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30th August 2023
This article is your comprehensive guide to studying artificial intelligence (AI) at postgraduate level. You might be wondering whether a master’s in artificial intelligence is the right degree for you – it’s an attractive option for students coming from a range of science, technology, engineering and mathematics backgrounds.
Whether you’re exploring the AI jobs that lie ahead for graduates in this field, checking whether you meet the entry requirements for an artificial intelligence course, or wondering whether it will help you build your ideal professional skills, this article is for you.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about studying to be an AI or machine learning engineer.
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Artificial intelligence is one of the biggest, most exciting development areas in contemporary technology. Through the power of machine learning, individuals and businesses are able to harness and apply huge amounts of computing power to problems – using responsive learning, autonomy and automation to complete previously impossible tasks or significantly reduce the time and resources required to complete difficult problems.
As a result of its potential to revolutionise business, government and personal activities the world over, the artificial intelligence sector is exploding in size and complexity. With a raft of new, exciting and competitively paid positions, there’s never been a more appealing time to get into AI.
A postgraduate artificial intelligence course is a clear route towards the advanced theoretical and practical knowledge you’ll need to prepare yourself for a career in machine learning. Not only that, but it’s often a good way to get industry experience and start networking with potential employers before heading out into the job market.
There are a few types of postgraduate qualifications available in artificial intelligence and machine learning; one might appeal to you in particular depending on the skills you have already and your future study goals.
A taught MSc is popular choice of qualification for many undergraduate students, especially if they haven’t studied directly in machine learning or AI before. Many of these courses can also be completed with a placement or year in industry.
It’s also possible to do other taught degrees, like LLM, MBA or MA, in interdisciplinary areas involving artificial intelligence.
A research master’s is another option, though one typically pursued by students who have already completed an MSc or who are sure they want to pursue a research-focused career path.
Doctoral qualifications, such as an MPhil or PhD, are extended research qualifications that prepare students for specialised research roles or work in academia.
Artificial intelligence is a rapidly growing field, with new and exciting roles emerging all the time. As a postgraduate in this field, you’ll have a solid understanding of the foundational principles, processes and theories of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
On top of that, you’ll likely have a particular strength or interest in a certain area, as well as some degree of practical experience – whether through activities in your course or an industry placement. Altogether, you’ll be ideally placed to access a wide range of AI and machine learning jobs.
As a professional in this field, your AI engineer salary is likely to be competitive and have a high growth potential.
Some roles you could move into include:
While each postgraduate course in artificial intelligence will have unique entry requirements set by its faculty and the university’s admissions office, you can typically expect to need at least a 2:2 grade at undergraduate level, often in a related area such as a STEM subject, or quivalent professional qualifications and experience.
PhD applicants are expected to have a minimum level of previous research experience – a previous master’s qualification is also common.
There are over 250 postgraduate programmes to choose from in this area, including courses like:
Some of the topics you may cover in your artificial intelligence degree include:
As a postgraduate student in artificial intelligence, you’ll develop a range of industry-relevant skills during your studies which will set you up for a successful career.
One of the key competencies you’ll gain is in programming. These coding languages are the medium through which you’ll design AI constructs, set up machine learning processes and build the algorithms that underpin these systems.
Other important skills include data modelling, processing and warehousing – these help you connect AI platforms with all-important data to drive insights and value generation.
Machine learning is closely related to AI, and relates to designing machines (physical or digital) that can learn by themselves, unlocking unprecedented pattern-finding, code-breaking or data processing capabilities.
You might decide to focus on research in your later studies, going on to study a research master’s or doctorate degree. This will give you the opportunity to learn, or even develop, advanced experimental or research methods which you can apply in the generation of valuable knowledge and technology.
Even if you study a taught master’s, you’ll have the opportunity to build skills in testing, research and reporting, which are equally applicable across academia and industry.
Teaching on your AI or machine learning master’s will typically be through a combination of lectures, smaller group seminars, even smaller tutorial sessions – providing great opportunities for one-on-one learning from talented academics – as well as laboratory and other practical sessions.
Assessment is usually through coursework, comprising mainly of individual or group projects and written reports.
Your master’s degree, whether a taught or research programme, will typically take a year to complete if studied full time. Part-time students can expect to take two years to finish their programme.
You might consider shorter qualifications, such as a postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma, which can be completed in one or two semesters respectively.
An MPhil qualification will take two years to complete full time, while a PhD can take up to four years. Studying part-time will double these timeframes.
You can choose from more than 250 postgraduate programmes in artificial intelligence, with over 90 higher education institutions offering courses in this area in the UK.
Our university search tool is a great way to find your ideal study options, with easy access to key course information and filterable lists by course, location and university.
There are a number of similar subjects to artificial intelligence that you might want to consider during your postgraduate search, such as:
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