Intelligent Systems MComp

This Intergrated master's course is designed for those who want to study an exciting combination of computer science, artificial intelligence and robotics and develop the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to provide intelligent solutions for commerce and industry.

DMU Open Day Saturday 16 March 2019, book your place.

Overview
Structure and assessment
Facilities and features
Opportunities and careers
more about your DMU
Contact us

Overview

Reasons to study Intelligent Systems at De Montfort University (DMU):

DMU has achieved Gold, the highest ranking possible under the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
Indicating the outstanding learning and teaching on offer at DMU. [Office for Students, 2017]
97.3% of DMU graduates from summer 2017 are in work or further study after graduating
According to the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) 2016-17 report
Enhance your employability with options for an integrated master’s
Study either a three-year BSc (Hons) or as a four-year MComp (Hons) degree, allowing you to continue your study at master’s level to further develop your specialist knowledge and enhance your career options

Academic Expertise
Benefit from teaching by experienced staff from our Centre for Computational Intelligence (CCI); an internationally-recognised research centre that conducts world-leading research into intelligent systems, and provides high-quality solutions to real-world issues Dedicated work placements

Work placement opportunities
Enhance your practical and professional skills, with past placements undertaken at IBM, PayPoint, Netready and Exel Computer Systems Industry-standard facilities

Specialist facilities
Access our Advanced Mobile Robotics and Intelligent Agents Laboratory, which contain a variety of mobile robots, ranging from the Lego Mindstorm™ to the Wheelbarrow robot for bomb disposal

DMU Robotics Club
Put your skills into practice by taking part in the DMU robot club, with a chance to compete in an international robotics competition, such as the ‘Robot Challenge’ in Vienna where our students and staff have previously won prizes

Enjoy an international experience with #DMUglobal
We offer all students the opportunity to take part in a #DMUglobal experience, which can enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons. Previous #DMUglobal trips have included New York, Berlin, Hong Kong, China, Canada, Japan, South Africa, Russia and Italy to name a few.

The course gives you a detailed understanding of artificial intelligence concepts and techniques, and the ability to apply this knowledge to a variety of problems and subject areas.

Students who are interested in broadening their academic experience are given the opportunity to spend their placement year in an overseas university. This course offers a direct link with the University of Ulm (Germany).

The university runs a dedicated Robot club as part of the DMU Square Mile project, which works with local secondary schools to give young people a chance to experience degree level robotics at a much earlier age. Students have the opportunity to solidify the skills learnt on their course by instructing the secondary school children on how to construct the robots.

There is also the opportunity of developing a robot project in groups or individually. Successful students have the chance to take their robots to the Robot Challenge which is held in Vienna (Austria) every year and let their robots compete in an international robotics competition.

More courses like this…

Computer Science BSc (Hons)

Computer Security BSc (Hons)

Foundation Year in Computing

Intelligent Systems BSc (Hons)

Software Engineering BSc (Hons)

UK/EU
International

Key facts for UK/EU students

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: I562

Duration: Four years full-time, five years with placement

Fees and funding: For 2019/20 tuition fees will be £9,250

Find out more about tuition fees and available funding.

Find out about additional costs and optional extras.

Contact us: For more information complete our online enquiry form or call us on +44 (0)116 2 50 60 70.

Key facts for international students

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: I562

Duration: Four years full-time, five years with placement

Fees and funding: £13,750

Find out more about course fees and available funding.

Find out about additional costs and optional extras.

How to apply: International students can apply to study at DMU directly using the DMU Online Portal.

Contact us: For more information complete our online enquiry form or call us on +44 (0)116 2 50 60 70.

International students can apply to study at DMU directly using our online applications portal.

Entry criteria

Five GCSEs at grade C or above, including English and Mathematics or equivalent, plus one of the following:
Normally 104 UCAS points from at least two A-levels or equivalent or
BTEC National Diploma/ Extended Diploma at DMM or
Pass in the QAA accredited Access to HE. English and Mathematics GCSE required as a separate qualification as equivalency is not accepted within the Access qualification. We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course or
International Baccalaureate: 24+ points
Foundation Year in Computing: Pass Foundation, and progression is at the discretion of the programme leader. Refer to the Foundation team for further guidance.

