On This Page:
Accelerating Your Master’s Degree in AI
This guide introduces 16 of the fastest Master’s in Artificial Intelligence degrees in the USA, directing you toward accelerated programs that increase your AI and ML skill sets. You might be ready for graduate-level training in advanced AI computing or AI & data science. Or you could prioritize work in areas such as AI management, business analytics, or AI in medicine.
Time is money in the world of AI. Not everyone can commit to a two-year master’s program, especially given the current demand for AI-related skills. Our list of streamlined degree paths will help you capitalize on career opportunities and competitively apply for in-demand jobs within a year or less.
Methodology: Identifying the Fastest Master’s in AI Programs
Here’s how we compiled our list of accelerated master’s programs in AI & ML:
- Time to Completion: These Master’s in AI degree programs can be completed in as little as 12 months; two semesters is the shortest time required to earn this type of degree.
- Program Focus: The programs below are limited to Master’s degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, or similar fields with an AI or a ML concentration. (Remember that you could also consider an accelerated MS in Computer Science with AI electives.)
- Attendance Requirements: Many of the Master’s in AI degree programs on our list require on-campus attendance, but some offer the flexibility and option of online instruction. Certain programs are available in both types of delivery.
16 Fastest Master’s in Artificial Intelligence Programs in the Country
All of the schools featured below are non-profit, regionally accredited institutions with solid reputations. However, unlike our Best rankings, this list is organized alphabetically.
Arizona State University – Tempe, AZ
Overview | Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence in Business
- Program Length: 2-3 Semesters
- Credits: 30 Hours
- Delivery: On-Campus (In Person)
ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business offers this two-semester, full-time, on-campus master’s degree, which examines the overlap between traditional business concepts, artificial intelligence, and ML. Beyond learning how to support business objectives by manipulating machine-learning models, you may also add a four-course custom summer track and extend your plan of study to three semesters. Those who opt for the custom track can choose to select courses in a topic such as FinTech, with courses like AI and Machine Learning Applications in Finance. Or you could focus on supply chain management, marketing, computer information systems, or tech management & consulting.
Duke University – Durham, NC
Overview | Master of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence
- Program Length: 3–4 Semesters
- Credits: 30 Hours
- Delivery: Online or On-Campus (In Person)
At Duke, you can dive deep into AI and machine learning through multiple educational paths. There’s the master’s degree program, an AI Foundations for Product Innovation Graduate Certificate, and a 4+1: Bachelor’s + Master’s Program. You can polish off the MEng in AI in 12 months (accelerated) or 16 months (standard) in an on-campus format or in 24 months of part-time study online. The curriculum consists of ten courses — eight technical and two business — plus a capstone project that jump-starts your portfolio. Besides the semester-long capstone industry project, you can also intern over the summer or complete a second industry project.
Georgetown University – Washington, DC
Overview | Online Master’s in Artificial Intelligence Management
- Program Length: 1–5 Years
- Credits: 30 Hours
- Delivery: Online
With a full-time commitment, you can complete all 10 courses in Georgetown’s Online Master’s in Artificial Intelligence Management in one year. However, part-time study is also an option. The 30-credit curriculum features six required courses, which include Ethical AI: Moral Dilemmas & Biases, AI Governance & Compliance, and a capstone project. For the capstone, you will work closely with a faculty member to apply your newfound knowledge to real-world applications. To round out the curriculum, you can choose four remaining classes from two focus areas: AI Strategy & Leadership or AI Development & Integration.
Johns Hopkins University – Baltimore, MD
Overview | Master of Science in Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence
- Program Length: 12 Months
- Credits: 36 Hours
- Delivery: On-Campus (In Person)
Johns Hopkins University separates its 36-credit-hour curriculum into a 22-credit required core and 14 credits of electives. The core addresses three main areas — business foundations, business analytics, and STEM courses — with an overarching focus on leadership. You’ll gain the skills necessary to respond to real-world issues through business analytics and preferred AI methodologies (e.g. Practical Machine Learning). Once you reach the level of electives, you can explore more advanced topics such as Generative AI, AI Essentials for Business, Large Scale Computing on the Cloud, and Responsible AI. The degree culminates in an Analytics Consulting Project.
