MSc Artificial Intelligence for Media

• 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.
• Software Engineering for Media: The unit aims to equip you with the knowledge to select the correct programming languages, application programming interfaces and techniques to solve deep learning problems within media using a Test Driven approach. The application of standard software engineering techniques is encouraged to enable you to work as part of a development team solving complex technical issues in modern computer animation.  
• 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 NCCA graduates

You have the option to undertake a three-month placement during the Master’s Portfolio unit, providing an opportunity to apply your acquired knowledge and skills in the workplace. You are required to find your own placement; however, our Careers & Employability Service and your faculty placements office are on hand to support you.

• Programme-specific Software: Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, Anaconda
• Departmental Software: RC++, OpenGL, Qt, Maya, Houdini, Renderman plus many more
• Acquisition: Full Green Screen TV and MOCAP Studio, Portable Green and Blue Screens, Track & Jib, Location Survey Kits, 3D Scanner and Motion Capture Suite
• Acquisition Cameras: Panasonic 101s and Canon 5Ds

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.

The admissions team will look at your online application including your qualifications, personal statement and any work experience, as well as your portfolio. Please make sure your application stands out from the crowd and leaves us in no doubt that you want to study at Bournemouth University.

For MSc Artificial Intelligence for Media 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 one of the related media types, such as images, computer graphics, animation, videos, visual effects, 3D modelling, motion, sound, music, etc.
• Demonstrate good written and oral communication skills.

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

If you do not meet the entry requirements for this course you may be asked to provide a showreel/portfolio and/or take part in an online interview to demonstrate proficiency in skills, experience, or education. Further details:

• If your background is a media related discipline demonstrate proficiency with one or more forms of media production. Examples include animation production, film, sound engineering, television, digital media, image work, and affiliated disciplines

Or

• If your background is computer science or an engineering-related discipline demonstrate proficiency with project development or problem-solving. Examples include software/App development, computer game, interactive system, VR/AR app, simulation systems, and any research reports, etc.

Describe your ideas of how Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning would be applicable in the specific media area you picked. A few sentences will be enough, but we are happy to see some detailed discussion about your thoughts. 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 moods, 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 responsibile.

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.

Please see our website for the application deadlines. You should apply as early as possible to be considered for your course of choice. If you require a student visa, apply for the visa as soon as you have an unconditional offer and receive your CAS. There may be delays in visa processing in your country and you need to be in Bournemouth ready to study for the start of term.

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.

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.

A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 or equivalent in any subject OR professional experience in a relevant discipline. 

Relevant professional experience may include a media-related discipline (such as backgrounds in audio, video, image processing, computer animation, visual effect, digital media, computer games, or related disciplines), a computer science-related discipline or an engineering-related discipline. 

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.

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:

• India: Bachelor’s degree (four years) from a recognised HE institution with a minimum overall result of 55%  
• Nigeria: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution with a minimum classification of 2:4  
• China: Chinese Bachelor's (Honours) degree from a recognised higher education institution with 65% or above  
• Turkey: Bachelor’s degree (Lisans Diplomasi - four years) with a minimum overall GPA of 2.3/4.0  
• Ghana: Bachelor's degrees from University of Ghana or Legon with a grade of 2.00 or above, or from Cape Coast with a grade 2.5 or above  
• USA: US Bachelor’s degree (four years), with a 2.5 GPA or above  

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.

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

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 PhD.

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.

If you want to continue your studies after achieving your Master’s, you can look into our range of doctoral programmes. 

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:

• Our fees commitment means your tuition fees are fixed at the price quoted.
• Materials for laboratory and mandatory 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
• Free software download to your personal device of Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus while you are studying, as well as access to applications provided on AppsAnywhere, subject to licensing and compatibility restrictions.
• 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

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.
• You will need to meet the cost of any Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check if required by your placement setting, including any Post Office or Digital ID verification charges.
• 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.

If you need to repeat one or more units during your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full-time fee.

We offer a range of scholarships to eligible students who are beginning their studies at BU. Please visit our funding pages for details on living costs, budgeting and paying your tuition fees.

International (not Rep. of Ireland) students need to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure their place on a postgraduate course. For September 2024 and January 2025 entry, a £5,000 deposit is required. 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.

Prof Yang is currently a Professor at the National Centre for Computer Animation, Bournemouth University. He has over 30 years’ experience of research, education and professional practice in computer animation, machine learning, data mining, digital health, and virtual reality.

He is passionate to promote the technical innovation of AI in animation production and has successfully developed new techniques into the animation production pipeline. He has produced more than 90 peer-reviewed publications including many in prestigious journals and conferences.

As PI and Co-I, he has secured over 35 research grants from European Commission, Arts and Humanities Research Council, British Academy, Leverhulme, British Council, Newton Fund, Innovate UK, Wessex AHSN, and Higher Education Innovation Fund.

Prof Yang has rich experience in managing teams of both artists and technicians, and collaborates closely with companies, like Disney Research, Double Negative, and MPC.

Hongchuan Yu currently works as a Principal Academic in computer graphics and animation in National Centre for Computer Animation. He coordinated units, including Foundation of Computer Science (Level UG), Computing for Graphics & Animation C++ (Level UG), Personal Inquiry (level PG) and Numerical optimization methods (level PG). Prior to this appointment Dr Yu worked as a research fellow with School of Computer Science & Software Engineering, The University of Western Australia (Perth), and School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), and Dept. of Computer Science, Tsinghua University (Beijing). Dr Yu’s research interests include computer vision, visualization, computer graphics and animation. Recent works mainly focus on Deep Learning Techniques with applications to graphics and animation. He has published more than 80 peer-reviewed papers on Journals and International academic conferences. The distinctive achievement is that he led the international collaboration project (with The University of HongKong, China) and published the research paper in Top Conference-SIGGRAPH 2016, which is the first SIGGRAPH paper led by NCCA academic. Besides, Dr Yu secured multiple external research grants and regularly served as PC members/referees for academic journals and international conferences. He is also a Fellow of Higher Education Academy UK (FHEA).

Dr. Xiao is Deputy Head of Department at National Centre for Computer Animation, Faculty of Media and Communication. Dr. Xiao's research interests are in the areas of Motion Capture, Machine Learning, Motion Synthesis, Physics-based Simulation, Virtual Reality and Robotics. Dr. Xiao has supervised seven PhD students and five of them have successfully completed their research degrees. Working as principal investigator, Dr. Xiao had successfully secured and completed a few commercial projects for industry partners from China and in the UK. Working as co-investigator, Dr. Xiao has helped the team to secure and complete various research council funded projects.