Portfolio Required: No

Interview Required: No

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications

English language – If English is not your first language we require an English language level of IELTS 6.0 with 5.5 in each component or equivalent

English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council accredited Centre for English Language Learning , is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

UCAS Tariff changes

Students applying for courses starting in September 2018 will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff. Find out more.

Structure and assessment

First year

Core modules:

Law, Ethics and Cybersecurity Management - You will be introduced to critical reflection on norms and learn the ethical aspects of doing independent research
Programming C++ - You will learn basic programming structures, the C++ syntax, and the basics of object oriented programming
Elements of Computing - You will learn the basics of hardware and software engineering, including logics, number representation, Turing machine, hardware architectures, operating systems, and networks
Computational Modelling - You will be are introduced to the roles of computers within society and to the types of problems that can be solved using a computer. Discrete mathematics is introduced as the foundational science underlying computing.

Second year

Core modules:

Object Oriented Design and Development with C++ - You will learn advanced Object Oriented programming in C++
Mechanics and Artificial Intelligence for Simulation - Students learn to apply and implement mathematical techniques to simulate physical environments
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Mobile Robotics - You will be introduced to basic robotics (including robot programming) and general Artificial Intelligent concepts such as Fuzzy Logic, Neural Networks, and Metaheuristic Optimisation.

Optional modules:

Agile Methods and Development - You will develop the skills of producing an application that delivers required features in the context of on-going negotiation between business clients and the development team

Third year

Core modules:

Fuzzy logic and Knowledge Based Systems - You will study Fuzzy Logic in depth and understand how to use it in the context of decision making
Mobile Robotics - You will study autonomous mobile robotics and learn how to remotely control a robot
Computing Project - The project provides you with the opportunity to carry out a significant piece of work, under the supervision of an academic tutor, to provide an effective solution to a given technical and/or research-based problem.

Optional modules:

Systems Building: Methods and Management –You will learn two important aspects of Information Systems Development (ISD): the selection and evaluation of methodologies and the management of the Systems Development process
Data Mining –You will learn the basics of Data Mining: the science that studies how to store, organize and search within a large volume of data
Multi-service Networks – This module will give you an understanding of the functioning and the fault management in protocol connections and errors
Telematics –You will learn the basics of telemetry, that is the use of a transmission system to monitor and control remote and distributed systems
Privacy and Data Protection –During this module you will study legal, social and technological aspects of privacy
Rigorous Systems –This module looks at formal systems in rigorous software development
Systems Integration -Learn how to analyse, design and implement embedded microprocessor based control within mechatronics design
Computer Games Programming -Students learn how to program computer games. Topics such as 3D graphics and realistic simulation of physical phenomena are covered within this module
Secure Web Application Development -Students learn how to implement secure and reliable web applications that may run on different platforms.

Fourth year (MComp) – first term

Core modules:

Research Methods – You will learn how to write and discuss a PhD proposal, study how the research is carried out, how to search the literature, and how an article can be used for future research

Plus two optional modules from:

Artificial Intelligence Programming – You will learn logical programming that is a basic instrument for implementing Artificial Intelligence Techniques
Fuzzy Logic – In this module several aspects of fuzzy logic are studied in depth, and theoretical and application aspects are discussed in details
Mobile Robotics – You will study hardware and software aspects of mobile robotics; a big emphasis is on the low level programming of autonomous robots.

Fourth year (MComp) – second term

Three optional modules from:

Computational intelligence Optimisation – You will learn about optimisation and optimisation algorithms. After an initial theoretical survey, the module explains how to use and implement the most popular and efficient metaheuristic optimisation techniques
Intelligent Mobile Robotics – This module looks at advanced autonomous navigation systems learn how such systems can be integrated within robots
Artificial Neural Networks – You willlearn about neural network architectures implementation and usability for solving several computational problems
Data Mining Techniques and Applications – You will study advanced data mining and big data science, the modelling of entity and relationships of big data as well as modern application in commerce and industries.

