DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2025/2026

During this programme students must complete 80 credits worth of elective courses, with a minimum and maximum number of elective credits per year. Flexibility is given to allow course options to be taken from both Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh (leading to the +/- 5 credits of variation on selected courses). Before selecting your courses, please ensure you have consulted the Programme Director and Supervisor.

During the first year of this programme, students must complete 30 credits of compulsory courses and between 35 and 45 credits of elective taught courses.

Students with no previous experience of AI algorithms or Machine Learning must take one of the following options:
- Applied Machine Learning (20 credits) (Semester 1, INFR11211) this will only be available to CDT students whose lead supervisor is in the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh
- Machine Learning and Data Analysis 4 (10 credits) (Semester 2, ELEE10033) (available to all SPADS students)

This is to prepare students with no previous AI experience for the second-year course on Case Studies in AI Ethics (10 credits) (Semester 2, INFR11206).

The students will be encouraged to take the course ¿Software Testing¿ unless their previous experience indicates they do not have the recommended prerequisites, in which case they choose between Programming Skills (EPCC11017) or Software Development (EPCC11018).

Progression from one year of the programme to the next is conditional on students achieving an average of at least 50% for taught courses taken across the current and previous years of the programme, and satisfactory progress of the research project demonstrated during an annual review process.

In order to graduate with the PhD with integrated studies, you must achieve 180 credits of taught components with a pass mark of 50%, of which a minimum of 150 are at SCQF Level 11. The University allows compensation for up to 40 credits of these taught components not passed at this level over the entire programme as defined in the Postgraduate Taught Regulations (see Regulation 56). Yearly progression is also conditional on a candidate being able to meet this criterion.

During the second year of the programme, students must complete 30 credits of compulsory courses and between 25 and 45 credits of elective taught courses.

Please carefully consider your workload when deciding the split of credits for the elective courses across Years 2 and 3, after consultation with your supervisor.

Additional courses for future years are under development.