Foundations of Machine Learning

This programme provides a practical introduction to machine learning for professionals who want to understand and apply data-driven methods in their organisations. Participants will learn the core ideas and workflows behind supervised and unsupervised learning and implement them through practical coding exercises. The emphasis is on developing intuition, interpretation and gain practical experience rather than mathematical and algorithmic detail.  

Using real-world examples such as price prediction, air-quality modelling, language analysis and anomaly detection participants will gain hands-on experience in building and evaluating ML models. Delivered live online, the course combines short lectures, guided coding sessions, and group discussions. By the end of the course, participants will be able to engage confidently and critically with technical teams, assess machine learning opportunities in their organisations, and initiate small-scale ML projects within their own professional roles. 

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What You'll Gain

• A clear conceptual understanding of ML methods and workflows  

• The ability to implement and evaluate ML models  

• Confidence in identifying appropriate business use cases  

• Effectiveness when collaborating with data science teams and assessing ML opportunities 

• Skills and knowledge to support career progression into data-driven project management and leadership roles. 

• A University of Exeter certificate of completion 

Designed for busy professionals

Duration: 4 sessions, each 4 hours (13:00-17:00, with breaks) over two weeks 

Delivery: Live online  

Format: 2 hours interactive lectures, 1.5 hours guided coding exercises, 30 minutes for discussion, Q&A and reflection  

Highlights: hands-on coding with real-world data sets, structured exercises around sector-specific use cases, direct interaction with experienced academic staff  

To get the most from the programme, we encourage participants to complete approximately 1-2 hours of practice between sessions.  

Please note:  

• No prior ML experience is required, but basic familiarity with coding (e.g. python) is recommended  

• A google account is required to access the coding environment. 

Who's it for?

• Professionals at all career stages with an interest in developing their knowledge of Machine Learning  

• Managers, analysts, and technical specialists looking for a structured approach to ML foundations  

• Professionals transitioning to more data- and AI-focussed roles  

The cross-sector format is intentional: our participants learn from one another, tackling shared challenges and gaining fresh insight from different industries and perspectives.  

We also welcome small groups of colleagues from one organisation - discounts may be available. 

What You'll Cover

• Introduction to ML in business contexts  

• Data preparation, exploratory data analysis  

• Supervised learning: Linear/Logistic regression, decision trees, neural networks  

• Unsupervised learning: Clustering, dimensionality reduction  

• Model evaluation, benchmarking and interpretation  

• Practical python coding workshops using business relevant data sets  

• Responsible and ethical use of ML  

• From prototype to deployment: Workflow considerations  

Start Date

12th May, 13th May, 19th May, 20th May 2026 – 1pm - 5pm

4 sessions, each 4 hours (13:00-17:00, with breaks) over two weeks

Costs

Standard Price: £950

20% discount is available for Alumni

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