Artificial Intelligence BSc(Hons)

In your first year, you will lay the groundwork for your AI journey. Designed for beginners, this stage introduces the core principles of programming, data structures, algorithms and computational thinking, which form the foundation of intelligent technologies. 

You will get hands on from day one: writing code, exploring data and experimenting with digital tools to bring ideas to life. This is where you’ll build your confidence, curiosity and technical fluency, which forms a strong foundation for creating, questioning and innovating with artificial intelligence. 

Modules

Principles of Computing

In this module, you'll build a strong foundation in computing, mathematics, statistics and technical communication, applying core computer science concepts and algorithms to solve practical problems. You'll explore the history of computing and the diverse voices that have shaped the field, while examining challenges such as algorithmic bias and the ethical impact of AI. You’ll develop the technical skills and critical awareness to approach AI systems confidently and creatively. 

Digital Creativity

In this module, you’ll explore digital media formats such as text, images and sound, experimenting with and transforming existing content into new interactive experiences. You’ll integrate your work with game engines and digital technologies to bring it to life, while considering ethical and legal issues such as intellectual property, licensing and the responsible use of AI-generated content to ensure your creations are both innovative and accountable.  

Development Foundations

In this module, you’ll gain a solid foundation in the principles, terminology, roles and tools used to develop digital products and services. Through small-scale team projects, you’ll practice prototyping, pitch your ideas and develop project management skills, all while contributing to a professional, inclusive and collaborative studio environment that mirrors real-world development. 

Data Fundamentals 

In this module, you’ll learn the fundamentals of the data science life cycle, including how to formulate questions, collect and clean data, explore and visualise information, make statistical inferences and predictions, and communicate insights to inform decision making. You’ll also develop awareness of the responsibilities and legal considerations of working with sensitive or personal data, ensuring your AI projects are ethical and compliant. 

Individual Programming Project 

In this module, you’ll refine your programming skills by developing a structured project focused on object-oriented solutions, with the opportunity to explore AI applications such as computer vision. You’ll build confidence with system interfaces, apply disciplined software engineering methods and practice designing and refactoring architectures. You’ll also consider ethical issues including safety, accessibility, sustainability and the wider impact of supply chains. 

Multidisciplinary Teamwork 

In this module, you’ll work in multi-skilled teams to develop a digital product or service in response to a brief, gaining hands-on experience of the full systems development life cycle. You’ll practice organising and managing a project in an agile environment, collaborate across disciplines and apply your programming skills to create and evaluate a functional proof of concept. 

Your second year is where you start to specialise as an AI developer. You’ll deepen your technical skills and computational practice through hands-on experimentation and interdisciplinary projects. You’ll explore ways to design, train and deploy intelligent systems, combining coding, data analysis and machine learning to create responsive and innovative AI solutions. 

You’ll also develop critical awareness of how AI technologies impact society and culture, considering ethical, inclusive and sustainable approaches to design and deployment. Throughout this stage, you’ll build your analytical and research skills, connect theory with practice and work with others to solve complex technical problems. This will prepare you for advanced AI projects in your final year. 

Modules

Artificial Intelligence 

In this module, you’ll explore the core techniques of artificial intelligence, learning computational methods for solving problems that traditionally require human intelligence. You’ll study rule-based systems, search and planning algorithms, constraint satisfaction and symbolic reasoning, applying these concepts to build AI systems in simplified domains such as game agents. You’ll develop a practical understanding of foundational AI methods, their strengths, limitations and applications. 

Machine Learning 

In this module, you’ll explore the concepts, tools and frameworks of machine learning, applying state-of-the-art techniques to real-world problems. You’ll study different methods to train intelligent systems (e.g., supervised learning, unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning), exploring techniques such as classification, regression, clustering and neural networks. You’ll also work through the full machine learning process, from preparing data to evaluating and refining models. Through a hands-on project, you’ll build and interpret models, understand user behaviour and reflect on the ethical implications of algorithmic decision-making in areas such as games, health and education. 

Computational Mathematics

In this module, you’ll learn core mathematical principles that underpin artificial intelligence, including linear algebra, geometry, trigonometry, 3D transformations and calculus, applying them to data processing, modelling, and simulation. You’ll also develop secure coding practices through defensive programming, whilst considering cryptography and data protection to gain the skills to build intelligence systems that are both powerful and resilient. 

Algorithms & Optimisation

In this module, you’ll develop your computing skills with a focus on designing and analysing algorithms. You’ll learn strategies for writing efficient, optimised code, applying techniques for profiling and resource management and considering sustainability in your solutions. By understanding how to maximise performance and extend the lifecycle of computing hardware, you’ll build AI systems that are both effective and responsible. 

Responsible AI: Ethics and Society 

In this module, you’ll explore AI as both a technical tool and a cultural force, examining its impact on fairness, accountability and sustainability. Through case studies and creative inquiry, you’ll tackle issues such as bias, authorship and the environmental cost of computation, reflecting on how working with intelligent systems is reshaping responsible creativity and decision-making. 

