Probabilistic and Unsupervised Learning
Approximate Inference and Learning in Probabilistic Models
(2024)
Dates | 30 September - 12 December 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lectures | Mondays and Thursdays 11:00-13:00 (note any exceptions below) |
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Tutorials | Wednesdays 9:00-11:00 |
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Lecturers | Peter Orbanz (weeks 1-5, COMP0086) and Maneesh Sahani (weeks 6-10, COMP0085) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coordinator (CS) | Dmitry Adamskiy. Please direct all correspondence regarding coursework, extensions and administrative issues to Dmitry at d.adamskiy@ucl.ac.uk. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TAs | (CS) Manuel Birlo, Rares Dolga, Kai Biegun, Sihao Liu (Gatsby/SWC) Valentina Njaradi, Vasco Portilheiro | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location | SWC Ground Floor Lecture Theatre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
About the course |
This course (offered as two successive modules to MSc students) provides an in-depth introduction to statistical modelling, unsupervised, and some supervised learning techniques. It presents probabilistic approaches to modelling and their relation to coding theory and Bayesian statistics. A variety of latent variable models will be covered including mixture models (used for clustering), dimensionality reduction methods, time series models such as hidden Markov models which are used in speech recognition and bioinformatics, Gaussian process models, independent components analysis, hierarchical models, and nonlinear models. The course will present the foundations of probabilistic graphical models (e.g. Bayesian networks and Markov networks) as an overarching framework for unsupervised modelling. We will cover Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling methods and variational approximations for inference. Time permitting, students will also learn about other topics in probabilistic (or Bayesian) machine learning. The complete course forms a component of the Gatsby PhD programme, and is mandatory for Gatsby students. The two component modules are also available to students on Machine Learning related MSc programmes. Note that MSc student may only take the second part (Approximate Inference and Learning in Probabilistic Models) if they complete the first. |
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Mailing list | TBC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General attendance |
Unfortunately, for the moment only Gatsby/SWC PhD students and staff, and UCL students registered through moodle are able to attend. Students who wish to audit may self-register on moodle with the key "MLDS2425". We will provide further information here if this situation changes. |
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Prerequisites | A good background in statistics, calculus, linear algebra, and computer science. You should thoroughly review the maths in the following cribsheet [pdf] [ps] before the start of the course. This quiz may help you check where you stand. You must know Matlab, Octave or Python/NumPy. |
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Text | There is no required textbook. However, the following are excellent sources for many of the topics covered here. David J.C. MacKay (2003) Information Theory, Inference, and Learning Algorithms, Cambridge University Press. Christopher M. Bishop (2006) Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning, Springer-Verlag. David Barber (2012) Bayesian Reasoning and Machine Learning, Cambridge University Press. Kevin Patrick Murphy (2012) Machine Learning: a Probabilistic Perspective, MIT Press. Daphne Koller and Nir Friedman (2009) Probabilistic Graphical Models, MIT Press. (This contains a more extensive treatment of graphical models, good for reference) Some of our work will depend on numerical computation. A very useful reference in this area is: Gene H. Golub and Charles F. Van Loan (2013) Matrix Computations, 4th ed, Johns Hopkins Univ. Press |
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Reading material | Specific recommendations for additional reading can be found here. New material may be assembled as course progresses. |
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Lectures and slides | Lecture slides and assignments will be posted here as the course progresses. Note that the content and
sequence of lectures may vary from those of previous years.
Also note that, following the usual Gatsby teaching pattern, there may be lectures scheduled during "reading week".
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Assignments |
50% of the total mark (for each module) is based on coursework assignments (the other 50%
being based on the final written examination).
For those registered for the course through an MSc programme, assignments must be submitted online through moodle. For Gatsby, SWC and related students, they should be handed in by email or on paper to a Gatsby TA. Assignments submitted late will be penalised in accordance with the usual UCL
policy.
COMP0085 Formative Assignments (for the entire module)
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