MSc Artificial Intelligence for Media

Artificial Intelligence technologies have brought significant breakthrough in media production. The job opportunities related to machine learning are surging drastically; this course will provide you with the skills to enhance your market competitiveness.

Delivery:
Full time according to Funding Council definitions

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Please note that this course is not recruiting for September 2021.

Why study MSc Artificial Intelligence for Media at BU?

Reorientate your career following the technical revolution in the media industry on AI automation
Develop the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of using the latest AI techniques in media production
Work closely with industry partners on solving practical problems
Become competent in the job market with both the knowledge of AI and media production
Collaborate with students from across the NCCA Master's courses
Plan and execute a major project to showcase your talent to industry professionals and potential employers at the NCCA Master's Degree Show.

Find out more about the content of this course.

Study at the National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA)

The NCCA is one of the most established and highly regarded centres for computer graphics and animation education and research. As one of very few research-intensive animation centres in the UK, our expertise not only ensures our courses remain at the forefront of education, but also helps to define new industry practices.

The NCCA is ranked as the UK’s top animation school, second in Europe and third internationally (Animation Career Review, 2021).

See what it's like to study on this course

Image description — Talbot Campus is where you'll find facilities such as The Sir Michael Cobham Library, the Student Centre (where our Students' Union offices are based), the £22 million Fusion Building and the brand new Poole Gateway Building

Next start date:

September 2022

Location:

Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus

Duration:

1 year full-time including an optional 3-month placement during the Masters Project

Entry requirements:

A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 or equivalent in any subject and professional or taught experience in a media related discipline. This may include backgrounds in audio / video / image manipulation and processing, computer animation or related disciplines. A portfolio is also required in support of your application. For more information see our full entry requirements.

International entry requirements:

IELTS 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in writing, speaking, listening and reading. For more information see our full entry requirements.

Course details

On this course you will be taught by a range of staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This will include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners, demonstrators, technicians and research students. You will also benefit from regular guest lectures from industry.

Download the programme specification (pdf 351kb)

Core units

Machine Learning for Media Production: You'll gain a critical understanding of the theory involved in the machine learning and existing ML SDK tools and techniques for media production, and to enable you to develop your problem solving and technique development skills.
Data Mining on Multimedia Data: You'll be introduced to the algorithms and computational paradigms that allow computers to find patterns and regularities in datasets, perform prediction and forecasting, and generally improve performance through interaction with data. The data mining processing includes data selection, cleaning, coding, using different statistical and machine learning techniques, and visualization of the generated structures.
Animation Software Engineering: This unit will equip you with the technical computing skills necessary in the design and implementation of AI techniques, and the knowledge to select the correct programming languages, application, programming interfaces and techniques to solve media production problems.
Media Data Analytics and Modelling: You'll learn about the science of analysing media data (such as images, video, natural language, sound, 3D models and motions) to reveal features and metrics in order to make conclusions about the information it contains.
Group Project: Working with students from across the NCCA Master's courses, you'll present a substantial piece of work with technical/creative content.
Masterclass: You'll explore the professional world of the artificial intelligence industry, and be exposed to advanced production issues of professional practice, providing you with the theoretical and practical knowledge of specialist artificial intelligence techniques.
Masters Project: You'll plan and execute a major project in a professional manner utilising relevant techniques and undertake a critical analysis of your own work. You'll focus on a specific problem in media production which has the potential to be automated by the latest artificial intelligence technology.

The Masters Degree Show

The Master’s Degree Show is the culmination of one year’s work for the Master's NCCA courses. This is your opportunity to showcase your talent to industry professionals and potential employers.

View the work of our most recent graduates

Resources, equipment and technology

Programme specification

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry. If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

Your application

This course will be suited to graduates from various backgrounds, mathematical, computer disciplines as well as those from creative backgrounds who have professional or taught experience in a media related discipline such as computer animation, audio/video/image manipulation and processing, or related disciplines.

Selection methods

Background and experience

For MSc Artificial Intelligence we are looking for applicants who:

Demonstrate both intellectual and creative abilities,
Have a passion for the discipline of Artificial Intelligence,
Show an understanding of the computer animation, visual effects, media production or a related discipline
Demonstrate good written and oral communication skills.

It is preferable that you have basic programming skills, however this is not an essential requirement.

Portfolio

In support of your application to MSc Artificial Intelligence for Media, you are required to submit a portfolio to

demonstrate proficiency with one or more forms of media production. Examples include animation production, film, sound engineering, television, print media, image work and affiliated disciplines.
describe your ideas how Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning would be applicable in the specific media area you picked. A few sentences will be enough, but happy to see some detailed discussion about your thought. Examples include automatic generation of artistic paintings, photo or sketch based 3D modelling, virtual avatar movement with certain personality and emotions, sound/music composition with certain styles or mood, etc.

Please include links to repositories where we are able to view and assess your work.

Where a project is the result of collaboration please indicate clearly which aspect of the work were your responsibility.

Where applicable, dissertation projects and art portfolios may also be included. And if you have done any programming or scripting (like python etc) before, please include the script in the portfolio.

Your portfolio will be reviewed by one of the tutors on the course and you may be invited to attend an online interview to discuss your application further.

How and when to apply

There is no application deadline for this course. However, if you will need a visa to come to the UK to study, think carefully about the length of time it will take for your visa application to be processed and make sure your visa will be ready in time for the beginning of your course.

Click the green ‘Apply now’ button to submit your application free of charge online through myHub, our application portal. You will create your own myHub account so that you can track the progress of your application. Don’t forget to save your application as you go; you can return to it at as many times as you want before you submit it. For more information visit our How to apply section.

