Master’s Programme in Mechanical Engineering Programme description

The Master's program in Applied Computer and Information Technology (ACIT) offers an expert-level education in the design, development, use and maintenance of computer technology, electronics and software in areas that have become of great importance for modern societies. We live in a world with computing devices both surrounding us and, in some cases, even working inside us. Technology is a part of how we entertain ourselves, communicate, govern and heal. Services that span the world open up for individuals to interact across the globe.

Yet with technology comes new challenges. The application of computers and electronics in our society offers progress for many, but it may also close the doors for people with impairments. We can communicate across the globe, but our communication can be intercepted and used against us. Our data can be used to get new insight about our behavior, but the analysis is complex and requires ethical considerations whether the search for new knowledge is indeed with the right intentions. Artificial Intelligence offers to relieve many mundane tasks to robots, but consequences are potentially wide and may trigger deep changes in our civilization.

The Faculty of Technology, Art and Design at The Oslo Metropolitan University believes that solving these challenges requires a broad and multidisciplinary approach. Solutions for the public should be viewed as an artefact beyond a singular discipline, like Computer Science or Electrical Engineering. It needs to be a combination of expert knowledge and interdisciplinary thinking. Our researchers know from their own experience, that in the real world, engineers sit alongside mathematicians, programmers, economists, sociologists, physicists, designers and statisticians, just to name a few, to work on self-driving cars, computer games, medical devices, climate change and so on. As technologists we can become the enablers of others. We can let teachers teach in novel ways. We can let children with disabilities partake in activities previously denied to them and we can let doctors perform surgery on patients that are miles away. Moreover, we become inventors and transformers as we understand what others need and have the expertise to know what is possible, or should be possible. This makes our field incredibly meaningful and important.   This program offers a range of specializations stemming from the overlap of three fields of research: Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Mathematical Modelling. The uniqueness of ACIT is that it offers a closer connection between all three fields and showcase how they are part of the same technological fabric of today's digital society. Thus, ACIT recognizes that candidates will have a better foundation for solving tomorrows challenges if a broader perspective is available to them. The aim is not, however, to create generalists, but to create experts in their own field who are also able to see the broad picture of how technology impacts society. These individuals contribute not only through providing deep knowledge and expert skills from a relevant field, but at the same time are able to partake constructively as members of interdisciplinary teams. The program is designed to allow the student to select an area of specialization but also requires them to become familiar with a second area of their choice. In addition, the student will be trained specifically in the role as the expert member of a team.

Each field of specialization represents an area where the application of software, data, computers and electronics has become necessary for modern society yet challenging to do in practice. These areas are still wide enough to allow for life-long careers as technology progresses. In addition, a Master¿s degree in science requires each candidate to have training in scientific thinking and research, enabling our candidates to pursue careers as scholars in academia as well as industry researchers, leading the way for new discoveries and scientific progress.

ACIT Specialization areas

Our program offers several areas of specialization. Each area connects the student to an active research group at the faculty. When applying for the program, the applicant needs to select what area of specialization to join. Please note, that the areas have different prerequisites for acceptance. Once the student is accepted, the student will also have to become familiar with one of the other fields as part of their education. This can be chosen later and more information is found below in the program plan.

ACIT: Universal Design of ICT

With our emerging digital society, it is becoming essential that all electronic information and services should be accessible for all, regardless of devices, situations, and abilities. As progress moves us forward, no-one should be left behind. This poses a great challenge on ICT infrastructure and services in our society. Our world requires competent ICT professionals who can create universally accessible user interfaces that work for all. This specialization offers a unique opportunity to become that professional.

ACIT: Cloud-based Services and Operations

Today's services need to be designed for thousands; even millions of users and require infrastructures and architectural designs beyond common webservers and databases. This specialization area focuses on the practice of designing, developing and running massive-scale services and delivering software faster and with higher quality than before. We embrace the DevOps philosophy, in that developers should be better trained in automation and deployment and operations should build mechanisms for developers to thrive. It is highly relevant for anyone who wants a career as a software developer. The specialization covers both infrastructure management and agile software delivery and automated testing and deployment, creating candidates with a practical competence in the entire cloud stack from the servers and clouds and all the way to the running service.

ACIT: Data Science

The wealth of data produced by us and the things around us offer new knowledge that can be useful for both business and government. It can assist in public transport, health care as well as provide tailored marked solutions. With all the data available to us, however, a special expertise is needed to organize and harness it so that useful knowledge can be extracted. This area offers a deep-dive into the storage and analysis of Big Data from a practical perspective. Data Science involves programming, use of advanced tools and infrastructures and statistics.

ACIT: Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing

Application of mathematics to describe our world is a central element of many areas of our every-day life. Physics, economics and meteorology are examples of disciplines where mathematicians work side-by-side with specialists to convert real phenomena into equations. When these equations are translated into program code to be executed in potentially massive computing clusters, simulations are generated that may be used for e.g. weather or economy forecasting. This area is characterized by development of mathematical models, application of sophisticated methods for analyzing and simulating the models as well as use of tools, programming and computational infrastructures. Students of this specialization can expect to learn how their competence can be utilized in practice by the industry.  

ACIT: Applied Artificial Intelligence

Recent discoveries in artificial intelligence have enabled computers and machines to perform many cognitive tasks better than humans, from self-driving cars to diagnosing diseases in seconds. The application of artificial intelligence methods is revolutionizing the way we work and live. This specialization involves learning how complex systems are designed and used to make autonomous decisions. The students will have access to different types of robotics and intelligent systems that can be used to test their work. This area involves programming, robotics and mathematics.

ACIT: Robotics and Control

Robotics and Intelligent Systems are steadily revolutionizing almost every aspect of our every-day life. From self-driving cars, autonomous ships, fully automated factories and drones that can deliver groceries. It is a field with tremendous expected growth and demand for skilled multidisciplinary professionals in the convergence of electrical, mechanical and software engineering. This specialization provides a hands-on approach to the analysis, design, and control of robotic and autonomous systems.

