Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence and data-driven decision-making are transforming how businesses, governments, and societies function, from automating medical diagnostics to optimising financial systems and improving sustainability efforts. As AI adoption accelerates, the question is no longer if organisations should embrace these technologies, but how to do so effectively and ethically. Despite this momentum, there remains a significant skills gap.

Employers urgently need professionals who not only understand the mechanics of AI and data science but can apply them responsibly to real-world problems. The demand spans every sector: healthcare, finance, public policy, climate, and beyond. This MSc is designed to meet that need.

It produces graduates with the technical fluency, critical thinking, and ethical awareness required to lead in this fast-moving landscape. About the course: The MSc in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at Queen’s University Belfast is designed to prepare students to build intelligent systems that make sense of data, automate tasks, and support decision-making in complex environments.

Why study

MSc Data Science and AI at Queen's University Belfast? Queen’s University Belfast is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and is internationally recognised for the quality of its teaching and research. Students on this programme will benefit from expert teaching delivered by academics at the forefront of AI and data science, with strong links to both industry and applied research.

Teaching is delivered jointly by the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Sc ience (EEECS) and the School of Mathematics and Physics, drawing on the combined expertise of both disciplines to provide a comprehensive and rigorous learning experience. EEECS is home to centre for intelligent sustainable computing, a world-class research centre focused on areas including AI, novel energy-efficient hardware, maintainable software and scalable computing. This means students are learning in an environment shaped by the latest technological advances and real-world applications.

The School of Mathematics and Physics has successfully delivered the MSc in Data Analytics programme for several years, building a strong track record in advanced data science education and graduate outcomes, working closely with industry. With small class sizes, a supportive academic community, and access to cutting-edge facilities, Queen’s offers an ideal setting to develop advanced technical skills, explore innovative ideas, and prepare for a career in a fast-moving, global industry. Queen’s is also home to pioneering initiatives such as AI for Health, which drives transformative solutions across healthcare through interdisciplinary AI research, and NILAB (NI Landscape partnership in AI for Bioscience), which fosters collaboration between academia, industry partners and government bodies on a mission to integrate AI technologies seamlessly into biological research to accelerate discovery and foster innovation across health, agriculture, and environmental sectors, and healthcare providers.

It equips students with both advanced AI techniques and the data analytics skills needed to deploy them effectively in real-world settings. This future-focused programme blends in-demand skills in data science, machine learning, and AI system design with a hands-on, project-led learning experience. Students gain practical experience working with real-world datasets and modern AI tools, with the opportunity to explore specialist areas such as computer vision, natural language processing, AI for health, and knowledge engineering.

Through a flexible teaching model, the programme supports students from both computing and numerate backgrounds in developing advanced programming, statistical, and ethical reasoning skills. With a strong emphasis on responsible AI, cross-disciplinary applications, and industry-informed learning, this MSc prepares graduates to shape the…