[ACSAI] Objectives

The Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence aims to train professionals capable of successfully addressing, also in an international context, the challenges posed by the growing demands of the information society and by data processing and decision-making based on artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Graduates in Applied Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence are computer scientists with a solid general background in the fundamental areas of computer science, including programming languages, software design and development techniques and methodologies, algorithms and computational complexity, discrete structures, and the theoretical foundations of computer science. This background provides them with the methodological tools needed to ensure continuous updating of knowledge throughout their professional careers, allowing them to keep pace with the evolution of information and communication technologies. At the same time, they acquire strong technical preparation, particularly in parallel and distributed software, computer architectures, computer networks, information systems and databases, human–computer interaction, artificial intelligence, and information security, enabling rapid entry into the professional field of information technologies and intelligent digital systems.
Furthermore, graduates in Applied Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence will be eligible to access further university studies beyond the first cycle, both in computer science and in related scientific fields.
The general cultural foundation enables graduates in Applied Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence to acquire:

• familiarity with the scientific method of inquiry and its implications, including ethical aspects;
• knowledge of basic mathematics and the ability to understand and use mathematical tools supporting computer science;
• methodological knowledge and basic competences across a wide range of information and communication science and technology fields, including advanced artificial intelligence techniques, as well as big data and learning-from-data approaches;
• familiarity with the English language, selected as the main language in scientific and technical contexts, enabling direct access to disciplinary knowledge and supporting entry into the international labour market.

Thanks to this solid theoretical, methodological, and technological foundation, graduates in Applied Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence will be able to:

• understand technological evolution and developments in computer science, both methodological and technological, and adapt to the progress of the discipline, also through the consultation of advanced scientific and technical documentation;
• develop autonomy in building models essential for understanding and formalising complex artificial intelligence problems;
• operate in the design, development, and management of intelligent digital systems, information systems, and parallel and distributed computing systems, including aspects related to system security;
• provide technological support to users of computer and artificial intelligence systems;
• enter quickly and effectively into working environments, contributing relational and decision-making skills, and working effectively both in teams and independently;
• communicate and justify ideas and proposed solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences, at national and international level;
• interact effectively with users and domain experts, applying their knowledge in real-world contexts, including business and institutional settings;
• understand the economic, legal, ethical, social, and environmental implications of digital transformation;
• access Master’s degree programmes in Computer Science.

Graduates in Applied Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence will be able to carry out professional activities both in companies that develop and in companies that use information systems, in both the public and private sectors, in the following areas:

• design, organisation, management, and maintenance, including evolutionary maintenance, of software systems, application software, databases, information systems, analysis systems, decision-support systems, and predictive systems also based on artificial intelligence;
• design, organisation, and maintenance, including evolutionary maintenance, of components supporting the security and reliability of computer systems, including data security and machine learning-based systems.

The study programme is structured as follows:

1. in the first year, students receive basic training in mathematics and physics, together with initial fundamental knowledge of computer science;
2. in the second year, mathematical preparation is completed and further computer science knowledge is provided, including modelling, optimisation, and machine learning for artificial intelligence systems;
3. in the third year, training in computer science is completed with courses in applied computer science and artificial intelligence, allowing students to choose their own direction of study, with courses of either theoretical or application-oriented nature.

The third year and the programme are completed with elective credits, a compulsory internship, and the final examination.
All courses include laboratory activities and/or project work or exercises. In particular, most computer science courses include laboratory activities, while mathematics and theory-based courses include exercises. Laboratory activities range from the development of simple programmes in the first year to structured project-based laboratory work in the second and especially in the third year, focusing on applied computer science and artificial intelligence algorithms and frameworks.
The internship is carried out under the supervision of an internal faculty member and may be external, taking place in companies or organisations under established agreements, or internal, carried out within the degree programme under the supervision of a lecturer. In both cases, students are assigned a real-world problem to be addressed through the development of a professionally structured project, typically involving analysis, design, and software development activities.
The final examination consists of a written report presenting the results of the internship and an oral presentation demonstrating knowledge of the topics covered and the tools used.
The Degree Programme Regulations define, in compliance with legal requirements, the proportion of total workload allocated to students’ independent study or other individual learning activities.