ACIT: Biomedical Engineering

The need for innovation in the field of biomedical engineering has never been so important as now. Neither has it ever been given so much attention from governments, organizations providing health care and the media. It is evident that to provide world class health care, the need for technology that helps efficiency and accuracy is essential. This specialization will prepare the students for a professional career in companies related to new and existing health products. The students gain an interdisciplinary background but with a focus in electrical engineering and instrumentation.

Programme objectives

This program offers a practical-minded, profession-oriented specialization, extending a bachelors in technology, computer and software engineering, electrical engineering and mathematics. Our goal is to educate and train candidates so as to make them fit to address the challenges of both professional life and scholarly enquiry within their specialization as well as being a productive member of interdisciplinary teams.

Graduates from this program will:

• understand the role of their specialization in organizations and society
• possess deep technical skills from their own specialization that can be applied in a variety of real-life scenarios
• understand how their specialization is part of a wider fabric of skills necessary to solve tomorrows challenges
• have a professional and ethical attitude towards their role in the workplace
• display creative thinking in real-life situations, leaning both on theoretical knowledge and on pragmatism
• plan and execute their work in a structured and independent manner, be it as professionals or as researchers in their field

The program offers career-defining specializations that are closely tied with the industry. Focus is on building practical skills combined with scientific craftsmanship. Graduates from this program are attractive candidates for public and private sectors as well as non-profit organizations. Our target audience are individuals with a bachelor's degree who are interested in an expert role as well as the option to pursue an academic career either directly or later.

The different specializations together provide for a wide field of recruitment and is therefore relevant for bachelor graduates from many engineering backgrounds as well as traditional natural sciences. Students from fields within IT, such as human-computer interaction, web- development or applied computer technology will also find suitable specializations here.

Please consider the admission requirements for a detailed list.

To apply for this programme you must have one of these:

• a bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Aeronautical, Aerospace, Civil, Mechatronics/Robotics or Energy and Environment in Buildings) or a bachelor's degree in Applied Mathematics or Physics, and at least 21 ECTS in mathematics (excluding statistics)
• a bachelor's degree in Engineering in the disciplines of Electronics, at least 21 ECTS in mathematics (excluding statistics) and 15 ECTS in solid mechanics, fluid mechanics and mechatronics
• a bachelor's degree in Engineering in the disciplines of Chemistry or Biotechnology, at least 21 ECTS in mathematics (excluding statistics) and 21 ECTS in solid mechanics, fluid mechanics and mechatronics

You need an average grade of at least C (according to the ECTS grading scale) on your bachelor's degree.

You also need one of the following:

• English from a Norwegian or Nordic upper secondary school and a bachelor's degree from Norway or the Nordic countries
• at least 4 in English from upper secondary school
• proof of your English proficiency

More about admission to master's programmes.

After the completion of the master’s degree program in Mechanical Engineering, candidates are expected to have achieved the learning outcomes listed below. These are defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence, in accordance with the Norwegian Qualifications Framework (NQF):

Knowledge:

The candidate

• can identify the main scholarly theories, models and methods in solid mechanics, fluid mechanics and mechatronics  
• can determine suitable procedures to solve problems in Mechanical engineering, including analytical, computational and/or empirical methods 
• can explain the main notions on environmental impact, energy efficiency, and product life cycle, with respect to design and product 
• can explain how sustainability can be optimized using mathematical analysis and simulation methods 
• can identify relevant information from technical and/or scientific literature  
• can define the scientific method and the main ethical norms with regards to intellectual property that apply to the reporting of scientific work.

Skills:

The candidate

• can analyze and apply existing theories and methods to solve practical and theoretical problems in mechanical engineering, both independently and in teams 
• can translate and combine abstract theoretical models from fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, and mechatronics to solve complex problems the field 
• can design and implement technical solutions to problems that represent real-life scenarios 
• can apply software and technical tools that, in complexity and scale, are representative of industry scenarios  
• can conduct independent research and development projects under supervision, in accordance with the scientific method and the applicable norms of research ethical standards
• can apply mathematical methods and simulations to optimize environmental impact, energy efficiency and product life cycle 
• can analyze scientific and technical literature to identify the state-of-the-art and get updated in the field as technology progresses into new areas within society, and to formulate scholarly arguments   
• can document independent research in the form of a report or scientific article, following the ethical protocols of research, including suitable citation styles
• can identify and communicate common aspects and challenges in their field to peers from Mechanical engineering field

General competence:

The candidate

• can analyze relevant academic, professional, and ethical problems in Mechanical Engineering, and use knowledge to give comprehensive recommendations
• can combine knowledge and skills to conduct advanced assignments and projects   
• can communicate independently about issues, analyses, and conclusions, both orally and in written form, using professional terminology, with a relevant audience 
• can contribute to new thinking and innovation processes and reflect about the role and responsibility as an engineer in working towards sustainable development 
• can use relevant technological knowledge and scientific methods and principles when planning and conducting research

The MSc program is a full-time program, with a duration of two years, which consists of a 90 ECTS lecture-based component, in addition to the master's thesis, a 30 ECTS independent research project.

Content

The program is designed so that, firstly, students acquire competence in core mechanical engineering subjects and develop their analytical and numerical skills through the mandatory courses. Subsequently, through the elective courses and the master’s thesis, students obtain expertise in one or more of the three subdisciplines:

• Mechatronics
• Solid mechanics
• Fluid mechanics

Mechatronics is the discipline at the crossroad where mechanical, electronic, and electrical engineering meet. It also touches on related fields like robotics, computer science, and control engineering. The courses in mechatronics give a wide breadth of knowledge on the basics of the field, and additionally go into details on selected advanced topics.

