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Postgraduate

MSc Data Science and AI for the Creative Industries

CCI staff and students talk in the breakout space at CCI
CCI staff and students talk in the breakout space, 2019, UAL Creative Computing Institute, ©Ana Escobar
College
UAL Creative Computing Institute Start date
October 2023 Course length
1 year (45 weeks including summer thesis project)

This MSc course gives you the opportunity to learn computer and data science skills, as well as introducing you to functional approaches to AI.

Why choose this course at UAL Creative Computing Institute

  • High-quality research informed teaching: the course is significantly informed by the research themes of the UAL Creative Computing Institute (CCI)
  • Critical engagement with technology: engagement with creative practice will also build your ability to self-reflect and think critically about your role in shaping the world
  • Institute environment: you will have access to purpose-built facilities and technical support, and exposure to creative computing research

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Course overview

The post-graduate conversion masters MSc Data Science and AI for the Creative Industries offers BA arts and humanities graduates the opportunity to re-orient their studies to an applied STEM discipline in a creative industries context. Designed in collaboration with the creative industries, this masters delivers applied computer science skills and data science training, introducing functional approaches to AI across multiple use cases.

This course has been developed in response to the Office for Students identifying a need for data science and AI skills in multiple sectors within the UK and internationally. It is anticipated that graduates with these skills will be in high demand. Additionally, the programme seeks to attract diverse learners so as to increase diversity within this high value and growing part of the creative technology economy.

As a student at the UAL Creative Computing Institute you will study in a specialist, research rich environment. The Institute provides dedicated technical resources, access to an Institute-wide lecture programme, and further opportunities to engage with Institute researchers and practitioners through additional events, seminars and workshops. By studying at the UAL Creative Computing Institute, you will join a network of creative researchers excited by the potential of computational technologies.

Contact us

Register your interest to receive information and updates about studying at UAL.

Contact us to make an enquiry.

Course units

STEM for Creatives (20 Credits)

This unit offers a conversion boot camp for STEM study for arts and humanities graduates including the maths that underpins the data science approaches later in the course. This unit is taught by a STEM academics who have worked in a creative industries setting.
 

Natural Language Processing for the Creative Industries (20 credits)

This practical class develops key coding skills to support NLP for the creative industries and introduces applied computer science concepts for arts and humanities graduates. Students will use coding languages such Python and JavaScript to develop approaches to text analysis, text generation, chatbots, conversational interfaces for sectors such as data journalism, art practice, social media analysis and bias in large language models.

 

Introduction to Data Science (20 credits)

This computing and seminar class uses programming approaches to statistics, structuring data, analysing data and explores approaches to questioning real world datasets. This units also gives a grounding in data ethics, data handling and GDPR.

 

Artificial Intelligence for Media (20 credits)

This practical class introduces students to practical Artificial Intelligence tools such as Tensorflow an pyTorch in order to do signal processing classification, regression, style transfer, image and video generation and includes exploring techniques such as, deep fakes, GANS, pix-2-pix and others. You will benefit from tuition from senior CCI researchers in this area and our relationships with industrial product teams such as Google Brain.
 

Data Science in the Creative Industries (20 credits)

This unit is taught in partnership with our current industry partner (WPP) and involves an industry case study of data science approaches to product development and applied approaches to campaign insight, customer interfaces, media analysis and generation.

 

Personalisation and Machine Learning (20 credits)

This practical class look at extending your machine learning experience to include the building and testing of recommenders and audience analysis tools. This Python and JavaScript based applied computing experience enables you to build and test systems that specifically test clustering for audience preferences.

 

Thesis Project (60 credits)

This self-directed unit ask you to build a practical project and write an associated thesis report of 8-10,000 words that documents your technical methods, process of design and development and evaluation.

Learning and teaching methods

To enable students to demonstrate achievement against the unit learning outcomes, learning and teaching methods will include:


  • Lectures and seminars
  • Studio/lab-based practice & masterclasses
  • Project work
  • Technical Tuition
  • Collaborative problem-solving & group work
  • Independent Study

Watch the online open day

Staff

Fees and funding

Home fee

£12,700 for in-person mode; £10,160 for online mode

This fee is correct for 2023/24 entry and is subject to change for 2024/25 entry. Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Home fees are currently charged to UK nationals and UK residents who meet the rules. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees and determining your fee status.