Morgan State University – Baltimore, MD
Overview | Master of Science in Advanced Computing
- Program Length: 12-16 Months
- Credits: 30 Hours
- Delivery: Online or On-Campus (In Person)
For this 30-credit-hour degree, you can choose between a coursework-only plan of study, a master’s project, or a thesis. The coursework-only and project tracks can be completed in a 12-month plan of study; the thesis track requires 16 months to complete. The primary curriculum consists of 10 courses total, comprising four core courses and six electives. Core courses include Cybersecurity, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Network Security, and Secure Cloud Computing, while elective courses include Big Data Analytics, Software Engineering, and Current Issues in Information Technology.
Northeastern University – Boston, MA
Overview | Master of Professional Studies in Applied Machine Intelligence
- Program Length: 12–18 Months
- Credits: 45 Hours
- Delivery: Online
Anyone looking to build a strong portfolio while gaining the skills necessary to stand out as a job candidate should consider this Online Master of Professional Studies in Applied Machine Intelligence. Northeastern’s unique Experiential Network (XN) is integral to connecting students with real businesses to solve problems using AI. Required courses include Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence, Applications of Artificial Intelligence, and AI System Technologies. However, it’s the Integrated Experiential Capstone and Experiential Learning Projects for Professionals courses that will assist you in building a robust portfolio.
Northwestern University – Evanston, IL
Overview | Accelerated Master of Science in Data Science — Artificial Intelligence Concentration
- Program Length: 1-2 Years
- Credits: 36 Hours
- Delivery: Hybrid or Online
Each quarter of the accelerated 12-month curriculum at Northwestern University consists of two on-campus classes and one online course for a blended or hybrid attendance. The MSDS curriculum focuses on business strategy and data science, with five available concentrations, including Artificial Intelligence. You’ll acquire proficiency in three programming languages (Python, Go, and R) while also benefiting from interactions with professors and colleagues, networking events, and an immersion week. If hybrid learning is impossible, the part-time 100% online program takes two years to complete.
Northwestern University – Evanston, IL
Overview | Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence
- Program Length: 12-15 Months
- Credits: 16 Units (Incl. Bootcamp)
- Delivery: On-Campus (In Person)
Northwestern University’s accelerated 12-month AI master’s degree program — MSAI+X — is designed for folks who already possess an advanced degree (e.g. MD, PhD or JD) and want to learn about and implement AI in their chosen field. You’ll attend an on-campus summer bootcamp to build a foundation in programming and math before studying the interaction between business and AI through world-class research. The capstone project will give you the opportunity to connect and collaborate with the industry. Folks without an advanced degree can explore the full-time 15-month traditional track.
Nova Southeastern University – Fort Lauderdale, FL
Overview | Master of Science in Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence
- Program Length: 12 Months
- Credits: 30 Hours
- Delivery: Online or On-Campus (In Person)
You’ll only have to complete 30 credit hours’ worth of eight-week courses to earn NSU’s MS in Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence degree in a single year. This program focuses heavily on data analytics & AI, so it’s designed for those comfortable manipulating numbers and confident in their math skills. The core of the curriculum revolves around analytics fundamentals, with credits in areas like data mining, warehousing, visualization, and programming. However, there are courses in Data Analytics & AI and electives in Deep Learning and Interaction Design. You’ll also tackle a Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Project before you graduate.
Syracuse University – Syracuse, NY
Overview | Master’s in Applied Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence
- Program Length: 12 Months
- Credits: 31 Hours
- Delivery: On-Campus (In Person)
Syracuse’s curriculum consists of 31 credit hours, with 21 credits in the primary core and 9 courses in the secondary core/concentration. The primary core launches straight into areas such as NLP, Human-Centered AI Applications, and Deep Learning in Practice. For the secondary core, you can opt to focus on data science or cloud computing. Or you can design your own concentration. In addition, Syracuse will expect you to submit a professional portfolio to receive your degree. You may even wish to collaborate with your professors on their projects or join a research lab to augment your résumé.