Supporting your study

This course may have compulsory elements involving practical production activities. When required, students must complete a health and safety risk assessment to take part in these activities, for their safety and that of others. As part of that assessment students provide information about any conditions or disabilities that might affect their ability to undertake these activities fully or safely.

If you have such a condition or disability, please let us know as soon as possible. You can contact our Additional Learning Support (ALS) service about this before or after making an application. We will then work with you to identify any support or adjustments you would need. Our ALS team works with the Faculty to seek to put in place reasonable adjustments and health and safety plans.

Exceptionally, it may not be possible to arrange for a student to access these courses without either over-riding their core standards or competencies or creating unacceptable risks to health and safety. If that is the case we will help you explore alternative course choices.

Entry requirements

General entry requirements

The normal requirements for embarking upon a postgraduate taught degree are:

A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 in any subject.
Professional Qualifications or Diplomas deemed equivalent to a 2:2 or above Honours Degree.
Industrial Experience deemed equivalent to a 2:2 or above Honours Degree.
A clear personal statement

Applicants are also required to submit a portfolio and may be required to attend an interview in support of their application for this course.

This course requires you to have professional or taught experience in a media related discipline. This may include backgrounds in audio / video / image manipulation and processing, computer animation or related disciplines.

If you lack the formal academic qualifications needed to enter a postgraduate or post-experience degree, there are several alternative routes to follow - some based on experience. Contact the Future Students Enquiry Team for more information.

International entry requirements

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry:

China: 学士学位 (Bachelor degree)
Nigeria: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution in Nigeria
Thailand: Thai Bachelor's (Honours) degree from a recognised higher education institution.
Vietnam: Bachelor's degree/Bang tot nghiep dai hoc with an average score of at least 7.0, or a Master’s degree/Thac si.
Turkey: Bachelor’s Degree (Lisans Diplomasi -four years) to be considered for a postgraduate course at BU.

All applications will be subject to a minimum grade and your degree may need to be in a relevant subject area.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with minimum 6.0 in each component, or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

Bournemouth University International College offers a number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes to prepare international students for postgraduate study at BU. Admission to the degree is guaranteed on successful completion of your course to the required level.

Non-academic requirements

IT Skills

All applicants are expected to have some basic knowledge and understanding of computer systems before starting the programme. However, there is no requirement on the knowledge of artificial intelligence and software development.

Communication

MSc Artificial Intelligence for Media comprises of students from all across the globe. If this is your first experience of working within a multi-national community, you will be encouraged to celebrate and openly communicate with your international classmates.

Other

MSc Artificial Intelligence for Media is a Postgraduate Degree and not a training programme. It is important that applicants understand the nature of postgraduate study and the level of analytical critique they will need to bring. We expect our students to work in a very focused way from day one of the programme, and work consistently hard for its duration

Careers

The course is primarily intended to foster graduates with the unique skillset required to pursue various Artificial Intelligence related roles in the media industries. During your degree you will have the opportunity to work with some of the UK's leading media production organisations, through the National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA), and can make valuable contacts before you graduate.

All information shown has been taken from Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) or BU institutional data unless otherwise stated.

Typical starting job roles

Our NCCA graduates have gone on to work on some of the most successful films, including Avatar, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Interstellar, Gravity and Alice in Wonderland to name just a few. Among the roles you can apply for once you graduate are:

3D VFX Designer
Motion Editor
Technical Animator
3D Artist
Film Technician
Machine Learning Engineer
Computer Vision Engineer
Deep Learning Engineer
Natural Language Processing Engineer
Further studies at postgraduate level or PhDs

Our NCCA graduates work all over the world, and many are employed by the industry's leading animation and production houses, software houses, and computer game and digital media companies.

Further study

Costs and fees

You can find full information about the deposits required and how to pay your fees in our postgraduate fees and funding section, including details of the Postgraduate Loan.

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per annum. Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course.

Find out more about living expenses for postgraduate students

No hidden extras

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course, including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity
Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study
A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features
IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances
The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team

Costs of living and other expenses you need to consider

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shops stock a wide range of stationery supplies on both campuses
Accommodation and living costs. Please visit our website for more information.
Travel costs for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).
Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass can be purchased alongside your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately
Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas) if this is part of your course of study. Information about funding your placement year can be found on our website.
Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study
SportBU membership.

While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

Repeat units

Financial help available from BU

Deposits

International (not Rep. of Ireland) students need to pay a non-refundable £3,000 deposit to secure their place on a postgraduate course. You will need to pay your deposit by the date stated in your offer letter. The remainder of your fee will be payable on registration/enrolment. There are two exceptions to the non-refundable rule on the deposit:

You fail to meet the academic or English requirements of your offer
You are refused a visa to enter the UK, provided the reason for the refusal is not a fraudulent application.

Our staff

On this course you will be taught by staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This could include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students, many of whom are actively engaged in research and/or professional practice which is integrated into the teaching of this course. Please note that staff can change.

Dr Xiaosong Yang

Dr. Yang is currently an Associate Professor at the National Centre for Computer Animation. His research focuses on a number of topics relating to computer animation, motion capture and synthesis, data mining, digital health, virtual reality, surgery simulation, etc. He has produced more than 60 peer reviewed publications that include international journal articles and conference papers. As PI and Co-I, he has secured 12 research grants from European Commission, Wessex AHSN, British Academy, Leverhulme, Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (UK), Higher Education Innovation Fund, Royal Bournemouth Hospital, BU Fusion Investment Fund, China Scholar Council, etc.

View Dr Xiaosong Yang's profile

Course changes

Changes for 2022 entry

Date	Changes to this course
25/06/21	Where the change was made: International entry requirements Change: English language requirement changed to IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with minimum 6.0 in each component, or equivalent. Previous text: IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each component, or equivalent.

Statistics shown throughout this page are taken from Unistats and BU institutional data unless otherwise stated.