ART-AI PhD training programme

Year 1

You’ll follow the MRes in Accountable, Responsible and Transparent Artificial Intelligence programme that draws together AI and computer science, engineering and technology, and humanities and social sciences.

Units

You’ll choose specialist courses in your “home discipline” and introductory courses in the other two disciplines, alongside five compulsory units:

• Humans and intelligent machines
• Statistics
• AI challenge
• Interdisciplinary research preparation
• Interdisciplinary thesis formulation report

The range of optional units to choose from includes:

• Intelligent agents
• Machine learning
• Robotics engineering
• System modelling and simulation
• Principles and skills of social research
• AI as a social and political practice

Years 2-4

In years 2-4, you’ll focus on your PhD research. You’ll take short courses on topics such as research software, and develop specific skills for your research interests.

Once a year, students will come together with academic staff and CDT partners in an AI challenge co-creation workshop to identify key challenges for AI.

You’ll also participate in our masterclasses and annual ART-AI conference, building a wider network of peers and potential employers.

You’ll normally go on a placement and a research visit to a project partner.

While working on your research, you’ll collaborate with supervisors, peers and CDT partners.

As this is an integrated programme, graduates receive both the MRes and the PhD certificates together at the end of the course.

Entry requirements

You should have a first class or strong second class bachelor’s honours degree or international equivalent in computer science, engineering, social sciences, policy research, psychology, or a related subject.

Normally, you will also need to have taken a mathematics course or a quantitative methods course at university or have at least grade B in A level maths or international equivalent.

At least 10 fully-funded studentships are available each year. Ordinarily, to be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must have the right to permanently reside in the UK and have been ordinarily resident in the UK or EU for the 3 years immediately prior to the start of the studentship. In exceptional circumstances, it may be possible to find funding for excellent students from outside the EU.

English language requirements

• IELTS: 6.5 overall with no less than 6.0 in all components
• The Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic): 62 with no less than 59 in any element
• TOEFL IBT: 90 overall with a minimum 21 in all 4 components

If your first language is not English but within the last 2 years you completed your degree in the UK, you may be exempt from our English language requirements.

If you need to improve your English language skills before starting your studies, you may be able to take a pre-sessional course to reach the required level.

Application forms should be submitted online and be accompanied by a research proposal.

On the application form you will need to provide:

• personal details
• passport details if you need a Tier 4 visa
• education details
• details of your intended research and the names of your intended supervisors
• names and contact details of two referees, including at least one from academia if you have been studying recently

You will need to upload:

• a research proposal
• a scan of your degree certificate(s)
• a scan of your degree transcript(s)
• an up-to-date CV

If you are an international student you should also provide:

• an authorised translation of your degree certificate and transcript if they are not in English
• your English language assessment certificate (if available).

Interviews

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed through Skype.

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Research proposals

Your research proposal may not necessarily be the research you will end up pursuing in the CDT, but gives the selection panel the opportunity to assess your suitability for the programme and your research potential. Research proposals should be about 1,000 words in length and include:

• Aim and objectives: What are the central aims and research questions that will guide your research? Explain what questions you are trying to answer or which hypotheses you want to test. Prioritise one or two central questions from which you can derive secondary ones.
• Rationale: Contextualise your aims and objectives in a broader field of study, identifying the main literature or authors that you are addressing.
• Methodology: Explain how you are going to conduct your research; what information you would need, how you would collect it and how you are going to analyse it. This only needs to be indicative at the moment.
• Timeline: Provide a summary of what you are planning to do and when.
• Bibliography: Provide a short bibliography of key publications related to your research question.

Please feel free to either:

• Get in touch with an individual academic to discuss doing a PhD under their supervision. You can search our academic’s research interests at the University of Bath’s research portal. If you’re not sure which individual to get in touch with, contact Marina De Vos, Director of Training.
• Propose your own research project in an area suitable for ART-AI. If you are unsure about fit, contact Marina De Vos, Director of Training.

From time to time, we advertise specific projects on FindAPhD.com. If you applying for a specific project, please make this clear in your research proposal.  When applying for an advertised project, it is still important to submit a research proposal to provide evidence of your approach to and suitability for the project.