Students gain practical experience working with a wide range of sensors and sensing techniques based on different physical properties. They also learn about diverse types of actuators, as well as power transmission systems and different control algorithms.

Modelling, simulation, and control of robotic and mechatronic systems are also covered extensively. The focus is placed on real life problems and hands-on experience, with state-of-the-art techniques, and provides students with tools to analyze and solve a wide range of problems in industry and academia.

Solid Mechanics provides a deep understanding of specific subjects within solid mechanics. Finite element methods are among the most versatile numerical methods used in analysis and design of machinery and structures subjected to static, dynamic, and thermal loads or to electromagnetic fields. Several pieces of software are developed based on the implementation of different formulations of the method. Both in-house coding and commercial program awareness render possible for students to gain the knowledge and skills required for successful pre-processing and simulation of models and to interpret the results in postprocessing. The subject of structural integrity and impact is very wide and encompasses several related industries. The methods used for the evaluation of systems subjected to cyclic or impact loads are usually hybrid and include experimental and semi-empirical as well as analytical and numerical methods.

Computational solid mechanics goes beyond the finite element methods and includes weighted residuals, boundary element, and meshless methods besides numerical implementation of nonlocal continuum theories e.g., peridynamics. The knowledge of these methods and their weak and strong points allows for the correct choice of the method of analysis a priori and saves time and effort which would otherwise be squandered pondering why finite element is not the most efficient tool. Structural integrity encompasses several advanced topics such as fracture and damage mechanics, fatigue, and accidental extreme loads. One of the important topics which allows for inclusion of several advanced subjects is impact. Impact mechanics deals with blast and ballistic loading as well as lower rate scenarios. Such phenomena are strongly associated with plasticity, damage, and fracture. A study of the topic therefore gives students a better understanding of these associated fields and prepares them for a wider view of the field. The program also provides knowledge of materials technology and the relevant properties of materials that enable advanced applications.

Fluid mechanics covers the physics of fluids (liquids, gases, and plasma) and how forces act on them. The master’s program will give insight into advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD), fluid-structure interaction (FSI), and sustainable energy.

Advanced CFD deals with computational simulation of fluid motion in a discretized fluid medium and solving the Navier-Stokes equation for incompressible and compressible flows with specific attention paid to turbulence and dissipation of energy. Students will learn to understand both the benefits and limitations of using industrial CFD tools to solve engineering problems.

Fluid-structure interaction is a multiphysics problem which deals with a domain comprising at least two subdomains of fluid and solid materials. By the time the student takes up the course they have the knowledge of solids and fluids and how to solve problems in each subdomain separately. The most important aspect of FSI is thus to enable methods to link the subdomains across the interface on response parameters. The method finds its applications in ship and marine structures, wind turbines, as well as offshore oil and gas industries. The course in sustainable design and manufacturing of energy systems provides relevant concepts for the reduction of materials and energy use, life cycle assessment, and circular economy related to energy systems.

The structure of the program

The master's degree program consists of seven mandatory courses, elective courses, and a master's thesis / dissertation. Advanced Engineering Mathematics is a general course. The remaining mandatory courses are either covering solid mechanics, fluid mechanics and/or mechatronics.

Solid mechanics:- Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics- ​Advanced Materials​- Finite Element Method Fluid mechanics:- Computational Fluid Dynamics

Mechatronics:

- Introduction to Mechatronics

- Practical Mechatronics

The available elective courses are:

- Structural Integrity and Impact (Solid mechanics)

- Fluid structure interaction (Fluid mechanics)

- Sustainable design and manufacturing of energy systems (Fluid mechanics)

- ACIT4740 Rehabilitation and Assistive Devices (Mechatronics) (the course is from ACIT master’s program)

- ACIT4820 Applied Robotics and Autonomous Systems (Mechatronics) (the course is from ACIT master’s program)

In the fourth semester, students will work independently on their master’s thesis.

ACIT is a combination of courses and a thesis project at the end. Students can choose between a short or a long thesis project, more on this below. The program is designed to first focus on a specialization before introducing training as a specialist in interdisciplinary work. Every specialization has three core courses, called specialization courses (SPEC).  When following a specialization, the corresponding SPEC courses become mandatory courses.

In addition, there are two courses common for all specializations. These two courses focus on research methods and ethics and interdisciplinary innovation respectively. Finally, every student will take an alternative specialization course (ASPEC), which is a specialization course that belongs to a different specialization than their own. The student is free to choose what ASPEC course to take based on their individual interest, applicability for their research project or for a specific career profile as along the prerequisite knowledge requirements are met.

By requiring students to take a specialization topic outside their own specialization, they are not only given a wider scholarly perspective, but they will now interact with students from other fields as well as interacting with the teachers who are also researchers, increasing the chance that they will embark on a thesis project that combines the two fields and with supervisors from each field.

In summary, the core structure for all students is:

• 30 ECTs Specialization courses (SPEC)
• 20 ECTs Common courses
• 10 ECTs Alternative specialization course (ASPEC)
• 60 ECTs Long Thesis

or

• 30 ECTs Elective courses (EC) 30 ECTs Short Thesis

The table below illustrates the program structure for a student selecting a long thesis. The two common courses are placed in the first and second semester. The specialization courses are also within that timeframe but the master thesis project is divided into three phases where the first phase is in the second semester. This structure allows for the project to mature over three semesters instead of two. It also enables the student to pick an alternative specialization course that would supplement the thesis project after familiarizing more thoroughly with the project and its scope.

Sem 1: Common course - Specialization course - Specialization course

Sem 2: Common course - Specialization course - Master's Thesis

Sem 3: Alternative specialization cource - Master's Thesis - Master's Thesis

Sem 4: Master's Thesis - Master's Thesis - Master's Thesis

The structure for a short thesis is shown in the next table. The placement of the common and specialization courses is the same as before, but there is more space in the second and third semester to take additional elective courses. The thesis project takes place in the final semester.

