Data Science and AI in Creative Industries MSc

This unit launches your master’s study experience at Norwich, immersing you in cutting-edge practices and emerging research in data science and AI, with a particular focus on the creative industries. You will develop critical comprehension and knowledge in creative technology and machine learning, emphasising data science practices and functional AI approaches. This unit encourages an expanded approach to creative thinking, examining broader systems and the interconnected boundaries of data science and AI with other fields. Students will explore research methodologies, allowing for articulate critique and analysis, applying scientific principles to create mathematical models of real-world problems using practical coding skills. Through research-led projects, continuous experimentation, and reflection, you will deepen your understanding of these technologies. This process will help you grasp broader concepts and ethical implications, preparing you for a successful career in the digital technology sector or creative industries.

This unit equips students with advanced technical skills essential for computational practices in data science and AI. Through a combination of individual and group projects, students engage with various media and processes, refining their technical expertise to tackle theoretical and conceptual challenges. The unit will cover algorithmic design, machine learning, data analysis, interactive dashboards, neural networks, predictive modelling, and emerging technologies like AR/VR/AI. The unit’s research-led framework, combined with iterative experimentation, will deepen your practical expertise and expand your working methods with innovative ideas, equipping you to shape and influence the evolving landscape of data science and AI.

This unit explores leading practices and emerging data science and AI research within broader socio-economic, political, ethical, and cultural contexts. Through reflective analysis and interactive sessions, you will deepen your understanding of key themes such as machine learning theory, creative computing theory, and globalisation. The course focuses on computing ethics, social data science, and international data policy, preparing you to analyse and apply critical approaches to technology development in your work. The unit includes research-led projects, critical reflective writing, and an examination of computational design practices, positioning you as a critically engaged practitioner ready to contribute to contemporary and cultural debates.

This unit builds on the ‘advanced technical skills’ unit, enhancing your professional-level expertise in data science and AI. It emphasises the importance of technical proficiency in supporting the theoretical and conceptual aspects of computational design and prototyping. Through practice-based research projects and both individual and group work, you will refine computing processes, explore innovative solutions, and push the boundaries of digital environments. The curriculum covers algorithmic design, machine learning, data analysis, interactive dashboards, and emerging technologies like AR/VR/AI. You will challenge established technical norms and fully utilise contemporary and emerging techniques, seamlessly blending theoretical concepts with technical expertise to produce complex and innovative outcomes.

This unit enhances your knowledge of data science and AI, focusing on developing effective research and reflective strategies. It will deepen your critical understanding and expertise, broadening your contextual knowledge of socio-economic, political, ethical, and cultural issues. Building on the content covered in the ‘dialogue, debate, and domain knowledge’ unit, you will engage in interactive sessions to interrogate critical frameworks such as machine learning theory and globalisation. The unit involves refining research approaches, examining the boundaries of communication disciplines, and contributing to broader knowledge debates. Hand-on projects and iterative analysis cycles will strengthen your ability to synthesise conceptual and practical problem-solving, positioning you as critically engaged reflective practitioners who use a range of research methods to expand social and ethical dialogues.

The major project unit is the culmination of the MSc in Data Science and AI in Creative Industries, applying accumulated knowledge and skills to a project. You will identify a research question, design a project to test hypotheses, and achieve innovative outcomes, which may include multiple outputs or a focused study on a specific aspect of your practice. Supported by academic staff with professional experience in data science and AI, you will deepen your knowledge and understanding of the historical, theoretical, cultural, technical and economic contexts that surround your chosen topic. Indicative fields of study may include or focus on machine learning, networks, modelling, computational visualisation, and the Internet of Things. Research-led practice will help you to engage with established, contemporary, and future-facing techniques and technologies supporting the ideation and realisation of your major project. This will further your personal knowledge and confidence in synthesising experiments and ideas into complex creative outcomes.