University of California, Los Angeles – Los Angeles, CA
Overview | Master of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence
- Program Length: 12 Months
- Credits: 36 Hours
- Delivery: On-Campus
UCLA’s professional MEng in AI is the brainchild of the Samueli School of Engineering and led by Professor Guy Van den Broeck. It’s an interdisciplinary, one-year degree that focuses on technical management skills, emerging research, and industry applications. You’ll complete 20 units in the AI core, including courses in NLP, Machine Learning Algorithms, Neural Networks & Deep Learning, and Learning and Reasoning with Bayesian Networks. This work will be supplemented by 12 credits of electives in engineering professional development topics (e.g. Financial Management) and a team-based capstone project in the summer semester.
University of Illinois Chicago – Chicago, IL
Overview | Master of Engineering — Focus Area in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)
- Program Length: 12+ Months
- Credits: 36 Hours
- Delivery: Online
The nine-course curriculum at the University of Illinois Chicago consists of 36 credit hours spread across eight-week terms throughout the year. This 100% online MEng instructs students on how to build applications integrating AI and ML and explore the ethics related to these applications. Of the nine required courses, AI-specific courses include Math Fundamentals for AI Engineers and Data Scientists, Artificial Intelligence, Intro to Machine Learning, and Natural Language Processing (NLP). You can also delve into projects of your own choosing in two out of the nine classes offered.
University of Louisville – Louisville, KY
Overview | Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
- Program Length: 12 Months
- Credits: 30 Hours
- Delivery: Online
The University of Louisville’s one-year MS in AI in Medicine program requires 10 courses for a total of 30 credit hours. If you wish to complete the 100% online degree program in 12 months, you must take four courses each fall and spring semester plus two over the summer. The MS curriculum focuses on implementing AI to improve patient care and using machine learning to improve healthcare research. AI-related courses include Introduction to AI in Medicine, Machine Learning in Medicine, Artificial Intelligence and Radiomics, and AI Techniques in Digital Pathology.
University of South Florida – Tampa, FL
Overview | Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Business Analytics
- Program Length: 1-3 Years
- Credits: 33 Hours
- Delivery: Online or On-Campus (In Person)
Despite the high number of annual applicants, the University of South Florida only admits approximately 250 students to this on-campus program each year. On a full-time plan of study, you must complete six core courses (15 credits), five elective courses (15 credits), and a capstone (3 credits) to graduate within a year of acceptance. Part-time plans are also available (e.g. 1.5-3 years to completion). Once you have gone through two semesters, you can apply for various internships to gain real-world experience. Unable to travel to Florida? USF also offers a 12-month Global Online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Business Analytics to working professionals in Europe, Asia, and the USA.
University of the Cumberlands – Williamsburg, KY
Overview | Executive Master’s in Artificial Intelligence
- Program Length: 12 Months
- Credits: 31 Hours
- Delivery: Hybrid with One Residency Session Per Semester
The University of Cumberlands’s 31-credit Executive Master’s in AI focuses on the application of AI in multiple industries, including healthcare, risk management, sales, manufacturing, and finance. The bulk of the curriculum is devoted to AI topics such as Natural Language Processing, Neural Networks and Deep Learning, Generative AI with Large Language Models, and AI for Human-Computer Interaction. During each semester of this hybrid program, you’ll complete three courses – two AI topics and an Applied Learning Practicum – and visit the campus for an intensive residency weekend. The practicum will allow you to apply what you’ve learned in that semester through work or internships.
University of Wisconsin–Madison – Madison, WI
Overview | Master of Science in Electrical & Computer Engineering: Machine Learning & Signal Processing
- Program Length: 12–16 Months
- Credits: 30 Hours
- Delivery: On-Campus (In Person)
The University of Wisconsin–Madison doesn’t require a thesis for its accelerated ECE master’s degree with a special focus on Machine Learning and Signal Processing. Instead, you’ll be able to tackle an internship/co-op or an independent project for your final capstone. Better yet, you can customize the curriculum to suit your needs. You must complete a required seminar and at least one course in machine learning and one course in signal processing. But after that, you’ll have the freedom to select 15 credits in ECE topics (e.g. Matrix Methods in ML) and 9 credits in other relevant coursework (e.g. Introduction to Artificial Neural Networks).
