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Unit information: Introduction to AI and Data Analytics in 2024/25

Please note: Programme and unit information may change as the relevant academic field develops. We may also make changes to the structure of programmes and assessments to improve the student experience.

Unit name Introduction to AI and Data Analytics
Unit code EMATM0065
Credit points 20
Level of study M/7
Teaching block(s) Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director Dr. Li
Open unit status Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)

Software Development: Programming and Algorithms (EMAT0048) or Statistical Computation and Empirical Methods (EMATM0061).

Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)

None.

Units you may not take alongside this one

None.

School/department School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology
Faculty Faculty of Engineering

Unit Information

Why is this unit important?

This unit provides a broad introduction to AI and methods of Text and Visual Analytics for MSc Financial Technology with Data Science students. It provides an overview of the most established AI and Machine Learning approaches and paradigms and gives students the opportunity to implement AI algorithms and use relevant software tools. The availability of large-scale sources of text data, such as those found on social media websites, opens up new opportunities for estimating the sentiment or opinions of large groups of people. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but only if it is well designed to represent data faithfully and meaningfully. This unit will enable students to create powerful visual representations of data and communicate them effectively to non-specialists.

How does this unit fit into your programme of study?

This unit is the first in the programme to develop your skills and knowledge in core artificial intelligence – it then shows how they can be applied in text analytics and information visualisation.

Your learning on this unit

Overview of content

This unit provides an overview of the most established AI and Machine Learning approaches and paradigms and give students the opportunity to implement AI algorithms and use relevant software tools. Areas covered will included supervised learning (classification and regression, e.g. neural networks), unsupervised learning (clustering), probabilistic methods (e.g. Bayesian networks and Markov decision processes), genetic algorithms, and multi-agent systems.

Information visualisation topics covered by this unit include: data types and their representations, non-vectoral data, human requirements for visual analytics, scientific visualisation, visualisation quality metrics, Shneiderman’s mantra (overview first, zoom and filter, details on demand) practical visualisation tools.

Text analytics topics covered by this unit include methods for unsupervised and supervised text mining including text pre-processing, structured data extraction, clustering of documents, classification of documents, and sentiment analysis using different techniques.

How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit

Throughout the AI element of the unit there is a focus on students understanding theory and modelling principles in order to apply them effectively to analyse data. Students should be able to apply these principles to other tasks in data science and will learn how that can be done in practice in text analytics.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the unit, students will be able to:

  1. Explain basic concepts and assumptions underpinning key AI algorithms.
  2. Implement and apply AI and statistical text analysis algorithms in Python, using toolboxes as appropriate.
  3. Rigorously compare the performance of a range of algorithms.
  4. Apply established text analysis methods on large-scale text-data sources.
  5. Define and apply the principles of information visualisation in terms of human perception and cognition.
  6. Create user-focused visualisations of numerical, categorical, and time series data using Tableau.

How you will learn

Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions, including lectures, practical activities supported by drop-in sessions or online computer laboratories and problem sheets/self-directed exercises.

How you will be assessed

Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):

All practical labs have some formative assessment – embedded questions based on the lab exercises with answers given later on the VLE.

Lectorials provide examples and case studies that will be worked through in class: students are expected to use the solutions to these to improve their understanding.

Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):

AI In-Class Test covering the understanding of key AI algorithms and methods and the use of AI models for solving tasks. (50%) ILO1, ILO2, ILO3.

Analytics coursework: students will develop a system for automated gathering and analysis of a substantial text corpus and write a report on their findings. The report should include appropriate use of visualizations, with an accompanying rationale/commentary on why the chosen methods were selected. (50%) ILO4, ILO5, ILO6.

When assessment does not go to plan

Reassessment will be achieved through modified assessments (one each for AI and Analytics) which students will take if they fail the corresponding main assessments.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EMATM0065).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.

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