M.Sc. Computer Science - Augmented and Virtual Reality

Course Description

The new M.Sc. in Computer Science has a common set of entry criteria and leads to a Master's degree in Computing, specializing in one of four exciting areas: Data Science, Intelligent Systems, Augmented & Virtual Reality and Future Networked Systems. The course is designed and taught by staff who are leading experts in their fields, and the course content is inspired by their cutting-edge work as well as their contacts with leading industry researchers around the globe. We expect our graduates to be in high demand for high-end research and development positions within leading multi-national companies and start-up companies alike. In some cases our graduates have gone on to take up funded PhD studies at TCD.

The Augmented & Virtual Reality strand equips students with the theoretical and practical knowledge to enable them to participate in the design and development of the technology that underpins the fast moving video game market and the wider industries of interactive entertainment, new media and communication. This strand is a modified version of the well-established and successful M.Sc. in Interactive Entertainment Technology and is built on research expertise in the Trinity Centre for Creative Technologies, which focuses on the creative technologies including film, interactive multimedia, games, and simulation.

Previous graduates from our M.Sc. programmes have gone on to work for games companies such as Havok, Electronic Arts, DemonWare and Playfirst, whilst others have joined leading visual effects studios such as Framestore CFC and Double Negative. We expect future graduates from this strand to be equally successful in securing employment in this industry.

The course is taught over a full calendar year, with two 12-week semesters of taught modules, involving attendance at labs and lectures, followed by dedicated research work over the remaining summer months for the MSc Dissertation.

In the first term (September - December), all students gain the necessary skills in a number of Core Modules common to the M.Sc. Programme. These include Research Methods (to enable students to produce their own dissertation), Innovation (to equip students with skills in company formation or innovating within a large company) and Machine Learning (a foundational technique for each of the specializations). In addition, students will make a start on specialist modules in their chosen strand. The Computer Vision module will equip students with knowledge of a range of image processing, feature extraction and shape representation and transformation techniques. It will build on the machine learning module by targeting these techniques in the computer vision domain. The Mathematics of Light & Sound, module will deal with the maths needed for the synthesis and analysis of audio and video signals. Computer Graphics will introduce essential modelling and linear algebra techniques before delving into the computer graphics pipeline, OpenGL, projection and viewing techniques and illumination models required in interactive graphics applications. The module in Advanced Software Engineering, running over both semesters, will explore the methods and techniques involved in large-scale software development encompassing Agile and eXtreme Programming (XP), Test-driven development and Re-factoring.

During the second term (January – March), students begin foundational work on their dissertation, and immerse themselves in further specialist modules of their chosen strand. Real-time Rendering will explore the graphics pipeline, GPUs as well as a variety of shading, illumination and rendering techniques. The Augmented Reality module will equip students with a solid background in alternative 3-D compositing techniques. Students will learn to develop interactive applications on both PC and mobile devices. The third strand module explores Real-time Animation techniques which, in addition to introducing blending, kinematics and motion capture, will involve programming assignments and the development of a project proposal in real-time animation. In addition, students choose two additional electives from a pool of modules offered in the other strands of the M.Sc. programme to broaden their core skills in Augmented and Virtual Reality.

The summer term (April – August) will be exclusively focused on the Dissertations, doing experimental work, building prototypes and writing up the work. By April, students will have chosen a Dissertation topic, picked and consulted with their chosen supervisor and be ready to devote substantial time to researching and prototyping your work. We expect that the top projects should deliver publishable quality papers over this period. During the year, all projects will be showcased to an industry audience comprising indigenous, small & medium employers and multinational companies.

Please note that the course content is updated on an annual basis and some changes occur from year to year. Students accepted on the course will be given formal module descriptors before the start of term.