Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £12,120 for the course
International/EU: £19,225 for the course -
How long will I study?
2 Years
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Where will I study?
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When do I start?
September 2025
January 2026
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Placement year available?
Yes
Course summary
- Study modern AI practices, theories, techniques and ethical considerations.
- Develop your problem-solving skills by applying AI methods.
- Gain in-depth understanding by exploring rigorous development processes.
- Cultivate a substantial portfolio of commercial-quality work.
On this course you’ll learn techniques relevant to the field of AI, from machine learning and to natural language processing. You’ll consider real-world challenges while developing your problem-solving and professional skills – plus a portfolio that enhances your employability in the dynamic field of AI, as well as other related industries.
Come to an open day
Find out more at our postgraduate open days. Book now for your place.
How you learn
This course emphasises hands-on learning in AI and machine learning, covering key areas like neural networks, robotics, natural language processing and computer vision.
You’ll prepare for real-world challenges through practical projects and collaborations with industry partners. The course also focuses on ethical considerations, security, privacy, and AI bias, encouraging a responsible approach to AI. Our expert staff help you gain both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, enhancing your employability.
You learn through:
- Lectures
- Tutorials and seminars
- Regular feedback
- Laboratory sessions
- Real-world problems
- Practical activity-based sessions
- Group and individual project work
- Supervisor support and guidance
- Acting as mentors for new students
- Self-directed study
Key themes
You’ll explore technical concepts across key areas of AI, including machine learning foundations, neural networks, cognitive systems for robotic logic and computer vision techniques. When combined, these lead into early course projects such as simulating a self-driving robot and evaluating its success.
You’ll then progress onto larger projects with industry clients that solve real-world problems. During those projects, you’ll have regular scrum meetings with academics and clients that identify narratives, learning needs and action plans to progress. You could find yourself working on a recommendation system for a retail company, or training robot football players to win the robot football world cup.
Ultimately you’ll engage in and with AI research, enhancing your learning and leading into your individual dissertation project. This is your opportunity to tailor your own piece of work in the discipline – as wide ranging as a computer-game-playing robot to screening skin conditions – with regular support from your supervisor.
Course leaders and tutors
Jing Wang
LecturerI am engaged in research and teaching in the field of computer science and software engineering.
Applied learning
Work Experience
ou’ll have the opportunity to go on a work placement for up to 12 months, where you’ll apply academic theory and your skills in a real-world setting. This hands-on experience will enhance your professional development and help you to make informed career choices after graduation. We’ll support you to source a placement that is relevant to your course. Throughout your placement, you’ll be supported to reflect on your experience and contribution to the organisation you work for. You'll also share your progress and achievements with your Placement Academic Supervisor as part of your final assessment.
In addition, the transformative impact that a placement can have on personal and professional development can be further enhanced through the completion of Sheffield Hallam’s Applied Professional Diploma. The Applied Professional Diploma is a qualification that demonstrates the learning you have gained from the placement, and it is undertaken while on placement not during the normal academic class time.
On the Work Experience route, you’ll complete an additional placement preparation program that introduces you to the UK employment landscape and prepares you for the recruitment and assessment activities you will experience when applying for placement opportunities.
Live projects
We maintain strong links with the AI industry, ensuring our curriculum remains relevant and aligned with industry requirements. Our industry partners and collaborations across local and national research centres include Sheffield Hallam’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, Sheffield Robotics, the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, AstraZeneca, and the British Machine Vision Association. Collaborations with domain experts provide you with exposure to cutting-edge technologies and real-world applications.
These collaborations facilitate live projects, where you’ll work on real-world AI challenges. You’ll develop technical and professional skills – including creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication and leadership – all essential for industry employment. The aim is to mirror the complexity of scenarios you’ll encounter in the professional realm.
Previous students have worked on projects analysing performance with British Equestrian, and smart homecare for fall detection with Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
Networking opportunities
As part of your learning, we have regular guest lecturers who are experts in their field of AI.
Through networking events you’ll connect with industry professionals, enhancing your understanding of the AI landscape while opening doors to mentorship, internships and potential employment opportunities.
One of our most important events is our AI Festival – an enriching day filled with presentations, networking opportunities and celebrations of completed projects.
Competitions
Our events also include themed competitions, allowing you to showcase your skills and knowledge in AI, helping you to promote innovation and development.
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in:
- AI systems development, solving problems in a range of industries
- Data mining analysis, using AI to provide data insights
- Robotics programming, embedding AI technologies into new services
- Machine learning engineering, designing new AI systems with autonomy.
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEquipment and facilities
On this course you work with:
- IT laboratories equipped with high-spec computers
- AI hardware accelerators
- GPUs for parallel processing
- Lower-power neuromorphic computing modules
- State-of-the-art-machine learning software
- Application development environments
- Specialist facilities for research
- Advanced robotics platforms, e.g. Care-O-bot Social Robot, NAO, Pepper and Turtlebot
- Cloud computing and Edge computing platforms
Entry requirements
All students
Academic Qualifications:
First degree classification of 2:2 or above. In a relevant subject area, including (but not limited to) Computer Science, Software Engineering, Technical Computing, Games Programming.
OR, with relevant and substantial industry experience in software engineering or software development in leu of a relevant first degree.
Level of English language capability:
IELTS 6 (with all components above 5.5), or equivalent.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules studied may differ depending on when you start your course.
Modules
Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.
Modules studied may differ depending on when you start your course.
You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Advanced Robotics And Artificial Intelligence
Ai Development Project
Deep Neural Networks And Learning Systems
Postgraduate Work Experience Applied Professional Diploma
Research Skills For Computing
Final year
Compulsory modules
Artificial Intelligence Seminar Series
Computing Research Project
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £12,120 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. For this work experience route, your fees will be payable over two years, divided into two annual payments based on credits studied. The fee includes dedicated employability support to help you prepare for and secure work experience. It does not guarantee you a placement and if a placement is not secured the work experience fee will still be charged. If a placement is not secured you will transfer to the standard version of the course to complete your remaining credits, where the balance of your course fees will be due in year one in line with completing the course.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £19,225 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. For this work experience route, your fees will be payable over two years, divided into two annual payments based on credits studied. The fee includes dedicated employability support to help you prepare for and secure work experience. It does not guarantee you a placement and if a placement is not secured the work experience fee will still be charged. If a placement is not secured you will transfer to the standard version of the course to complete your remaining credits, where the balance of your course fees will be due in year one in line with completing the course.
Postgraduate student loans
Up to £12,471 is available in 2024/25 for home students on most masters courses.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for School of Computing and Digital Technologies (PDF, 131.3KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
