This is the transcript for the video Bachelor of Artificial Intelligence
Nabin Sharma 0:05
Hello everyone and welcome to the AI webinar. AI, or artificial intelligence, doesn’t need any introduction, we can find it on our smartphones and several places around us. The AI Action Plan, released in June 2021, clearly indicates that AI could contribute more than $20 trillion to the global economy. By 2030, Australia itself will need more than 160,000 AI specialists with skills such as machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and other popular AI technologies. Currently, there is a critical shortage of AI professionals and the number is just growing. AI has been a key technology in the startup ecosystem, and more and more startups are either adopting or developing unique AI algorithms for the products. Hence, the bachelor degree is surely going to play an important role in creating a skilled workforce.
I think this is a great question to ask, why study a degree in AI at UTS? These are some of the important facts to consider: The University of Technology Sydney is ranked 10th in the world and first in Australia for artificial intelligence research, in the latest AI research index ranking by Korean software Policy and Research Institute. The Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute at UTS is Australia’s largest research hub in the field of artificial intelligence.
The Bachelor of Artificial Intelligence is a three year undergraduate, entry degree, leading to eligibility to start a career as an AI professional. This degree invites students to participate in a variety of innovative, inquiry based, collaborative learning activities, which will enable them to identify, analyse and manage challenges in various aspects of artificial intelligence. Students will also have opportunities to engage with industry, or external partners, in real world AI focused projects. Students can apply the professional skills developed during the programme to offer original solutions to challenges that industries are facing in the era of big data, cloud computing and automation. The degree also focuses on creating graduates who are not only technically competent, but also socially responsible, and understand the ethical use of AI to solve current and future problems across various industry sectors.
This is an overview of the Bachelor of AI programme, which is a three years, 144 credit point program. The programme has a range of core and composite subjects, which are part of the IT core and AI core, which provides a strong foundation for the students for advanced subjects related to AI. Next, the AI options, we have a range of advanced AI subjects, which covers domains such as computer vision, natural language processing, and others. Additionally, students will have the option to choose four more electives from the open elective block, which can be any subject related to AI or something else.
This is what we have in the IT core, which is a set of compulsory subjects worth 54 credit points. It provides a strong IT foundation, strong programming foundation, project management and communication foundations to the graduates.
This is an overview of what subjects we have in the AI core. We start with mathematics foundations, and advanced programming, and then get into AI foundations. In the mathematics foundations, we have three subjects mathematics one and two and discrete mathematics, which will prepare the students to understand and learn the AI concepts. In the AI foundations students will start with data analytics, but they get introduced to basic machine learning concepts as well, and then get into introduction to AI, which covers a range of foundational topics. Students will need to complete a Capstone project as part of the AI core as well.
In the AI options, students need to complete 18 credit points, which is around three subjects. A range of advanced AI subjects are available to the students to choose from, such as deep learning and convolutional neural network, reinforcement learning, natural language processing, advanced AI, image processing, to name a few. Students can also choose diverse topics such as quantum computing, IoT or theory of computer science.
Students need to choose 24 credit points of elective subjects, one subject or six CP must be from a list of transdisciplinary electives, and the remaining 18 CP can be chosen from a list of open elective subjects, or literally can be any subjects of students choice.
All IT degrees have mostly common IT core. The BIT covers everything, such as Software Information Systems, network and cybersecurity, human computer interaction, and data analytics majors, with some majors in AI, games, maths, business and so on. Students can also do a second IT major or a second major in business or management. The BIT cooperative scholarship has some coding, students choose a sub major plus one year of internship. Specialist degrees add more depth, such as games. BIS computer science covers everything that BSC does, including maths and theory of computer science and a major project. You can also add maths, stats or cybersecurity as a major choice. Software Engineering focuses on coding and software life cycles.
These are some of the career options. Again, this is not an exhaustive list. Career options may include working as an AI analyst, AI or IT specialist, Machine Learning Engineer, Data Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst and so on. If the graduates have opted for advanced subjects related to computer vision or natural language processing, Computer Vision or Natural Language Processing Engineer options are also available to them.
Gitarth Vaishnav 6:10
Hello, everyone, I am Gitarth Vaishnav, a fourth year student in the Bachelor of Computing Science honours degree, and I’m majoring in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics. Learning AI at UTS has been, and continues to be, a wonderful experience, since each subject taught is created with a clear objective, and is designed in such a manner that it covers the entire state of the art while also keeps on evolving with the industry and research requirements. I have acquired knowledge and expertise in a variety of subject areas of artificial intelligence, including computer vision, machine learning, intelligent drones and robots, social robotics, brain computer interface, natural language processing, decision systems and analytics. This has enabled me to stand up in the industry with a diverse skill set and, having a variety of skills is a requirement these days in the industry, owing to the breakthrough and rise of AI based technology in every other sector of the industry. When it comes to achievement, UTS has been a fantastic place to be. I have been included in the Dean’s list for three years in a row for my outstanding academic success, and I have had many incredible opportunities to compete, participate, lead, host and volunteer at many competitions and events, including the Tech Festival and Deepracer Competition, to showcase our excellence in AI. If you want to excel in artificial intelligence and make an impact in the industry and academia, UTS is the place to really be. I would encourage everyone to make the most of your time at UTS. And, finally, I want to emphasise that it’s not about being perfect. It’s about making consistent efforts that lead to perfection and excellence. Thank you.
Dannielle Woolcott 8:02
We just wanted to give you an insight into adjustment points for you UAC rounds. So when it comes to adjustment points, these are additional points that are added to a student’s ATAR to give them a selection ranking. So, at UTS the adjustment points that you can receive is a maximum of 13 total. They can be made up of a number of factors, such as the UTS Engineering and IT Questionnaire, which you can scan the QR code below; good results in relevant HSC subjects, so you can find out more on our useful subjects scheme page for UTS; gender and special circumstances.
Now in regards to the key dates that will be helpful when it comes to your UAC application. Our scholarship applications are now open and close early September, the fourth of September. We will also have our exciting Open Day on the 27th of August, if you’d like to attend. As most of you would be aware, the HSC exams will occur from early October to mid November, and then from mid December, at this stage, likely around the 15th of December, these dates are subject to change, is that, when the New South Wales and ACT ATARs will be released. Following this UAC has a number of different offer rounds that you will be able to be eligible for, to apply for the course that you’re interested in. And, as we state there, usually the orientation for UTS is in February, with autumn starting date in early March and the cencus date in late March.
Now, if you haven’t already heard of, we will be now hosting a UTS early entry programme. The great exciting thing about this is that ituses your Year 11 results when entering the UTS early entry program. So currently, domestic or international onshore students in Year 12 can apply for this program, through the UTS online application portal. It’s free to apply, with applications now open and closing in September. In regards to the offers, provisional offers will be released on October, before the HSC commences, and you must complete your HSC or equivalent in order to receive an offer. So, if you’d like to find out more about this scheme, please scan the QR code in front of you, and especially how our Engineering and IT Questionnaire can give you additional points for that application.
UTS offers a range of different services. Some of the student support includes, but not limited to, the bridging courses on offer in areas such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry, and we also have a system called U:PASS which is our Peer Assisted Study Success scheme, and what this does is, for available subjects, is students would be matched with someone who has previously undertaken the course and that, they can help and be nurtured in guidance for that.
I hope that you enjoyed today’s info session. And please make sure if you have any questions to reach out to us further at feit@uts.edu.au. You can also find out more on our webpage eng.uts.edu.au. Thank you