Sem 1: Common course - Specialization course - Specialization course

Sem 2: Common course - Specialization course - Elective course

Sem 3: Alternative specialization cource - Elective course - Elective course

Sem 4: Master's Thesis - Master's Thesis - Master's Thesis

Common course content

ACIT has two common courses which are mandatory for all students in the program. The first common course, Research methods and Ethics introduces the student to scientific writing, finding and understanding research papers and the ethical standards that follow a researcher and professional. The ability to communicate effectively is an important asset of any researcher, as research is not done in a vacuum. We need to communicate our challenges and findings to others, be that fellow researchers, politicians or in the general public domain. In each case, the format has to be adapted to the audience, so todays researcher must master a wider range of communication than before. Finding, reading and understanding scientific literature can be a cumbersome process. Our students will learn techniques to find, sort and organize the literature they seek in order to get the most out of it.

Each scientist relies on a set of methodologies, that define the rules and methods for their design, development, data gathering and analysis. These methods can vary based on the particular field of the researcher and ideally every researcher should know every method from every field. Instead, however, one must focus on the most common methods used in their domain. This course offers a broad perspective on the range of methods available but will offer more specialized topics to each student based on their field.

The second common course, Interdisciplinary Innovation: using diversity to solve complex problems, is an important course for the student to get training in how to be an expert among other experts from other fields. In this course, students will work together in diverse groups to address or solve a challenge given to them from our own researchers or outside partners. We focus the ability to interact with other team members and to build on each respective knowledge and skills. Students will be trained in design and innovation processes as well as practice to present and communicate their solution to others.

Specialization track content

Each specialization track offers in-depth knowledge into a field that has both academic and industrial applications. Below are descriptions of the content one will find in each track.

Together with the description, we list the specialization courses for the track and also provide a list of Recommended Prior Knowledge. This list is not a formal requirement for admission to the program, but should help the student understand what to expect and also enable them to study up on the topics beforehand in order to avoid steep learning curves. They can also use this information to select courses that further enhance their knowledge in those areas.

Representatives from the program committee can provide a list of literature and digital resources that can be used for self-study.

Universal Design of ICT

Specialization courses (SPEC)

• ACIT4910 - User Diversity and ICT barriers (1st Semester)
• ACIT4920 - Universal Design of Interactive Systems (1st Semester)
• ACIT4930 - Interaction Styles and Technologies for Accessibility (2nd Semester)

This specialization focuses on identifying disabling ICT barriers and developing universally designed ICT solutions that can be used by as many people as possible, including people with disabilities, so that all citizens can take an active part in social activities, education and employment. This combines an understanding of diversity among users, situations and equipment, human-computer interaction, assistive technologies, and methods for universal design of ICT solutions, as well as knowledge of relevant national and international legislation, guidelines and standards.

With an emerging e-society, it is becoming essential that all electronic information and services are accessible for all, regardless of the device, the situation, or the abilities of the user. In Norway and many other countries, providing ICT solutions accessible for as many people as possible is becoming a legal requirement. This poses great challenges for competent ICT professionals and society's ICT infrastructure and services. This specialization aims to meet the growing need of society for knowledge and expertise in universal design of ICT solutions such as web and mobile applications, e-services, e-commerce and self-service machines.

The specialization track objectives for Universal Design of ICT are:

• The student will acquire advanced knowledge of universal design and specialist knowledge of ICT, and learn how to analyze problems and solutions based on the history, traditions, characteristics and societal context of universal design and ICT
• The student will gain skills in evaluating usability and accessibility of existing ICT systems and develop ICT solutions that are accessible and usable for as many people as possible
• The student will understand how universally designed ICT solutions can positively affect a person's opportunities for actively taking part in a digitized society and can communicate this to both specialists and the general public

In this specialization, the first two courses focus on the fundamentals of universal design of ICT. In the course "ACIT4910 - User Diversity and ICT barriers", topics covered include differences in user requirements due to diversity among users, situations and devices, as well as how to identify disabling barriers. National and international guidelines, regulations and legislation relevant to universal design of ICT are also covered. In the course "ACIT4920 - Universal Design of Interactive Systems", topics covered include the design of cost-effective prototypes, how to involve and communicate with users in the design process, and evaluating prototypes through user testing with diverse users.

In the second semester, the course "ACIT4930 - Interaction Styles and Technologies for Accessibility" focuses on technology and methods within human-computer interaction and available computer systems, including topics such as multimodal user interfaces and issues in interactions related to context, such as accessibility in public spaces, mobility problems, and the user's affective state.

This specialization can be supplemented with either more core infrastructure courses, such as Globalization of Technology, Universal Design Fieldwork, Programming and APIs for Interaction, and Intelligent User Interfaces, or with any of the many other specialization courses from other tracks such as Agile Service Management and Developer Operations or Problem solving with scripting.

Recommended, but not required, prior knowledge:

• Human-computer interaction and interaction design
• Inclusive design
• Universal design
• User experience design
• User-centred design

Cloud-based S

ervices and Operations

Specialization courses (SPEC)

• ACIT4410 - Agile Service Delivery and Developer Operations (1st Semester)
• ACIT4420 - Problem solving with scripting (1st Semester)
• ACIT4430 - Infrastructure Services and Operations (2nd Semester)

Today, the cloud is an essential platform for services that need to display automated and agile features. Software engineering is not enough, as that focuses much on the process of designing and developing software. What is needed in addition is a thorough technical foundation as well where the entire platform stack is covered.

This specialization focuses on the process of developing, deploying and managing large-scale services. This combines an understanding of how modern development teams work, how parts of the development process can be automated in order to achieve higher efficiency and finally how a service can be supported by an operations infrastructure in order to make it robust and flexible enough to scale to a world audience. A practical focus will be found in all three specialization courses, aiming to deliver technical competence as well as an birds-eye view of how the IT industry and academia meets the demand of a digitized society.

