King's College London M.Sc. in Information Processing and Neural Networks

Introduction

There have been numerous significant advances in the last twenty years in our understanding of information processing in living and artificial systems. These developments have been both at a software/hardware level and (especially since about 1990) at a theoretical/mathematical level. Students wishing to enter this rapidly expanding field after a first degree, however, will often not be adequately prepared by their undergraduate training.

The purpose of the M.Sc. programme in Information Processing and Neural Networks is to teach students

• the definitions and properties of the most commonly used neural information processing systems and algorithms, addressing both their potential and their restrictions.

• the mathematical techniques required to analyse the operation of these systems and algorithms (e.g. Bayesian statistics, information theory, statistical mechanics).

• how to use these techniques for quantifying the operation of neural information processing systems, for improving upon present ones and for designing new ones, and for making quantitative predictions on their performance and reliability.

• where and how neural information processing systems are used in information technology and engineering, and how they compare to more standard approaches.

• how to obtain and maintain access to the most recent research results in the academic community.

Upon successfully completing this degree the student should be able to contribute to research and development in an academic, industrial or business environment. This EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) supported course was accepted as an M.Sc. course of the University of London by the separate Boards of Physics, Engineering and Mathematics in 1989, and was formally approved in 1990 by the Senate of King's College London as a course leading to the award of an M.Sc. degree in the School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, which includes the Departments of Mathematics, Physics, Engineering and Computer Science. In the 1998 subject review of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education the programme was described as follows:

``The MSc in Information Processing and Neural Networks is a well designed, innovative research led programme which includes a substantial project. It is highly praised by students, external examiners and employers.''

Successful completion of the course will lead to one of the following awards: pass, pass with merit, or pass with distinction. The detailed criteria to be met in order to obtain these awards can be found in the programme regulations.

Last updated Sept 19th 2007 Contact: Ton Coolen

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