In this Q&A, discover how Hull’s MSc in Artificial Intelligence equips professionals with the technical and ethical skills to apply AI in real-world contexts.
Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we live and work, opening new opportunities for innovation and practical problem-solving.
The University of Hull’s online MSc in Artificial Intelligence is designed for working professionals who want to develop both technical expertise and a strong understanding of the ethical responsibilities that come with using AI.
In this Q&A, Programme Director Dr Rameez Kureshi discusses his background, how the course integrates academic theory with practical application, and how it prepares students to utilise AI in their careers confidently.
Can you tell us about your background and your role at the University of Hull?
Rameez: My background is in artificial intelligence and smart technologies, and my work has always been centred on applying AI to real-world challenges. I’ve led projects that use AI to improve healthcare, monitor air quality in cities, and design responsible digital systems that people can trust. Much of my research and teaching has focused on making AI practical, ethical, and accessible.
At the University of Hull, I act as Programme Director for the MSc in Artificial Intelligence as well as the BSc in Computer Science with AI. In this role, I ensure the course remains up-to-date with the latest advances while staying closely connected to the industry’s needs.
I work with colleagues across teaching and research, as well as with partners in healthcare, energy, and technology, to bring real-world insight into the programme.
My priority is to support working professionals by giving them the technical expertise and ethical awareness they need, but also the confidence to apply AI responsibly in their careers. The most rewarding part of my role is seeing students take what they learn and put it into practice in meaningful ways — whether that’s in their current roles or in entirely new career paths.
Can you tell us about the MSc Artificial Intelligence?
Rameez: We designed the MSc in Artificial Intelligence for working professionals who want to upskill or move into AI-focused roles. The programme is accessible whether you come from a technical background or another industry, as we begin by building a strong foundation in areas such as machine learning, natural language processing, deep learning, and computer vision.
From there, students gain hands-on experience with tools like Python, TensorFlow, and other leading AI libraries, while also exploring more advanced areas that are shaping today’s AI landscape. These include topics such as explainable AI, federated learning, edge AI, and generative AI — areas that are increasingly relevant as organisations demand AI systems that are not only powerful, but also transparent, trustworthy, and deployable in real-world environments.
What makes this programme distinctive is the balance between technical depth and practical application. We don’t just focus on writing code. We help students evaluate, refine, and responsibly apply AI models so they can deliver value in their professional contexts. Ethical awareness runs throughout the course, because using AI responsibly is now a core expectation in industry.
AI is already transforming sectors, including healthcare, finance, energy, logistics, and retail. By connecting academic expertise with industry insight, this master’s prepares students to meet those challenges head-on.
Graduates leave with the skills to design, build, and deploy AI solutions — and the confidence to apply them responsibly and effectively in their own roles or organisations.
How does the course balance the technical skills of designing, building and implementing AI with the practical, responsible and ethical use of AI?
Rameez: The programme is designed to give students a complete journey through AI — from building strong technical foundations to developing the awareness needed to use AI responsibly.
We begin with the core principles of AI, then move on to areas such as machine learning, deep learning, and advanced approaches like transformers, enabling students to design and implement AI systems at a high level.
From there, we explore emerging technologies that are shaping today’s industry. Students are introduced to federated learning, which enables collaborative model training without sharing sensitive data, and edge AI, which supports real-time decision-making in critical sectors such as healthcare and energy.
We also look at generative AI, which is already transforming creative industries, business processes, and research. These advanced elements make the programme forward-looking and directly relevant to what employers need today.
At the same time, technical skills are always taught alongside responsible practice. In the Responsible AI module, students examine fairness, transparency, bias mitigation, security, and compliance with regulations. They learn how to make models explainable and trustworthy — an essential expectation in modern AI.
The Applied AI module then connects theory to practice across various industries, including healthcare, law, agriculture, and social care. Students not only see how AI is used in these fields but also apply their skills through industry reports, research papers, and projects using real datasets.
Hands-on work is central to every module. Students code, build, and test models using tools such as Python, TensorFlow, and PyTorch, and are encouraged to bring in problems from their own industries. This allows them to create solutions that are both academically rigorous and practically useful.
By the end of the MSc, graduates leave with more than just technical expertise. They gain the confidence to design, build, and deploy AI responsibly, whether that means advancing in their current role, moving into a new sector, or contributing to cutting-edge research.
Can you share what sort of research into AI is going on at the University of Hull right now?
Rameez: There is a wide range of AI research happening at Hull, with a strong focus on making AI both practical and responsible. One of our core areas is Responsible AI.
Through our research group, we explore how AI systems can be made fair, transparent, and trustworthy. We also collaborate internationally — for example, last year we hosted an international workshop on Responsible AI, with a focus on sustainability and healthcare.
Another area we’re active in is Edge AI, where we work with the Edge AI Hub led by Newcastle University. The challenge here is to make advanced AI models run on small devices like sensors, smartwatches, and mobile phones. These devices have limitations in terms of power, memory, and security, so our research looks at how AI can still perform effectively and reliably in those real-world settings.
We also have a number of Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) projects with industry. These connect our research directly to business needs across multiple domains — from healthcare and social care to sustainability, predictive maintenance, and digital systems.
For example, one project uses AI to predict the lifespan of laptops by estimating when hardware is likely to fail or reach the end of its useful life. This type of predictive maintenance can be extended to other industries too, helping organisations reduce downtime, cut costs, and make more sustainable choices.
Beyond technology alone, we’re also applying AI in social impact areas. I’m currently leading a project in adult social care where we are developing a smart speaker system. Instead of carers needing to record everything by hand — which can be time-consuming and prone to error — the system transcribes their spoken notes accurately and provides real-time responses to queries. This has the potential to save time, reduce mistakes, and improve care outcomes.
These are just a few examples, but they illustrate the breadth of our work: from cutting-edge technical research to sustainability-focused projects with industry partners, to social care innovations that directly improve people’s lives.
Build AI skills and leadership expertise with the University of Hull
As Rameez explains, the MSc in Artificial Intelligence is designed to help you develop both the technical expertise and the responsible mindset needed to apply AI in real-world contexts.
You'll learn how to design and build AI models, explore ethics and governance, and see how AI is transforming industries such as healthcare, finance, energy, and social care. The course is structured to give you the confidence, skills, and leadership ability to apply AI with purpose in your career.
Visit our MSc Artificial Intelligence course page for full details:
