University of Chicago launches nine-month master’s in applied AI for 2027

The University of Chicago is introducing a Master of Science in Applied Artificial Intelligence, its first degree programme dedicated exclusively to AI, with the inaugural cohort scheduled to begin in autumn 2027.

The nine-month, full-time programme will be offered through the university’s Physical Sciences Division and Data Science Institute. It is designed for students who already have a strong technical foundation and want to develop the skills to build and deploy AI systems in practical settings.

Curriculum combines AI theory with practical projects

Students will complete four core courses covering AI foundations and principles, advanced architectures and applications, AI security, safety and governance, and value creation and leadership with AI.

They will also select five electives across three areas: AI in practice, frontier AI and performance AI. At least one elective must be taken from each area, allowing students to explore different aspects of the field while tailoring the remaining coursework to their interests.

Elective options include multimodal agents, production AI, quantum computation, biomedicine, asset management and an AI practicum.

The programme will incorporate practical work from the outset. Students will tackle real-world problems through their courses and develop a professional portfolio demonstrating their skills.

Arnab Bose, senior instructional professor and faculty director of the programme, said the course was developed to prepare practitioners to move beyond foundational machine learning and deep learning knowledge and apply emerging technologies to real-world challenges.

Focus on AI security, governance and industry needs

The curriculum includes AI security, safety and governance alongside technical development, reflecting the programme’s emphasis on building and deploying systems responsibly.

Batu Gundogdu, an associate clinical professor in the programme, said employers need AI professionals who can translate business requirements into workable solutions, anticipate potential failures, test systems and refine their performance.

The university said its teaching approach draws on faculty experience in academic research, entrepreneurship and the development and deployment of AI in industry.

Students will attend classes in person at the university’s downtown Chicago campus, with access to a business and technology hub for professional exposure.

Part of wider AI investment at the university

The new degree forms part of the University of Chicago’s broader expansion of AI research and education. In 2026, the university announced the Mansueto Faculty of Mind and Machine Challenge, a nearly $200 million initiative to recruit, retain and support 20 scholars using AI and computational methods across disciplines.

The university is also expanding interdisciplinary work involving AI in fields ranging from physical and biological sciences to economics, medicine, law, and the arts and humanities.

Applications for the inaugural cohort opened in September 2026, with classes scheduled to begin in autumn 2027. The university said places in the first cohort would be limited.