COURSE CURRICULUM

The Natural Language Processing module introduces students to the fundamental concepts, techniques, and applications of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and text mining, enabling them to develop a reflective and critical understanding of how computers analyse, interpret, and extract meaningful information from human language. Students explore a range of modern approaches used to process and analyse text data from diverse sources, including documents, social media, business records, and other large-scale datasets. The module covers key methods from statistical machine learning alongside ontology-based approaches, providing students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required to build intelligent language-processing solutions. Through the use of relevant software tools and real-world datasets, students gain hands-on experience in extracting, processing, and analysing textual information while developing an appreciation of the opportunities and limitations of NLP technologies. A strong emphasis is placed on the computational, ethical, and governance challenges associated with language data, including issues such as privacy, bias, transparency, and responsible AI. These topics are examined using the "Vs" of Big Data as a critical framework, helping students understand how volume, variety, velocity, veracity, and value influence the design and implementation of NLP systems. Throughout the module, students strengthen their analytical thinking, technical problem-solving, and critical evaluation skills while learning how modern NLP techniques support decision-making and innovation across industries such as business, healthcare, finance, government, and digital services. Worth 20 credits, this core module provides a strong foundation in contemporary language technologies, equipping students with the knowledge and practical expertise required to apply NLP and text analytics effectively in real-world data science and artificial intelligence applications while preparing them for further advanced study and professional roles involving intelligent data analysis and language-based AI systems.