International fee

£25,970 for in-person mode; £20,780 for online mode

This fee is correct for 2023/24 entry and is subject to change for 2024/25 entry. Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Home fees are currently charged to UK nationals and UK residents who meet the rules. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees and determining your fee status.

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Entry requirements

An applicant will normally be considered for admission if they have achieved an educational level equivalent to an honours degree in either the broad fields of:

  • Arts and Design
  • Humanities
  • a joint computer sciences and arts/humanities degree, or related subject.

Educational level may be demonstrated by: Honours degree (named above); Possession of equivalent qualifications in a design-related or creative discipline; Prior experiential learning, the outcome of which can be demonstrated to be equivalent to formal qualifications otherwise required. Your experience is assessed as a learning process and tutors will evaluate that experience for currency, validity, quality and sufficiency; Or a combination of formal qualifications and experiential learning which, taken together, can be demonstrated to be equivalent to formal qualifications otherwise required.

Applicants without the required qualifications, but with professional experience may be eligible to gain credit for previous learning and experience through the AP(E)L system.

Language requirements: IELTS level 7.0 or above, with at least 6.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking (please check our main English Language requirements webpage).

Selection criteria

Sufficient prior knowledge and experience of and/or potential in a specialist subject area to be able to successfully complete the programme of study and have an academic or professional background in a relevant subject for a conversion masters.
 

Aptitude for computing study and logical methods, sometimes tested in an online aptitude test. (this test is required on a per application basis and may not always be required)

 

Also, to show a willingness to work as a team player, good language skills in reading, writing and speaking, the ability to work independently and be self-motivated.
 

We welcome non-standard applications from diverse applicants and subject fields and applications that make a strong case for how the course could be applied to the ambitions of the applicant.

Apply now

Home International

You should apply by clicking on the link to the direct form below. The application form can be saved as you fill it out, so you do not need to complete it all at once. You will also have the chance to review all the information and make any necessary amendments before you submit the application form.

Apply for in person mode

Apply for distance learning mode (online study)

Deferred entry

This course allows offer holders to defer. If you have an offer of a place, but you would like to defer starting for a year, please contact our Admissions Service as soon as possible via your UAL Portal. Make sure you check our Admissions Policy before requesting a deferral.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units and modules on your current postgraduate course and wish to continue your studies at UAL Creative Computing Institute, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible.

Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and unit transcripts.

You will need to provide an official document (translated into English) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.

Start your application now

Before you apply, please take time to read the guidance below. You will be asked to provide the following items and upload documents when completing the online application form:

General information

  • Personal details (including legal full name, preferred name, date of birth, nationality, addresses)
  • Current English language level
  • Current and/or previous education and qualification details
  • Employment history

CV

Please provide a CV detailing your education, qualifications and any relevant work or voluntary experience.

Personal statement advice

You will be asked to complete a personal statement describing why you want to study on MSc Data Science and AI for the Creative Industries. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate critical knowledge of and enthusiasm for the subject, and a well-articulated rationale for joining the course.

The personal statement is a very important part of your application and should demonstrate to the course team that you are interested in the subject and that you have thought very carefully about why you wish to study on the course.

Communicating with you

After you have successfully submitted your application, you will receive an email confirming we have successfully received your application and providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We will request any additional information from you, including inviting you to upload documents through the portal. You should check your UAL Portal regularly for any important updates and requests.

Please consider altering your spam or junk mail filter to ensure that emails from @arts.ac.uk get through to you.

Application deadline

19 December 2022 and 3 April 2023

For postgraduate courses at UAL there are 2 rounds of applications. This is to ensure equal consideration and fairness for all of our applicants. You must apply for 19 December 2022 for Round 1 or by 3 April 2023 for Round 2 for equal consideration.

If there are places available after 3 April, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled. We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to resolve any initial queries about your application as quickly as possible.

