Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Bachelor's degree in a computer science-related program.

Required ECTS credits: 180.

At least 60 CP must not be significantly different from the acquired entry-level skills imparted in the reference bachelor's (B.Sc.) degree program in Computer Science at TU Darmstadt.

The expected subject-specific entry-level skills for the M.Sc. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning program are:

1. Theoretical computer science: Applicants should be able to use mathematical notations and methods to substantiate concepts of computer science, especially for formal modeling and verification of software and hardware systems.
   The reference degree program at TU Darmstadt teaches these initial skills in the courses Automata, Formal Languages and Decidability; Modelling, Specification and Semantics; Propositional and Predicate Logic, among others.
2. Applied computer science: Applicants should be able to:
   i) independently select the standard algorithms and data structures required for the solution from a problem description according to the functional and non-functional requirements or construct and assess new algorithms and data structures for solving the problem based on known strategies, if necessary taking parallelism into account,
   ii) to combine individual components of a programming language independently and without an analogous example within the framework of a programming task into an overall solution,
   iii) solve programming tasks in different, also parallel, programming languages that follow different paradigms, have different application areas, and are located on the whole range of abstraction levels.
   iv) ensure the quality of the created implementations through formalized test procedures and design methods,
   v) apply the aforementioned knowledge in practically relevant areas of computer science themselves. In each case, non-functional aspects, in particular also the security of the IT systems created, should be taken into account.
   These entry-level skills are acquired in the reference program at the TU Darmstadt in the following courses: Algorithms and Data Structures; Computer System Security; Computer Networks and Distributed Systems; Introduction to Compiler Construction; Introduction to Artificial Intelligence; Functional and Object-oriented Programming Concepts; Formal Methods in Software Design; Information Management; Operating Systems; Parallel Programming; Probabilistic Methods of Computer Science; Scientific Computing; Software Engineering; Visual Computing.
3. Technical computer science: Applicants should have the ability to:
   i) independently combine the individual design principles and basic elements of digital circuits, as they are introduced separately one after the other in the lectures, into an overall solution within the framework of a hardware design task without an analog example,
   ii) solve design tasks at different levels of abstraction and from different application areas by means of structured design methods in different description languages and using a spectrum of design tools and evaluate them with regard to suitable quality measures,
   iii) understand the interaction of computer, processor, and microarchitectures and make appropriate implementation decisions from this for the system and application software level.
   Courses in which these entry-level skills are taught in the reference program at TU Darmstadt are Digital Technology and Computer Organisation.
4. Artificial intelligence and machine learning: Applicants need the ability to:
   i) independently infer from the description of a computer science problem that artificial intelligence (AI) is required to solve it,
   ii) identify the required AI approaches, AI standard algorithms, and AI representations according to the functional requirements,
   iii) apply individual design principles and basic methods from artificial intelligence, and
   iv) independently combine them into an overall solution within the framework of an AI system design task without an analog example.
   Solve design tasks in data science and machine learning at different levels of abstraction and from different areas of application by means of structured design methods in different description languages and using a spectrum of design tools and evaluate them with regard to suitable quality measures.

These entry-level skills are taught in the following courses of the reference Bachelor´s program at TU Darmstadt: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence; Information Management; Probabilistic Methods in Computer Science.

If, after the entrance examination, it turns out that the applicants lack entry-level skills which can be compensated for by making up achievements to the extent of no more than 30 CP, admission can be made subject to remedial coursework. This must be completed within the first two semesters. Which modules or subject examinations are made a condition and by when they must be completed will be listed in the notification of admission.