Course overview
Immersive technology
Explore our postgraduate courses in immersive technology and hear from our academic staff.
These technologies include virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and cyber-physical systems that combines digital twinning of products and services into gamified virtual environments.
You develop strong theoretical and technical knowledge that provides the transferable skills for a career in the immersive sector including technology, media and the arts, and professional services utilising VR, AR and and mixed reality (MR) technologies.
You work with industry-standard hardware and software to develop immersive experiences. Project based learning supports a practical and iterative learning process, providing the space to experiment while allowing you to acquire the cognitive and critical reflection skills of postgraduate study.
The individual project and Advanced Practice (Internship) module allow you to apply both your practical and theoretical skills in your chosen specialism and to gain real-world experience in industry or research.
Course details
Course structure
Core modules
You are introduced to the fundamental concepts and approaches utilised in the development of AR solutions, from exploring existing development tools and environments to design considerations and deployment platforms.
Cyber-physical Systems and Digital Twinning
Develop practical knowledge and skills in creating digital twins of products and services, simulating and testing them in different real-world scenarios in a gamified manner.
Key concepts of cyber-physical systems and digital twins are introduced in the context of industry 4.0 along with an insight into current state-of-the-art platforms including virtual reality and augmented reality hardware.
Data-Driven Immersive Applications
You gain a fundamental understanding the concept of data-driven VR, AR and MR, and their applications in data visualisation, product marketing and skill training. You gain practical skills designing and developing data driven immersive experiences and standard operating procedure-based immersive training applications. You gain knowledge of data importing/exporting, storing and use of various machine learning techniques to practically use collected data effectively.
This deep dive into the research, development and production of an immersive reality product, asks you to build on existing knowledge and experience to create interactive immersive content, in the form of a professional quality immersive reality product.
You explore how users interact with immersive experiences through user experience design, interface design and emergent technology. You look at spatial consideration in immersive design, best practice considerations, personal and virtual spaces and how this relates to interactive narrative structures and development.
You research and investigate a major, in-depth, topic drawn from commercial, industrial or research-based problem areas. The output from your project could be a major deliverable in the form of a software package, digital tool, design, or research findings. You also undertake critical evaluation of the deliverable, including obtaining third party evaluation where appropriate. Alternatively, you may undertake a research study and report findings in the style of a scholarly article.
You undertake a multidisciplinary group project where you apply your individual area of expertise to the platform of Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR). You focus on integrating and applying existing skills from multiple disciplines and applying them in a VR context. You research and develop a VR, AR or immersive experience. You research, analyse, and evaluate a broad range of VR and AR systems, as well as learning how to synthesise and reflect on your own contribution for immersive systems within your discipline.
Your assessment is 100% ICA, with a group project including product demonstration and actual immersive experience, an individual portfolio and individual written report.
Advanced practice
The internship options are:
Vocational: spend one semester working full-time in industry or on placement in the University. We have close links with a range of national and international companies who could offer you the chance to develop your knowledge and professional skills in the workplace through an internship. Although we cannot guarantee internships, we will provide you with practical support and advice on how to find and secure your own internship position. A vocational internship is a great way to gain work experience and give your CV a competitive edge.
Research: develop your research and academic skills by undertaking a research internship within the University. Experience working as part of a research team in an academic setting. Ideal for those who are interested in a career in research or academia.
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
You are supported to become confident, critical, creative, adaptable, articulate, and aspiring computing professionals. Critical thinking, and being articulate, are embedded into the learning outcomes of most modules, through written work with a focus on evaluation, problem solving and being able to communicate in a variety of ways.
Some modules require you to practice being adaptable and creative in your approaches to work and team dynamics.
The project module prepares you for the world of work, enabling you to develop prototypes, plans, research and documentation that is increasingly specialist, to support your aspirations.
Legal, social, ethical, and professional issues are embedded and taught within core modules. Critical reflection on individual performance and the identification of enhanced skills development for enterprise or research supported by industry standard/live briefs are also covered.
Each semester represents 600 hours of study for a total of 1800 hours. You are required to undertake a substantial amount of self-managed study, to continue your development of specialist knowledge and skills, promote self-reflection and encourage professional accountability.
How you are assessed
You are assessed through presentations, peer reviews, critiques, reports, essays and production of artefacts.
Entry requirements
A 2.2 UK honours degree in a subject with technical content, including engineering, computer science, games programming, business technology, software engineering, artificial intelligence, data science, analytical sciences (chemistry, biology, physics) and mathematics.
For general information please see our overview of entry requirements
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Employability
Career opportunities
You are prepared for a career in industries including architecture and planning, construction, engineering and manufacturing, entertainment, healthcare, training and transport.
Information for international applicants
Qualifications
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Useful information
Visit our international pages for useful information for non-UK students and applicants.