The specialization track objectives for Cloud-based Services and Operations are:

• The student will learn the role large-scale cloud-based services play in a digitized society
• The student will gain technical skills and unique knowledge to become a valuable member of software engineering or operations teams
• The student will understand the current challenges of cloud-based operations and can discuss them

In this specialization, the first two courses focus on how to package and deploy services in cloud-based environments as well as how to develop scripts for automating that process. This builds naturally on general IT programming, web-development and software engineering topics commonly found in bachelor programs. The course "ACIT4410 - Agile Service Delivery and Developer Operations" is a unique introduction into the most modern ways services are deployed and managed, covering topics such as containers, IaaS, PaaS, scaling and Site Reliability Engineering (SRE). In the course "ACIT4420 - Problem solving with scripting" the students can put their new knowledge into projects that allow them to build sophisticated frameworks for automated service management.

In the second semester, the course "ACIT4430 - Infrastructure Services and Operations" focuses on how to build a wider scaffolding of robustness around a service by providing features such as monitoring, configuration management, centralized logging and backup. This course aims to enhance the knowledge from the previous semester with a deeper understanding on how to make a service function well over its entire lifecycle as well as provide a better understanding of how operations teams work to achieve it.

This specialization can be supplemented with more core infrastructure courses, such as Enterprise networking and security. Many other specialization courses from other tracks will also work favourably with these topics as internet-based services and agile software delivery are a relevant element of most of the IT industry.

Recommended, but not required, prior knowledge

• Basic operating systems concepts
• Networking
• Web Programming
• Basic Linux/Mac OS command-line
• Version Control Systems, like Git

Data Science

Specialization courses (SPEC)

• ACIT4510 - Statistical Learning (1st Semester)
• ACIT4420 - Problem-Solving with scripting (1st Semester)
• ACIT4530 - Data Mining at Scale (2nd Semester)

In Data Science you will find elements of Big Data, Statistics and Machine Learning. With the vast amount of data available to us from all forms of electronic devices and systems, the challenge remains to extract knowledge and wisdom from it. Examples of current challenges where data analysis is needed are: self-driving vehicles that share information and learn from each other, climate data from across the globe, financial transactions from millions of bank customers or genomic datasets from gene banks. As technology continues to spread into every nook of our lives, new data about us is generated. Even though valuable insight can be found, the need to protect the data and understand the ethical ramifications of its use becomes ever more important.

Being a Data Scientist means having practical skills in order to set up and use advanced Big Data databases, next it requires competence in statistics in order to know what methods of analysis are most applicable. Finally, it requires the ability to automate the analysis to be turned into a tool that can be used by others on future, similar datasets.

The specialization track objectives for the Data Science track are:

• The student will learn to utilize statistical methods on large data sets in practice
• The student will get practical experience on state-of-the-art BigData systems
• The student will get theoretical background in the algorithms and techniques used in Data Science
• The student will program their own analysis tools based on the methods they have learned to be used on large data sets

The two specialization courses for this track, "ACIT4510 - Statistical Learning" and "ACIT4530 - Data Mining at Scale", provide a foundation of multiple methods of structuring and analyzing datasets. This involves topics ranging from statistics, machine learning and pattern mining as well as becoming familiar with platforms that can be used to store, organize and run computations on the data. The specialization course "ACIT4420 - Problem-Solving with scripting", will let the students learn to incorporate analysis methods into tools to automate the analysis process as well as streamline different variations of the same analysis.

Students from this track will find interesting connections to all the other specialization tracks. Courses from Applied Artificial Intelligence and Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing will let the student go deeper on the learning and analysis aspects. Courses from «Cloud-based services and operations» will be interesting for students who want to focus more on the technical aspects and management of BigData architectures. Other specialization tracks will offer relevant use cases for Data Science, such as health data from Biomedical Engineering, sensor data from Robotics and Control.

Recommended, but not required, prior knowledge

• Database systems
• Basic statistics like probability theory and common tests
• Basic programming
• Linear algebra
• Algorithms and data structures

Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing

Specialization courses (SPEC)

• ACIT4310 - Applied and Computational Mathematics (1st Semester)
• ACIT4320 - Computational Methods in Modern Physics (1st Semester)
• ACIT4330 - Mathematical Analysis (2nd Semester)

Mathematical models are widespread in science and engineering and, as we spend much of our time on the internet, even surround us in everyday life. Whenever we want to create a representation of the real world that allows us to investigate and simulate it, we reach for mathematics as a language. Today, mathematicians work alongside engineers and scientists to address major challenges in our world, such as understanding and predicting the effect of climate change or describing both atomic building blocks and the vast limits of the universe. Mathematicians work in the computer game industry to provide models of how physics affects artifacts or how economies within games can be balanced. The most powerful supercomputers in the world are designed for that purpose only: run vast mathematical computations. Common for these examples is that the expert both has a solid mathematical skillset to utilize on their context but also the ability to translate the relevant models into technical solutions. Programming mathematical models into executable tools for analysts is a central ingredient in this specialization.

The mathematical modelling and scientific computing specialization prepares students for developing and treating models in their own projects and for jobs in research, industry and IT where mathematical modelling and simulation is essential. The typical student will know her way around theoretical mathematics and use this theory to implement mathematical and computational methods on a computer, run numerical simulations and interpret simulation results in terms of the problem at hand. Thus, students in this specialization should become proficient in all parts of the modelling process.

Students in the Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing Specialization track will:

• build a substantial portfolio of analytical techniques and computational methods and be able to implement these methods for scientific computing
• gain insight into how mathematical models are built and be aware of strengths and limitations of mathematical modelling
• learn how to apply theory and interpret model results in the context of science and engineering

The introductory course in the Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing specialization ("ACIT4310 - Applied and Computational Mathematics") focuses on the model concept, why we need models, and how we apply various mathematical and computational methods to analyze and simulate models. The course "ACIT4320 - Computational Methods in Modern Physics" offers more details on some of these methods and their implementation and application of the methods within modern physics. Both courses balance theory with practical implementations. In the second semester, the course "ACIT4330 - Mathematical Analysis" provides a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts and gives the theoretical background of many of the results used in the first courses.

