Program Overview

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MSc Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (Work Experience)

Course Summary

Develop advanced knowledge in data science and AI technologies – enhancing your skills and experience by transforming data into decisions, and algorithms into innovation.

How You Learn

The course builds on your foundational knowledge by introducing programming for data analytics, data manipulation and visualisation, and machine learning foundations. You’ll also explore neural networks and their application to make decisions based on data.

We’ll consider ethics, security, privacy and AI-bias in data, alongside the fundamental data analytics and AI technologies, and responsible approaches to their use and applications.

You learn through:

• Lectures
• Tutorials and seminars
• Regular feedback
• Laboratory sessions
• Real-world problem and practical activity-based sessions and assessment
• Group and individual project work

Key Themes

You’ll build on your core knowledge with larger projects that solve challenging real-world problems, collaborating with industry clients. During the projects you’ll have regular scrum meetings with academics and clients to identify narratives, learning needs and action plans. You’ll then enact these through independent study, combining support from academics and self-directed study.

As the course progresses, you’ll explore and research the hybrid domain of data science and AI. This further enhances your learning in the area and is the start of your individual dissertation project. Here you’ll tailor a significant piece of work of your choosing in the discipline.

Course Support

You’ll receive support from academic advisers and regular guidance from a supervisor during your dissertation. You’ll also act as mentors for new students.

Applied Learning

Work Experience

You’ll have the opportunity to source 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. 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.

Work placements are competitive and will require you to make formal applications to employers and be successful in securing an opportunity. The application process for placements takes place while you are a student with us. To support you in applying for placements, 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 during that process. We also maintain a large database of placement offers that you can search to find opportunities most relevant to your course that you can apply for.

Live Projects

We have strong links with the data analytics and AI industry, making sure curriculum content is relevant and aligned with industry requirements. Our partners and collaborations across local and national research centres include Sheffield Hallam’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, Sheffield Robotics, Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, AstraZeneca and the British Machine Vision Association.

Collaborations with domain experts mean you get to see cutting-edge technologies and real-world applications. These collaborations include live projects, where you can work on real-world challenges in data science and the application of AI to data analysis. These projects encourage technical and professional skills that are essential for industry employment – such as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication and leadership. The aim is to mirror the complexity of scenarios encountered in the professional realm.

Networking Opportunities

Through networking events you’ll be able to connect with industrial professionals. Building these connections enhances your understanding of the AI landscape, opening doors to mentorship, internships and potential employment opportunities.

You’ll also be able to interact with our MSc Big Data Analytics and MSc Artificial Intelligence students. You can attend our AI Festival – which brings together different cohorts for an insightful day of presentations, networking opportunities and celebrations of completed projects. The events also include themed competitions, allowing you to showcase your skills and knowledge in AI, promoting innovation and development in this rapidly evolving field.

As part of your learning on the course, we also have regular guest lectures who are experts in their field of AI.

Course Leaders and Tutors

Vishal Parikh

Principal Lecturer in Information Systems and Data Management

Vishal is a senior lecturer in Information Systems, and teaching on both undergraduate and postgraduate courses run by the Department of Computing. He is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

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

Final Year

Compulsory Modules

• Advanced Artificial Intelligence Projects In Data Science (40 credits)
• Foundations Of Data Science For Machine Learning (40 credits)
• Introduction To Programming For Big Data (20 credits)
• Postgraduate Work Experience Applied Professional Diploma
• Research Skills For Computing (20 credits)

Compulsory Modules

• Artificial Intelligence Seminar Series (20 credits)
• Computing Research Project (40 credits)

Future Careers

The course prepares you to develop a wide range of careers, including:

• AI data science consultancy
• data science and AI engineering
• financial data science
• machine learning

Equipment and Facilities

On this course you’ll work with state-of-the-art IT labs and specialist equipment, including:

• platforms such as Azure
• software such as Python, R Studio and Tableau
• data management applications such as Hadoop EcoSystem
• high-spec computers and AI hardware accelerators
• GPUs for parallel processing and lower-power Neuromorphic compute modules
• machine learning software and application development environments
• Cloud computing and Edge computing platforms

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.

Entry Requirements

All Students

Undergraduate degree at 2:2 or above with evidence of some programming experience (work experience or degree).

If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, 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'.

Fees and Funding

Home Students

Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2026/27 is £12,440 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 International/EU students starting full-time study in 2026/27 is £20,100 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 £12,858 is available in 2025/26 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, 600.1KB)