When you'll hear from us

If this course requires a digital portfolio as part of the application process, we will contact you to invite you to submit this through UAL’s online submission tool, PebblePad. For Round 1 applications, you will need to submit your portfolio by 9 January 2023 at the latest and by 20 April 2023 for Round 2.

This course receives a high volume of applications. We need to make sure that we give all applications equal consideration, so the course team will review them in 2 rounds, after each application deadline date. This means you won’t hear from us about the outcome of your application until after the relevant application deadline date. Outcomes for Round 1 will be released by (at the latest) end of March and outcomes for Round 2 will be released by end of June 2023.

Remember to check the outcome of your application in the UAL Portal. If you apply in Round 1 and don’t hear back from us, we will consider your application within Round 2.

Find out more about what happens after you apply.

There are two ways international students can apply:

If you are applying directly you click on the link to the direct form below. The application form can be saved as you fill it out, so you do not need to complete it all at once. You will also have the chance to review all the information and make any necessary amendments before you submit the application form.

Apply for in person mode

Apply for distance learning mode (online study)

You can only apply to the same course once per year.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units and modules on your current postgraduate course and wish to continue your studies at UAL Creative Computing Institute, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible.

Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and unit transcripts.

You will need to provide an official document (translated into English) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.

Deferred entry

This course allows offer holders to defer. If you have an offer of a place, but you would like to defer starting for a year, please contact our Admissions Service as soon as possible via your UAL Portal. Make sure you check our Admissions Policy before requesting a deferral.

Visas

Read our visit our immigration and visa advice page to find out whether you need a visa to study.

Start your application now

Before you apply, please take time to read the guidance below. You will be asked to provide the following items and upload documents when completing the online application form:

General information

  • Personal details (including legal full name, preferred name, date of birth, nationality, addresses)
  • Current English language level
  • Current and/or previous education and qualification details
  • Employment history

CV

Please provide a CV detailing your education, qualifications and any relevant work or voluntary experience.

Personal statement advice

You will be asked to complete a personal statement describing why you want to study on MSc Data Science and AI for the Creative Industries. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate critical knowledge of and enthusiasm for the subject, and a well-articulated rationale for joining the course.

The personal statement is a very important part of your application and should demonstrate to the course team that you are interested in the subject and that you have thought very carefully about why you wish to study on the course.

Immigration history check

Whether you are applying online or through a UAL representative you will need to complete an immigration history check to establish whether you are eligible to study at UAL. If you do not complete the check we will not be able to proceed with your application.

We cannot consider your application if you do not provide all the information above.

Communicating with you

After you have successfully submitted your application, you will receive an email confirming we have successfully received your application and providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We will request any additional information from you, including inviting you to upload documents through the portal. You should check your UAL Portal regularly for any important updates and requests.

Please consider altering your spam or junk mail filter to ensure that emails from @arts.ac.uk get through to you.

Application deadline

19 December 2022 and 3 April 2023

For postgraduate courses at UAL there are 2 rounds of applications. This is to ensure equal consideration and fairness for all of our applicants. You must apply for 19 December 2022 for Round 1 or by 3 April 2023 for Round 2 for equal consideration.

If there are places available after 3 April, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled. We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to resolve any initial queries about your application as quickly as possible.

When you'll hear from us

This course receives a high volume of applications. We need to make sure that we give all applications equal consideration, so the course team will review them in two rounds. This means that offers won’t be sent to successful applicants until after the relevant application deadline date. Outcomes for Round 1 will be released by 31 March 2022 and outcomes for Round 2 will be released by 30 June 2022.

Remember to check the outcome of your application in the UAL Portal. If you apply in Round 1 and don’t hear back from us, we will consider your application within Round 2.

Find out more about what happens after you apply.

After you apply

What happens next

Initial application check

We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

You will receive the outcome of your application through the UAL Portal.

Careers

Career paths

Graduates will be well placed to work in the following areas:

  • Software development for the creative industries
  • Customer insight and personalisation for the creative industries
  • Digital product development for the creative industries
  • Research and development for the creative industries
  • Content creation for creative industries

UAL Creative Computing Institute

Contact

Telephone

+44 (0)20 7514 8001
Address
UAL Creative Computing Institute
45–65 Peckham Road
London
SE5 8UF