Application deadline: 30 September
The Master of Science/Master of Philosophy with specialisation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) involves two years of full-time study. Admission is competitive, not guaranteed, and is primarily on the basis of academic results. It is designed to provide students with the professional basis for a career path in AI and/or to enable them to embark upon a research programme in AI at Doctoral level.
It involves a first year of AI coursework and a second year during which a mini-dissertation on a topic in AI is completed. It is a full-time degree with no part-time options offered.
Information about funding opportunities can be found here.
If you need information in addition to the information contained on this page, please contact the Postgraduate Coordinator (pgcoordinator at cs dot uct dot ac dot za).
In the first year of study, a student completes coursework totalling 90 credits, comprising a compulsory course in Research Methods (18 credits) and six elective courses in AI (12 credits each). The coursework year is a year of full-time intensive work and it is impossible to combine it with outside work. At the beginning of the second year of study, once they have passed the required coursework, a student enrols for the mini-dissertation component. The degree has been completed once a student has passed both the coursework and the mini-dissertation component.
The coursework aims to provide students with an overview of the fields of Artificial Intelligence in which the department conducts research:
- Research Methods (compulsory)
- Evolutionary Computation
- Intelligent Systems
- Introduction to Image Processing and Computer Vision
- Logics for Artificial Intelligence
- Machine Learning
- Natural Language Processing
- Ontology Engineering
Upon successful completion of the coursework component, students will be required to register for the mini-dissertation component and complete a suitable research project in Artificial Intelligence under supervision of an appropriate Computer Science academic staff member. Students should be in a position to submit the final dissertation before the end of the second year.
More details can be found in the Science Faculty Handbook.
How to apply:
Apply on the University of Cape Town's central applications system for the appropriate degree:
- Level of Qualification: Masters
- Faculty: Science
- Academic Qualification:
Master of Science (by coursework & dissertation) (90Crsework/90 diss) (Entry requirement: Honours degree in Computer Science)
Master of Philosophy (by coursework & dissertation) (90Crsework/90 diss) (Entry requirement: 4 year degree equivalent to an Honours degree in Computer Science)
- Specialisation or Major: Artificial Intelligence (do NOT choose Information Technology)
- Note that your application will need to include full academic transcripts and a research proposal
Applications for 2022 are now open and will close on 30 September 2021.