One-Year Master’s in AI FAQ
Which School Offers the Fastest Master’s in Artificial Intelligence Program?
The quickest degree in our list is Arizona State University’s Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence in Business, which can be completed in two semesters (if you forgo the custom summer track). Other accelerated options tend to be 12 months/3 semesters.
A few important caveats. ASU’s program is focused on business applications. If you have a love for pure computing, you might want to explore other options. ASU’s program is also on-campus. If you need the flexibility of distance learning, look for degrees in our list with online delivery.
How Does a One-Year Master’s in AI Compare to a Traditional Two-Year Program?
At some universities, a one-year master’s in AI program is simply a full-time version of their normal part-time, two-year program. Instead of taking 2 courses per semester, you’re taking 3-4 courses per semester. The coursework remains the same for all students.
But there are exceptions! For example, at Northwestern, the 12-month version of its master’s program—the MSAI+X—is only open to candidates with an advanced degree (e.g. PhD, MD, or JD) who want to use AI in their professions. Universities like UCLA offer a traditional, two-year MSCS for students who are interested in research & PhD work and a professional, one-year MEng for career-minded applicants.
I’m a Recent BS Graduate – Is an Accelerated Master’s in AI Worth It?
The general rule of thumb is that employers will prioritize a candidate with a BS and 2-3 years of solid work experience over a BS/MS student with little to no exposure to real-world issues. Even if you are not working in an AI-specific job after graduation, you can still amass project experience & certifications while you’re pulling in a steady income. Then you can talk to your employer about tuition reimbursement for a part-time master’s degree.
However, if you’re finding it difficult to secure a job with a BS and you have the funds or scholarships for a master’s degree, then we say go for it. An MS is a requirement for certain AI positions, especially at major tech companies. Just remember to incorporate as many industry projects, internships, and AI practicums as you can in your plan of study. And try to get into top-tier schools (see our Best rankings for ideas).
Are Accelerated AI Master’s Programs STEM-Designated?
In the case of on-campus AI master’s programs, the answer is almost always going to be yes. Earning a STEM-designated degree means that international students with an F-1 visa can apply for a 24-month extension on their post-completion optional practical training (STEM OPT Extension).
Overseas students who enroll in a 100% online master’s program aren’t eligible for an F-1 visa. (The visa is only available to those who travel to the States for full-time study). Hybrid programs may be STEM-designated. When in doubt, ask the program coordinator.
Can I Complete a One-Year AI Master’s Program While Working Full-Time?
It’s going to be very difficult. In a 30-credit master’s program, full-time study means that you must complete at least three courses per semester. Many of the 12-month degrees in our list also have an intensive final project and/or an internship option. That’s a big commitment.
If you are working, we recommend you opt for part-time study or special programs like USF’s Global Online MS in AI & Business Analytics. There are plenty of well-respected online and hybrid master’s programs in AI now available.
Do Accelerated AI Master’s Programs Cost More or Less Than Traditional Programs?
The price of a master’s degree in AI is more about the school than the length of the program. Big-name private universities like Duke and Stanford typically have very high tuition prices. Public universities like Georgia Tech and UT Austin have some of the cheapest rates in the country for their online AI programs, but these degrees are longer than 12 months.
Ask the program coordinator for a sample budget before applying. You shouldn’t expect an accelerated master’s program to be cheaper than a traditional program.
Can I Pursue a One-Year AI Master’s Program Online?
Yes. Look for the word “Online” in our bullet point on Delivery. Just keep in mind that some schools will offer an accelerated on-campus program that takes 12 months to complete and a longer, part-time online option that might stretch to two years or more (e.g. Duke University and Northwestern University).
Are There Any Drawbacks to One-Year Master’s Programs?
It pays to choose carefully. Some students who go through one-year master’s programs in AI find themselves getting frustrated with beginner’s-level coursework and wondering why they gave up so much money & time for a dud qualification. But students in challenging 12-month AI programs can quickly find that they’re unable to keep up with high-level computing and research courses.
Our best advice here is to talk to recent alumni and ask the program coordinator for a class profile (e.g. average years of work experience, undergraduate major, current job title, etc.). Anyone who has been through a one-year program can tell you how they structured their weeks and where they felt the crunch!
