MSc in Creative Systems

"The idea becomes a machine that makes the art" Sol LeWitt

Technology is enabling powerful new forms of creative expression. On the Creative Systems MSc you learn: to use them; to develop and extend them; and why they work.

Research in creative systems combines ideas from theories of creativity as well as leading-edge techniques in artificial intelligence (AI), artificial life (ALife), human-centred computing and multimedia systems. The University of Sussex is a world-leading centre for interdisciplinary work in all of these areas. The new MSc in Creative Systems provides the opportunity to get up to speed in the skills and knowledge relevant for the research and development of creative systems.

We look for numerate, creative applicants with a good first degree: science, engineering, arts and humanities graduates are welcome to apply.

Applicants with industrial experience will also be favourably considered. Overseas applicants are expected to have achieved a comparable standard in qualifications obtained in their own country.

This one-year programme of tuition and study commenced in October 2007. Applicants are automatically considered for EPSRC studentships which cover fees and living expenses. It is possible to take the course part-time over two years.

Applying

Please contact Chris Thornton if you are interested in applying in 2008:

email: C[dot]Thornton[at]sussex[dot]ac[dot]uk
telephone: +44 (0)1273 678856

Courses
Courses associated with the programme include the following (although not all courses will be available in all years and not all course combinations are feasible due to timetabling constraints):

Autumn Term
(students take 3 core courses and 1 option)

Object-oriented Programming (core)

Theory of Interactive Media (core)

Models of Creativity (core) *

Multimedia Design and Applications

Artificial Life

Human-centred Computer Systems: Advanced Topics

Computer Graphics Modelling and Rendering

Practice of Interactive Media

* New masters-level course

Spring Term
(students take 1 core course and 3 options)

Generative Creativity (core) *

Computational Music *

Data Mining *

Music Technology

Adaptive Systems

Science, Technology and Culture

Model-based Animation

Web-based Commerce

Softward Design and Evaluation

Neural Networks

Summer Term

Research Project (core)

Environment
The programme is delivered in an academic environment long associated with groundbreaking research in creativity. Students will benefit from association with the Creative Systems Lab, which is a focus of creativity research in the Department of Informatics. Students will also have contact with practitioners in the arts and creative industries. The department has a history of supporting internationally renowned artists-in-residence, for example, Stelarc, Paul Brown and Jon McCormack, all of whose work explores machine-mediated methods of creativity. The programme also benefits from close ties with the Brighton-based Blip forum for creative arts, science and technology.

Teaching on the programme makes extensive use of the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in Creativity (CETL), a joint initiative between the University of Sussex and University of Brighton which supports the delivery of blended learning in a state-of-the-art technology-enabled environment. In particular, students will have access to the new InQbate teaching, exhibitioin and performance spaces. InQbate is conveniently located in the same corridor as the dedicated lab space for the Creative Systems MSc.

As well as utilizing appropriate courses from several existing Informatics masters degrees (most notably Evolutionary and Adaptive Systems - EASy - and Multimedia and Virtual Environments - MAVE) the programme incorporates teaching units from the University's popular MA in Digital Media (Department of Film and Media), and MSc in Creative Design (Department of Engineering).

Employment
Graduates of the programme may seek employment in a number of areas. There is demand in the computer games industry for graduates with skills in object orientated programming and Artificial Intelligence. Experience with generative processes in design, graphics or music is also highly valued. Film post-production requires skilled graphical and sound programming and management of special effects that utilise particle systems and agent behaviour (for example, several EASy MSc graduates have been employed by Natural Motion). In the rapidly-evolving music industry there is demand for skilled work in areas such as music distribution, music for mobiles, AI in online radio, generative music and musical games. In the field of art, the popularity of interactive installations using video and sound has created a demand for technical skills that graduates of this programme are ideally placed to satisfy.

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