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CM50270: Reinforcement learning

[Page last updated: 26 October 2022]

Academic Year: 2022/23
Owning Department/School: Department of Computer Science
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Period:
Semester 2
Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Case Study (Written Report and Presentation) (CW 70%)
  • Programming Assignments (CW 30%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites: In taking this module you cannot take CM30359
Learning Outcomes: At the end of this unit, students will be able to:
1. describe how reinforcement learning problems differ from supervised learning problems such as regression and classification,
2. formulate suitable real-world problems as reinforcement learning problems by defining a state space, an action space, and a reward function appropriate for the context,
3. critically evaluate a range of basic solution methods to reinforcement learning problems,
4. analyse the difficulties encountered in solving large, complex reinforcement learning problems in practice.

Aims: This unit introduces the reinforcement learning problem and describes basic solution methods.

Skills: Intellectual skills:
* Develop algorithmic thinking for sequential decision making under uncertainty (T, F, A)
Transferable skills:
* Enhance perspective of decision making (T, F)
* Oral presentation of ones work (F,A)

Content: Topics covered normally include: dynamic programming, Monte Carlo methods, temporal-difference algorithms, integration of planning and learning, value function approximation, and policy gradient methods.

Programme availability:

CM50270 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Computer Science
  • RSCM-AFM51 : Integrated PhD Accountable, Responsible and Transparent Artificial Intelligence
  • RSCM-APM51 : Integrated PhD Accountable, Responsible and Transparent Artificial Intelligence
  • TSCM-AFM51 : MRes Accountable, Responsible and Transparent Artificial Intelligence
  • TSCM-AFM52 : MSc Accountable, Responsible and Transparent Artificial Intelligence
  • TSCM-AFM39 : MSc Computer Science
  • TSCM-AFM45 : MSc Data Science
  • TSCM-AWM45 : MSc Data Science
  • TSCM-AFM48 : MSc Machine Learning and Autonomous Systems
  • TSCM-AWM48 : MSc Machine Learning and Autonomous Systems
  • USCM-AFM01 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science (Year 4)
  • USCM-AAM02 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science with Study year abroad (Year 5)
  • USCM-AKM02 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science with Year long work placement (Year 5)
  • USCM-AFM14 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science and Mathematics (Year 4)
  • USCM-AAM14 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science and Mathematics with Study year abroad (Year 5)
  • USCM-AKM14 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science and Mathematics with Year long work placement (Year 5)
Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2022/23 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2023/24 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2022/23.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.