There is a range of relevant specialization courses from other tracks that can be suitable for Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing students. Mathematically oriented courses include "ACIT4610 - Evolutionary AI and robotics" and "ACIT4530 - Data Mining at Scale: Algorithms and Systems" from the artificial intelligence and data science tracks, respectively, and the course "ACIT4710 - Digital Signal and Image Processing Analysis" from the biomedical engineering track. The course "ACIT4410 - Agile Service Delivery and Developer Operations" is a useful supplement if packaging the analysis into tools and products is of interest. Students who wish to improve their programming skills could benefit from taking the course "ACIT4420 - Problem-solving with scripting" (several tracks).

Recommended, but not required, prior knowledge

• Basics of numerical methods
• Basic mathematical analysis
• Basic physics
• Basic programming

Applied Artificial Intelligence

Specialization courses (SPEC)

• ACIT4420 - Problem solving with scripting (1st Semester)
• ACIT4610 - Evolutionary artificial intelligence and robotics (1st Semester)
• ACIT4630 - Advanced machine learning and deep learning (2nd Semester)

This specialization focuses on the understanding, the development, and the application of artificial intelligence methods and tools to solve a variety of real world problems. Artificial intelligence will revolutionize the way people live and work. This specialization gives you the advantage to work with cutting edge technologies and acquire the skill required in the present and in the future. During your studies, you will learn state-of-the-art algorithms and tools within artificial intelligence, such as deep learning, reinforcement learning, as well as evolutionary and biologically inspired algorithms, swarm intelligence, and other methods used in research and in the industry. You will not only learn the methods and theory, but you will also focus on practical projects that will give you the necessary experience and expertise to apply the methods to solve problems in different domains.

The specialization track objectives for Applied Artificial Intelligence are:

• The students will learn the foundation and inspiration of modern artificial intelligence methods and tools
• The students will gain practical experience and technical skills in applying artificial intelligence to solve problems in different areas
• The students will be able to understand the challenges and implications of applied artificial intelligence, and the impact AI can have on society, work, and daily life.

In this specialization, the first course in "ACIT4420 - Problem solving with scripting" will focus on automating processes and systems, with particular emphasis on tools that are required for autonomous and intelligent systems development. In addition, the course in "ACIT4610 - Evolutionary artificial intelligence and robotics" will provide the basis for modelling and analyzing complex systems, programming and controlling them with biologically inspired artificial intelligence, swarm intelligence, and evolutionary robotics. This course will provide insight into creating autonomous machines and systems that can adapt, evolve, and learn over time.

In the second semester, the course "ACIT4630 - Advanced machine learning and deep learning" focuses on how to use advanced AI algorithms that allow computers and machines to learn through deep learning and reinforcement learning. Such state-of-the-art techniques are currently used to perform difficult cognitive tasks at a level that is often superior to humans, such as pattern recognition and diagnosis in medical images, self-driving cars, or natural language understanding. During this course, the students will apply machine learning to solve problems in domains of their interest.

This specialization can be supplemented with the "ACIT4040 - Applied artificial intelligence project" where students in teams will develop a complete artificial intelligence system from scratch, or with the course on "ACIT4030 - Machine learning for images and 3d data" which will focus on AI applications in the domain of graphics and computer vision. Several other specialization courses from other tracks can complete the program with relevant skills within data science, mathematics or robotics.

Recommended, but not required, prior knowledge

• Programming (e.g. Python)
• Bachelor level knowledge of linear algebra
• Bachelor level knowledge of vector calculus
• Basic statistics and probability

Robotics and Control

Specialization courses (SPEC)

• ACIT4810 - Advanced Methods in Modelling, Simulation, and Control (1st Semester)
• ACIT4820 - Applied Robotics and Autonomous Systems (1st Semester)
• ACIT4830 - Special Robotics and Control Subject (2nd Semester)

The specialization in Robotics and Control focuses on understanding the technologies and methodologies behind modern robots, drones, advanced industrial process control and autonomous systems in general. Robotics is becoming increasingly important for home, industrial, transport and medical applications. The deployment of autonomous self-guiding vehicles, including autonomous ships and drones, is expected to grow massively in the coming years with the need for highly skilled professionals. The specialization combines traditional robotics and control systems with novel computing technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. These skills are extremely relevant for current and future companies working on product development, smart manufacturing technologies, and Industry 4.0.

During the study, you will obtain knowledge in key topics such as dynamic systems, control theory, sensory feedback and information processing, electromechanical design, and real time software development.

The specialization track objectives for Robotics and Control are:

• The student will learn the theories, technologies, and methodologies used in modern robotics and control systems
• The student will gain hands-on practical experience and technical skills in implementing robotics and control methods to solve real-life problems
• The student will understand the different aspects needed to develop robotic and intelligent systems, and to use them to create innovative solutions and solve societal challenges.

In this specialization, the first two courses focus on the fundamentals of modern robotics and control systems. The course "ACIT4810 - Advanced Methods in Modelling, Simulation, and Control" provides the mathematical foundations to understand, analyze, and implement modern control systems. This includes data driven dynamic modelling, multivariable and predictive control algorithms, and the combination of traditional control theory and AI-based methods. The course "ACIT4820 - Applied Robotics and Autonomous Systems" provides a hands-on overview of common theories and methods used in the design of robotic and autonomous systems. This includes state estimation, navigation, motion planning, computer vision, and implementation using Robot Operating System (ROS).

