AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin will now allow students to pursue a master's degree in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.
The new program, the Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, will be the first large-scale degree program and the only master's degree program in AI from a top-ranked institution, according to a press release from the university.
The program, which will be run by the Department of Computer Science at UT and the Machine Learning Laboratory, will cost around $10,000 and cover two years' of content online at the students' own pace.
"The degree program is pending final approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board," according to UT.
Students will learn:
- Advanced training in natural language processing
- Reinforcement learning
- Computer vision
- Deep learning and related topics
The course also provides a "critical framework for understanding the ethical implications of AI technologies," the release stated. Upon graduation, students will be able to enter into a variety of fields, including engineering, research and development, project management and consulting.
This is the third large-scale master's program that UT offers as part of the Computer and Data Science Online degree programs.
“We’ve developed the curriculum for the MSAI program with faculty members who are leaders in their fields and committed to student success,” said Eric Busch, director of the Computer and Data Science Online program. “It’s not just an ‘online degree.’ It’s an immersive and connected community of learners and a credential from UT Austin that opens doors.”
According to the release, the program has built-in ethical questions and training regarding how AI might reshape the economy and workforce – and how to apply it ethically in society. The degree will include formal AI ethics training that was created by the Institute for Foundations of Machine Learning and UT's Good Systems project faculty.