisations such as:
- Savvy Build
- Mediprospects AI
- BigSpark
- Sundance Multiprocessor Lda
Assessed work-like experience

We’ve embedded at least eight weeks of assessed work-like experience into all of our courses. This gives you the opportunity to apply your learning in real-world scenarios, build your confidence, and develop the experience employers are looking for.
NTU Enterprise

If you’re a budding entrepreneur, NTU Student Enterprise can help you to develop your ideas and innovations and turn them into a reality. We also offer training, mentoring, workshops, financial advice and more to develop your business skills.

Campus and facilities

You’ll mainly be studying in the Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Centre (ISTeC) with access to facilities including a Games Development Lab Robotics lab and a High Performance Computing Suite.

Our self-contained, community-focused Clifton Campus has been designed to keep students busy between lectures. Catch up with your course mates in the Pavilion’s barista café and Refectory; brainstorm group presentations in stylish study spaces; enjoy some proper R&R in The Point, home of our Students’ Union. The campus also hosts the multimillion-pound Clifton Sports Hub, offering great options for everyone — whatever your interests, and however competitive you’d like to get!

You’re also right next to the bright lights of Nottingham — one of Britain’s top 10 student cities, and one of Europe’s top 25. Throughout term time, a dedicated on-campus bus service will take you to the heart of the action (and back) in under 25 minutes. You’ll find a city stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure: enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night.

Applying

UK students

Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.

You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU in our postgraduates' guide. Here you'll find advice about how to write a good personal statement and much more.

Keeping up to date

After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

Apply now

International students

Apply online through our NTU applicant portal.

Would you like some advice on your study plans?

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.