EMCL:
European Masters Program in
Computational Logic
Detailed Study Program at FUB
This page outlines the modules for the current academic year 2009-2010. Starting with academic year 2010-2011 the module structure will be modified according to the new structure of the program in which all the students will attend the first year at the same universities.
The European Masters Program in Computational Logic at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (FUB) is organised as follows:
| Module | Credits | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory Modules | Foundations | 12 | 1 |
| Logic and Constraint Programming | 12 | 1 | |
| Advanced Logic | 8 | 1 | |
| Integrated Logic Systems | 10 | 1 | |
| Advanced Modules | Advanced Databases | 12 | 1 or 2 |
| Semantic Web | 12 | 1 or 2 | |
| Language and Communication Technologies (B/I/E) | 8/12/16 | 1 or 2 | |
| Project and Thesis | Project | 12 | 2 |
| Master Thesis | 30 | 2 |
The first year is composed of mandatory modules and
advanced modules; the second year is composed of advanced modules, a
project, and the master thesis. The mandatory modules are compulsory,
while students may choose the advanced modules from the table above,
with the proviso that they must sum up to 20 credits both in the first
and in the second year. According to activation of courses, a
dvanced modules may come in three versions:
basic (B) earning 8 credits, intermediate (I) earning 12
credits, and extended (E) earning 16 credits.
Mandatory Modules
The mandatory modules take place in the first year, and they are compulsory. At FUB, they are implemented in the following way:
- Module Foundations (12 credits total) is composed by the
following courses:
- Logic (4 credits, 1st semester): this course includes a comprehensive study of propositional logic and first order logic.
- Theory of Computing (8 credits, 1st semester): topics covered for this module are complexity theory, deduction, and proof theory in logic, and advanced foundations of computer science.
- Module Logic and Constraint Programming (12 credits total)
is composed by the following courses:
- Functional and Logic Programming Languages (8 credits, 2nd semester): this is a course on logic and functional programming languages. Declarative and operational logic programming semantics, and constraint logic programming are the main topics in this course. PROLOG programming skills are developed in the practical work.
- Computational Logic (part 1) (4 credits, 2nd semester): this is an 8-credits master course in the FUB curriculum, from which only 4 credits will be included in this module. This part of the course covers abduction and induction, non-monotonic reasoning, and knowledge representation and reasoning, as well as presenting the motivation and importance of the field of Computational Logic.
- Module Advanced Logics (8 credits total) is composed by the
following courses:
- Non-classical Logics (4 credits, 2nd semester): this is a course that aims to introducing several logic-based non-classical representation formalisms, like description logic, modal logic, epistemic logics, and temporal logics.
- Formal Methods (4 credits, 1st semester): this is a stream course that contains temporal logic reasoning and checking, validation, formal specification techniques, and logic programming engineering.
- Module Integrated Logic Systems (10 credits total) is
composed by the following courses:
- Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (4 credits, 1st semester): this stream course contains examples of applications of logic tools and techniques.
- Computational Logic (part 2) (4 credits, 2nd semester): this is an 8-credits master course in the FUB curriculum, from which only 4 credits will be included in this module. This part of the course covers the logical foundations of database systems.
- Research Methods (2 credits, 1st semester): this course introduces the main research methodologies in your study area.
Advanced Modules
Advanced modules take place in the first and in the second year; they can be chosen by the student, and they have always to be completed by selecting courses that sum up to the required total credits. At FUB they are covered with courses related to traditional research interests at the faculty: databases and information systems, semantic web, knowledge representation and formal methos for artificial intelligence, language and communication technologies. There is also an Advanced Module in Interdisciplinary Computer Science, in which the student is presented with advanced topics in Computer Science, which includes a general skills sub-module: these two latter Modules can be done only if advised by the supervisor. Each of the courses listed below may take the form of a project on the topic of the course. Each advanced module comes in three versions: basic earning 8 credits, intermediate earning 12 credits, and extended earning 16 credits.
- Module Semantic Web (12 credits total)
This module provides an introduction to core technologies for the Semantic Web and to formal methods for Artificial Intelligence
- Semantic Web technologies (8 credits, 1st semester)
- XML Data Management (4 credits, 1st semester); in accordance with the Study Plan Advisor this course might be substituted with one of the following:
- Internet and Mobile Services (4 credits, 1st semester)
- Machine Learning: Algorithms and Applications (4 credits, 2nd semester)
- Module Advanced Databases (12 credits total)
This module aims to provide students with a detailed theoretical and practical knowledge of intelligent access and management of data. The module present the state of the art on Knowledge-based and Ontology-based data management; as well as advanced topics on database systems management.
- Knowledge Representation and Ontologies (8 credits, 2nd semester)
- Conceptual Modelling for Information Systems (4 credits, 2nd semester)
- Distributed Databases (4 credits, 2nd semester)
- Temporal and Spatial Databases (4 credits, 2nd semester)
- Digital Libraries (4 credits, 1st semester)
- Module Language and Communication Technologies (basic/intermediate/extended 8/12/16 credits total)
This module is run in cooperation with the European Master on Language and Communication Technologies in Bozen-Bolzano. Some courses are offered in collaboration with ITC-irst, the Centre for Scientific and Technological Research of the Autonomous Province of Trento, Italy, that is one of the most active and international renown centres for Language and Communication Technology.
- Computational Linguistics (4 credits, 1st semester)
- Text Processing (4 credits, 2nd semester)
Other available courses:
- Introduction to linguistics (4 credits, 1st semester)
- Digital Libraries (4 credits, 1st semester)
In the case that the syllabus of some of the above courses has been previously covered by one or more exam in the student career, these can be substituted with Student Projects on suitable topics to be agreed with the local co-ordinator.
Students enrolled at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano for the first year, should choose another university for their second year. In this case, advanced modules for the second year have to be be selected from those offered at one of the other participant universities: