Queen Mary, University of London or University of Kent?

I've received offers for Msc Artificial Intelligence at the University of Kent, which includes a year of industrial placement, and Queen Mary, which doesn't have an industrial placement. Any thoughts on which option might be better, considering that location doesn't matter to me? Thanks!

Reply 1

Scotland Yard

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

20

Original post by Anonymous

I've received offers for Msc Artificial Intelligence at the University of Kent, which includes a year of industrial placement, and Queen Mary, which doesn't have an industrial placement. Any thoughts on which option might be better, considering that location doesn't matter to me? Thanks!

You should obviously do your own research on the two and see which one you like best, but work experience is invaluable, so just for that you should probably be leaning more towards Kent, because of their industrial placement year.

Reply 2

alfredisagoodboy

2

Original post by Scotland Yard

You should obviously do your own research on the two and see which one you like best, but work experience is invaluable, so just for that you should probably be leaning more towards Kent, because of their industrial placement year.

taking notes ✍🏽

Reply 3

University of Kent

Official Rep

15

Original post by Anonymous #1

I've received offers for Msc Artificial Intelligence at the University of Kent, which includes a year of industrial placement, and Queen Mary, which doesn't have an industrial placement. Any thoughts on which option might be better, considering that location doesn't matter to me? Thanks!

Hey there,

I hope you're keeping well.

Firstly, congratulations on receiving offers from both Kent and Queen Mary!! It's a fantastic achievement, and you should be incredibly proud of this! :smile:

Now, given your interest in the practical application of AI, the inclusion of a year-long industrial placement at Kent definitely merits strong consideration in my personal opinion. That experience offers several valuable benefits:

•

Real-world application: You'll gain hands-on experience working on AI projects within a professional setting, applying your theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges.

•

Enhanced employability: Employers highly value applicants with practical experience, and an industrial placement strengthens your CV and helps you stand out from the crowd.

•

Networking opportunities: You'll build valuable connections with professionals in the AI field, which can lead to internship opportunities, future employment, and career support.

While I'm sure Queen Mary has an excellent program, the additional year of practical experience through Kent's industrial placement can give you a significant edge in the job market and your future AI career.

Of course, there are other factors to consider, such as the specific modules offered by each program, research opportunities, and faculty expertise. I encourage you to visit the university websites and browse the course details, exploring research areas and faculty profiles to see which program aligns best with your interests and career aspirations.
https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/249/artificial-intelligence
https://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/coursefinder/courses/artificial-intelligence-msc/
If you do allow me to be a bit biased though, the School of Computing at Kent doesn't just offer interesting modules to learn, but also boasts a beautiful, modern department on campus with easy access to all your lecturers. Plus, I know that you said location isn't too important - but one thing I love about studying here is the nice mix of rural and urban life - whereby the campus is situated far enough to have gorgeous natural views and wildlife - whilst being close enough to both Canterbury and London to go shopping or dining on the weekend! Alongside this, Kent offers a wide range of support to all students - whereby you recieve an academic advisor in your field who you can talk to regarding anything, drop-in sessions alongside regular classes, consulation hours with your professors where they drop everything they do to talk to you if you want. As well as this, we also have a wide range of support departments, such as Academic support, Mental Health, Work Opportunity, etc. which are also solely designed around helping you succeed!

Ultimately, the decision is yours. But if gaining practical experience and boosting your employability are priorities, the industrial placement offered by Kent's MSc AI program definitely deserves serious consideration.
To help you further, you might also want to:

•

Reach out to current professors of both programs to get their firsthand experience and insights. I know that here at Kent, professors and lecturers are quite happy to help with answers - and if you're not too sure who to contact, feel free to ask and I'll try to look around! :smile:

•

Attend applicant days or virtual open days(when available) to learn more about the programs and ask questions directly to staff or faculty.

I understand making this decision can be tough, but I hope this information and suggestions help you find the perfect program for your exciting journey!
But please free to reach out if you have any further questions about Kent's MSc AI program or the industrial placement opportunities. We're always more than happy to help!