Embedded Systems 

In this module, you’ll explore how embedded systems are designed, built and operated. You’ll work with sensors, actuators, circuits and mechatronic components, focusing on real-time processing and hardware interfacing. You’ll also develop skills in input and output, analogue-to-digital conversion, timers, interrupts, serial communication, IoT networks and edge computing, collaborating with others to solve complex, AI-focused engineering challenges. 

On this course, you’ll be encouraged to engage with industry. Between your second and final year of study, you have the opportunity to study a professional placement year within industry, putting what you’ve learnt into practice.  

Professional placement year (optional) 

You can choose to take an optional professional placement year after your second year on a three-year programme, or after your third year if you’re studying for a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year.   

You’ll be responsible for finding your own placement, with support from the Employability team.   

Choosing this option will enhance your industry experience and skills while studying.   

How you’ll study during your professional placement year 

You’ll spend time working in a professional context, as part of a business or organisation. This can be in one role, or up to three and must be for a minimum of 24 weeks.   

You’ll develop in-demand workplace skills, deepen your insight into industry and grow your network of contacts, all of which could help you get ahead in your career after graduation. 

Throughout this year, you’ll develop a portfolio of work that includes critical self-reflection on what has been learned from the experience. You’ll be required to evidence your experiences, the skills you’ve learned and your professional growth. 

In your final year, you’ll start with Computational Creativity, exploring procedural content generation and AI-driven techniques for building interactive, adaptive, or generative systems. 

You’ll also undertake an individual research and development project under the guidance of a specialist, giving you the chance to create a substantial AI artefact, apply scientific methods and generate insights that can inform future AI development. 

Alongside this, you’ll take part in the Digital Innovation and Major Collaboration projects, moving your projects from ideation to production environments. Working in multi-skilled teams, you’ll plan, design and deliver a significant project with real-world impact, while developing your own intellectual property and professional portfolio. 

Modules

Digital Innovation

In this module, you’ll bring your knowledge of AI to explore how technology can drive innovation in the digital economy. Working collaboratively, you’ll experiment with ideas, form teams, and develop projects that fuse creativity with technical and enterprise skills. Through hands-on pre-production work, you’ll design concepts, plan milestones, and prepare your projects as if for real-world release, considering branding, intellectual property, and business strategy before delivering a professional pitch that showcases your vision, expertise, and entrepreneurial mindset. 

Major Collaboration

In this module, you’ll combine your skills and experience to deliver a substantial collaborative project. Working in multi-skilled teams, you’ll design and develop a project of your choice, with opportunities to focus on applications such as games, interactive experiences, apps or immersive environments. You may build on your previous work in Digital Innovation or respond to new briefs from researchers, industry partners or external stakeholders. 

Computational Creativity

In this module, you’ll explore how machines can simulate, enhance or generate creative behaviour across domains such as art, music, literature and design. You’ll investigate what it means for a system to be perceived as creative, experimenting with modern AI techniques including generative transformers, adversarial networks and diffusion models. Through hands-on workshops and critical reflection, you’ll design and evaluate your own generative systems, exploring how computational creativity can both inspire and challenge human imagination. 

Research & Development: Proposal 

In this module, you’ll design and plan your own major research and development project in artificial intelligence. You’ll identify a topic of interest, review existing research, define a hypothesis and plan how to test it through data collection and experimentation. Alongside this, you’ll begin prototyping a substantial AI solution while considering the ethical implications of your work. 

Research & Development: Dissertation 

In this module, you’ll continue your major individual research and development project, building your prototype into a fully realised AI solution. Under the guidance of a specialist, you’ll conduct your research, analyse and visualise results and present your findings in a written dissertation. You’ll also demonstrate your final artefact, reflecting on its impact, ethical considerations and opportunities for future development. 

If you choose the Integrated Foundation Year pathway, you'll study five core modules in your foundation year. These are all designed to help you explore the foundational elements of your subject. You'll gain relevant technical skills, learn to experiment and take risks, develop an understanding of professional practice, have opportunities to work across disciplines and collaborate with other students on live project briefs.

By the time you progress into year one of your degree, you'll have a deeper knowledge of your subject, a clear understanding of your strengths, and develop a practical and technical skillset and the confidence to excel in your chosen subject.

Modules

Explore

You'll begin your foundation year by working collaboratively with others to explore themes of the future. You'll take risks, experiment through play and be supported to break through barriers.

Technique

You'll take subject-specific workshops and develop essential technical and practical skills in your area of study. You'll also enhance your analytical and organisational abilities.

Apply

You'll work with your peer group to think beyond discipline by addressing a societal or global issue. You'll then showcase your work to your peers and deliver and accompanying evaluation of your process.

Industry

You'll enhance your creative and practical skills in your subject specialism by responding to typical industry briefs, underpinned by focused research and experiments. You'll also gain industry insights through guest lectures and workshops.

Launch

You'll develop your unique identity in your specialism through the production of a self-initiated body of work. Your final project will be the bridge to your next year, fully supported by evaluative reviews and critical analysis of the work you have created.

If you apply for and enrol onto a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year, you’ll have the option to switch onto a five-year version including a placement year. That means you’ll complete the first three years of your course before completing a placement in industry in your fourth year and returning to Falmouth for the fifth year of your programme.