The course is taught by experienced researchers in artificial intelligence and computer sciences from our Centre for Computational Intelligence (CCI), an internationally recognised research centre that conducts industry relevant research into intelligent systems, and provides high-quality solutions to real-world issues. Due to the nature of robotics, in particular, and intelligent systems, you will meet with researchers with a diverse background ranging from theoretical computer science, to computational mathematics, and electronics. This will give you a versatile background which will allow you to appreciate the complexity of intelligent systems and find 'your way' in a professional career.

Furthermore, the wide selection of optional modules will allow you to realise, while you are studying, you subject preferences and inclinations and follow them. You will be able to choose the study plan and shape your professional background by emphasising the focus of your studies on programming, or on theoretical artificial intelligence, or applied robotics.

At the end of the third year of study, you can choose to graduate with a BSc (Hons), or continue your study with the integrated master’s MComp in Intelligent Systems, which takes an additional year (subject to successful completion of the BSc at 2:2 or above).

Teaching methods include lectures, tutorials and laboratory work. You will also experience collaborative and group-based learning, supervised project work and independent study.

You will normally attend around 12-16 hours of timetabled taught sessions each week, and can expect to undertake at least 24 further hours of directed independent study and assignments as required.

Assessment has been designed to match specific modules and will include timed tests, portfolios of work, laboratory exercises, written and oral examinations, individual and group work, project work, reports and presentations.

Facilities and features

Advanced Mobile Robotics and Intelligent Agents Laboratory

Our Advanced Mobile Robotics and Intelligent Agents laboratory contains a variety of mobile robots ranging from the Lego Mindstorm to drones and Turtlebot3, which provides excellent resources for teaching and research. The CCI conducts research into the use of computational intelligence techniques on mobile robots and has a collection of several types of robots for use in research and teaching.

The recently purchased TurtleBot3 (a fully programmable ROS based mobile robot) enables CCI in furthering teaching and research in areas of mobile robotics, computer vision, and Artificial Intelligence. Access to these facilities and robots will allow you to enhance your professional and practical skills for the workplace.

Campus Centre

The current home of De Montfort Students' Union (DSU), Campus Centre, has been completely refurbished to create a state-of-the-art environment for DSU improving the student experience.

The new-look Campus Centre is the hub for student life, on the ground floor is a convenience store, a Subway and a Starbucks. There is also the DSU-owned charitable accommodation service Sulets and SUpplies, DSU’s shop, selling art supplies stationary and clothing, and offering printing and binding services.

A newly-created staircase in the centre of the building leads up to the first floor, where the DSU officer team has new offices.

Your campus, your DMU

Want to find out where you would study and spend time?

We've got you covered, take a look at our Virtual Open Day to see the list of our campus buildings and student facilities.

Opportunities and careers

Graduate Careers

Our graduates are highly sought after and there are employment opportunities in intelligent systems and artificial intelligence in both the public and private sectors in areas such as: market intelligence, imaging techniques, data mining and in the medical and pharmaceutical industries. Our graduates have worked for companies including IBM, Bullhorn Inc and the Curve (Leicester).

Graduates wishing to specialise in robotics are well placed to pursue careers in mobile communications and gaming systems. Graduates are also equipped to pursue a range of more traditional IT positions in the wider commercial and public sectors.

#DMUglobal

This is our innovative international experience programme which aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons – helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world.

Through #DMUglobal, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

Placements

You can improve your CV, become highly employable and put the skills you learn on your course into practice by taking a work placement as part of your studies.

Technology's dedicated Placement Team provides support to all of our students looking to integrate a placement within their university career on both undergraduate degrees and postgraduate masters programmes. The placement unit will help you search for placement opportunities, create and refine your CV and interview approach, and offer any advice you need to find a great placement. Our placement students have worked for a range of organisations from small business through to multinational companies across the world including IBM, (UK) Ltd, PayPoint Ltd, Netready Ltd, Proactive Tours Ltd and Exel Computer Systems plc.