The specialization course aims at providing an arena where students can learn about specific technologies and methods that are relevant for their master project. Suggestion for these themes can be varied from special applications within robotics and control theory, Applied AI methods and Machine Learning, IoT (sensor/ actuator) systems for both autonomous vehicles and distributed systems, embedded systems, and industrial process control to name a few.

The course "ACIT4060 - Programming Electric Circuits" provides hands-on experience with microcontrollers and the design and analysis of linear electric circuits and instrument amplifier circuits. The course "ACIT4020 - Aerial Robotics" provides a hands-on overview of common theories and methods used in the design of autonomous and remotely piloted aerial robotic systems.

There is a range of relevant specialization courses from other tracks that can be suitable for Robotics and Control students. For instance, "ACIT4310 - Applied and Computational Mathematics", "ACIT4420 - Problem solving with scripting", "ACIT4630 - Advanced Machine Learning and Deep Learning", "ACIT4040 - Applied Artificial Intelligence Project", "ACITXXXX - Internet of Things", "ACIT4510 - Evolutionary AI and Robotics", "ACIT4720 - Medical Sensors and Actuators", "ACIT4710 - Digital Signal and Image Processing Analysis", "ACIT4030 - Machine Learning for images and 3D data", and "MAUU5020 - Intelligent User Interfaces".

Recommended, but not required, prior knowledge

• Basic knowledge on Electronics
• Basic knowledge on Control Systems and mathematical modeling
• Basic knowledge in Calculus, Statistics, and Linear algebra
• Basic knowledge on programming

Biomedical Engineering

Specialization courses (SPEC)

• ACIT4720 - Medical sensors and actuators (1st or 3rd Semester)
• ACIT4710 - Digital Signal and Image Processing Analysis (1st or 3rd Semester)
• ACIT4730 - Special biomedical engineering subject (2nd Semester)

Biomedical engineering studies ways to improve the diagnostics, therapy, care, rehabilitation and life quality by researching and developing diagnostic and therapeutic devices, equipment, implants, medical imaging systems as well as pharmaceuticals. This specialization in particular involves the hardware and software design of devices and systems used to measure biological signals and activities. This ranges from developing sensors that can capture a biological signal of interest, to applying methods of amplifying and filtering the signal so that it can be further studied, to dealing with sources of interference that can corrupt a signal, to building a complete instrumentation system such as an x-ray machine or a heart monitoring system.

The objectives for this specialization in Biomedical Engineering can defined as following:

• The student will acquire advanced knowledge in hardware and software design and learn how to analyse different problems related to biology and medicine and implement those solutions in a cross disciplinary field.
• The student will gain skills in evaluating existing instrumentations and systems that are applied in the laboratories and clinics, and develop specific solutions that are ideally innovative and practically anchored.
• The student will understand how different hardware and software approaches are applied in a field where the challenges are created by the diversity and complexity of living systems, which require creative, knowledgeable, and imaginative solutions.

In this specialization, the first two courses focus on the fundamentals of the instrumentation, sensors, and measurement's techniques. The course "ACIT4720 - Medical sensors and actuators" focuses basics of measurements techniques with examples of different sensory schemes that are applied in biomedical applications. In the course "ACIT4710 - Digital Signal and Image Processing", topics covered include different signal processing and sampling approaches are discussed. Reconstruction algorithms for medical imaging will be included, as well as post-processing algorithms for augmented interpretation of the images.

The course "ACIT4730 - Special biomedical engineering subject" focuses on specific technology and methods that the candidate may be involved specifically through the master project.

Suggestion for these themes can be varied from special applications within diagnostic and prognosis. Other suggested themes can be embedded systems, multivariate analysis techniques, design of optical fibres, mechatronics systems, and design of lab on chip or CD with focus on biomarkers.

The elective course "ACIT4060 - Programming Electric Circuits", provides hands-on experience with microcontrollers and the design and analysis of linear electric circuits and instrument amplifier circuits. Another suggested elective course for Biomedical Engineering programme is anatomy and physiology from the faculty of health sciences at OsloMet (digital platform). In addition, the following elective courses are suggested: "ACITXXXX - Internet of Thing", "ACIT4030 - Machine Learning for images and 3D data", "MAUU4020 - Intelligent User Interfaces" from the Department of Information Technology at OsloMet.

This specialization can be supplemented with many other specialization courses from other tracks such as Robotics, ACIT4320 - Computational methods in modern physics, ACIT4040 - Applied AI projects, ACIT4630 - Advanced Machine Learning and Deep Learning and ACIT4530 - Data Mining at Scale: Algorithms and Systems. Students who wish to improve their programming skills could benefit from taking the course "ACIT4420 - Problem-solving with scripting" and "Scripting for automation". In addition, subjects "Biomechanics", and "Cellular physiology" from faculty of health sciences could be complementary in this specialization.

Recommended, but not required, prior knowledge:

• Anatomy and physiology
• Electronics
• Biomedical equipement
• Electrical safety
• Basic programming

Short and long thesis

The thesis project is the keystone of the program for every candidate. Here, they will embark on an individual research project that is unique to them, their interest and specialization. The program offers two options for the thesis project: a short and a long thesis. So-called external projects, where a company or organization is a stakeholder in the project are also possible under the right circumstances. In all cases, the project proposal will go through a quality assurance process and the student will be assigned a local supervisor.

The short thesis project is 30 ECTs and will be in the final semester of the program. The topics for these projects can be initiated by students or be selected from a list of available projects offered from the faculty. Students are generally recommended to select a short thesis if they prefer to increase their breadth with more elective courses and find it more suitable for them to focus on the thesis in a single semester.

During the short thesis project, the student will give a mid-term presentation to report on their progress and solicit feedback from a larger group than their immediate partners and supervisors. This will also provide assurance that all students are on track.