I hope this helps, even if just a bit! :smile:

Warm regards,

David :smile:

University of Kent Representative

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 4

Anonymous #1

OP

I reached out to a representative at the university about the placement year, and this was the response: 'You will be in charge of organizing placements, but the school can give guidance on this.' Could you please elaborate more on this?

Reply 5

unistudent90

1

Original post by Anonymous #1

I reached out to a representative at the university about the placement year, and this was the response: 'You will be in charge of organizing placements, but the school can give guidance on this.' Could you please elaborate more on this?

You have to find your own placement e.g. on indeed, rate my placement, (as if you were applying for a job which is basically what you are doing) and go through the application yourself (it's insanely competitive and very draining) but the uni can provide guidance, e.g. look at your cv, practice interviews with you etc

Reply 6

University of Kent

Official Rep

15

Original post by Anonymous #1

I reached out to a representative at the university about the placement year, and this was the response: 'You will be in charge of organizing placements, but the school can give guidance on this.' Could you please elaborate more on this?

Hey there,

I hope you're keeping well!

Sorry for not getting back to you earlier!

Basically, by joining the university it won't be like you're given a placement as soon as you start whether you like it or not. You'll be the one who will choose the different locations where you want to study, and throughout this process you'll have a designated professor who will be there to help with your applications, CVs, cover letters, practise interviews, etc. to help you learn and prepare for the application process; like how @unistudent90 kindly mentioned! :smile:

This seems like hard work - and it is! But, it's better to teach a man to fish than to give him one for the day.
Of course, this doesn't come without hard work. I've worked and talked alongside some of the professors who have actually been the ones helping with this process, and they say sternly "Not everyone who is part of the programme gets a spot". In fact, when I spoke with them they said on rough estimation, about 50% of those in the course will get a year in industry. So it's not something to be taken lightly.

I understand that this seems quite bleak - however, what they also say is without the help, in their experience, you'd only have a 20% of applicants get through. Again, this shows how competitve applications and the process can be! But, also when you think about it, your odds increase from 20 - 50% (rough estimates) - its not a bad deal.
Now add on top of that the fact that actually, unfortunately some of the people in the course don't really work for their applications and hope to just recieve a placement despite not doing much work, and then the odds of people who work and get applications again rises. But, you must be aware that taking the course doesn't guarantee you a placement, it just increases your odds of getting one.

But ultimately, at the end of the road of hard work, you not only get merits for your diligence, but also satisfaction, memories, (hopefully money!), and invaluable experience (plus a small sense of superiority amongst your academic peers :wink:

), then you will be able to realise the immeasurable benefits that come with placements.

Anyways, sorry for the long reply - but I hope this helps you understand the costs and benefits of the placement more!

Once again, I apologise for the late reply.

Warm regards,

David :smile:

University of Kent Rep

Reply 7

University of Kent

Official Rep

15

Original post by Anonymous #1

I reached out to a representative at the university about the placement year, and this was the response: 'You will be in charge of organizing placements, but the school can give guidance on this.' Could you please elaborate more on this?

Hi,

Apologies for the delay in response.

It is great to hear you reached out to a representative. I would urge you to ask them this question as they may be more able to answer your question more specifically for your course.

I did a placement year with the School of Psychology at Kent for my undergraduate degree. The way it worked for us was that we are told which companies/organisations/services are offering placements (these places have connections with Kent). Then we applied for the ones we wanted to like a job, either submitting a CV or cover letter etc. @unistudent90 is perfectly correct in saying that the university can help you with your CV and support you with interview skills (see Careers and Employability service at Kent here: https://www.kent.ac.uk/careers).

I would recommend contacting the university to ask how it works for your course specifically as it may be slightly different to Psychology. You can email [email protected].

In the meantime you can visit the courses website to see if it helps answer your question: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/4952/artificial-intelligence-with-an-industrial-placement#course-form.

As a side note, I really value having my placement as it helped me realise I have a passion for research (even though I did mine in a clinical setting). Without this year I would not have realised that the clinical setting is not for me! I would recommend doing a placement too as the experience looks great alongside a degree. To employers you show that you are academically ready and have a good amount of experience.

I hope this helps :smile:

Alia
University of Kent Student Rep

Queen Mary, University of London or University of Kent?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Articles for you