The long thesis is 60 ECTs and therefore half of the entire time spent in the program. In addition, the project work is divided over more than two semesters allowing for a maximum time to reflect upon the work. In the final semester, all the time is focused on the thesis project, just like the short thesis. Long thesis projects go deeper into a single topic and should only be embarked if there is ongoing research in that specific topic at any of the research groups involved in the program in order to secure adequate supervision and quality. One will expect the candidate to become a participant of one of the research groups associated with the program and see their project as a part of a larger research effort at OsloMet. Students can therefore not propose their own long thesis project unless it is in collaboration with a faculty member and research group.

A long thesis is recommended for students who enjoy working independently for longer periods and who target an academic career later. Even though there is no formal difference with a long and short thesis with regard to qualifying for a PhD scholarship, the long thesis project has additional requirements with regard to writing a scientific paper as part of their project. A potential publication would normally be an advantage when applying for a PhD scholarship.

The long thesis project is divided into three phases, which are organized as separate courses. This structure ensures that there are concrete deliverables during the entire thesis project and not just at the end. During the first phase, students are to complete a literature survey as well as develop a suitable problem statement and approach for the project. In the second phase, much of the data gathering and development will take place, which requires the student to showcase their results and preliminary analysis. In the final phase, most of the writing takes place and the student will deliver a final thesis along with a research paper. For more details, please consult the course descriptions for these phases further down.

Elective courses

ACIT offers several elective courses that have their origin in one of the specialization tracks, but can be of interest to all students. The elective courses can create interesting and complementing combinations of knowledge and skills for the individual student based on their particular interest. For many, they may give a necessary depth in a topic that they want to focus on in the thesis project later.

Elective courses are in principal only available for students who elect a short thesis structure rather than a long, since in the long thesis most of the time will be spent on the project. In broad terms, the elective courses offer more breadth with three extra courses while long thesis offers more depth into a single topic and it is up to the individual student to elect their most suited plan. Students do not have to decide on the elective courses they want to take at the beginning of the programme but can wait until their interests mature.

Not all elective courses are available at any time. Whether an elective course is run depends on the overall student interest and semester. Students are not guaranteed that an elective course will be offered if the number og assigned students is low. The faculty will work together with the students to collect interest in the specific courses in good time for the students to make adequate choices.

Students can in principle use courses from other MSc programs at the Faculty of Technology, Art and Design or external institutions as elective courses provided they have a relevance to ACITs overall profile. This will allow students to explore other professional perspectives that normally interact extensively with the design, development and use of technology. The student has to investigate possible courses and apply the program council for approval in good time, generally in the middle of the preceding semester. Whether the student is granted access to the course depends on the availability at the other program and if the sufficient prerequisite knowledge is met.

The program is taught in English, with regards to both instruction and literature used. In addition, students are given the opportunity to take the entire third semester abroad, at one of our partner institutions which include Queensland University of Technology and Michigan Technological University.

Furthermore, OsloMet and the Faculty of Technology, Art and Design have several exchange agreements which are suitable for the program. Within the Erasmus + program, the faculty has long lasting agreements with Avans University of Applied Science in the Netherlands and ESIEE Paris in France, both of which allow for exchange of students in this program.

The faculty has a dedicated web page with information about student exchanges: https://student.oslomet.no/utveksling-tkd

See also: How to apply for exchange

A coursework requirement is a compulsory piece of work/activity that must be approved before the student may take an examination. Coursework requirements are assessed as either "approved" or "not approved".

The coursework requirements in this master’s program include projects, written reports, oral presentations, mandatory exercises, and laboratory exercises. These mandatory assignments can be individual or in groups. The coursework requirements for each individual course are listed in the course description for that specific course.

Students affiliated with the program have two opportunities to apply for doing parts of the program abroad.

In the 3rd semester. For a short thesis, the student will have to find courses that will function as substitutes for both the ASPEC and elective courses. For students choosing the long thesis, a substitute for an ASPEC course needs to be found at the desired university. The program committee will review and approve the substitution of courses.

In the 3rd or 4th semester, students may apply to carry out parts of their master projects and proceed to write their Master's Thesis abroad. This must be based on a "professor-to- professor" arrangement, with an agreement between the student's appointed supervisor and a professor at a higher educational institution abroad, who collaborate with one of the local research groups at OsloMet. The agreement is required to ensure that the master project is of mutual interest for all parties, and for establishing necessary supervision abroad. The student's supervisor will be able to continue giving remote supervision from Norway via email and video/conference-calling.

Requirements:

An average grade C in previously completed courses.

An exchange agreement with the desired university or college must be in place before the student can apply.

Acceptance from a receiving professor or institution to an exchange-stay with the necessary academic relevance. Currently we have no agreements with receiving institutions or professors, but are working towards establishing this.

Applications for going abroad must be sent by e-mail to studie-tkd@oslomet.no

Deadlines: One month prior to alternative 1) and one semester prior to alternative 2). Students submit the Master's Thesis for assessment to, and get their ECTS from, OsloMet.

Quality assurance

The purpose of OsloMet's quality assurance system is to strengthen students' learning outcomes and development by raising the quality at all levels. Cooperation with the students, and their participation in the quality assurance work, is decisive to the overall learning outcome. Among the overall goals for the quality assurance system is to ensure:

• that the educational activities, including practical training and the learning and study environment, maintain a high level of quality
• that the study programmes are relevant for the professional fields
• that the quality development continues to improve

For the students, this entails, among other things, student evaluations in the form of:

• course evaluations
• annual student surveys for all of OsloMet

More information about the quality assurance system is available here: https://student.oslomet.no/regelverk#etablering-studium-evaluering-kvalitetssystem

Programme supervisor scheme

The programme supervisor scheme is part of the quality assurance of each individual study programme. A programme supervisor is not an examiner, but someone who supervises the quality of the study programmes. All study programmes at OsloMet shall be subject to supervision by a programme supervisor, but there are different ways of practising the scheme. Reference is made to the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet: https://student.oslomet.no/retningslinjer-sensorer