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No coding required. Your expertise is the prerequisite.

Vanderbilt Online Master's in Artificial Intelligence

Vanderbilt’s Online MS Artificial Intelligence program equips experienced professionals to lead AI adoption with confidence. Build the judgment to make AI work inside your organization, with no coding background required.

Professionals in a seminar discussion at a Vanderbilt conference table

Program Snapshot

  • 100% Online

    Go at your own pace

  • 20 Courses

    8 weeks each. 1 live 90-minute session per week per course

  • 8 to 20

    Years of experience, middle 80% of the Fall 2026 class

Three Things That Set This Program Apart

Three Phases

Learn to spot where AI belongs in your organization, then lead the change it takes to make it work.

See the three phases

The Capstone Projects

In the Online MS in AI, you build a working AI solution with a team and an industry partner, then lead your own project with guidance from a faculty member. Finish with real work that shows what you can do in your field.

Ask about the capstone

The In-Person Convening

Meet your faculty and classmates on campus in Nashville twice a year. Attendance is optional, but it's where those connections become your network.

Ask about the convenings

The Curriculum

The Online MS in AI builds technical fluency in generative AI and agentic systems alongside the strategy, governance, and communication skills it takes to lead adoption. Every course answers one question: how does this make you better at work?

Build your foundation. Identify the right problems for AI and create solutions without code, then evaluate and govern them responsibly.

Who This Program Is For

The Online MS in AI is built for working professionals who lead teams, or soon will, from managers evaluating AI work to technical professionals growing into leadership. Lead AI adoption without needing to build it.

International Applicants

English proficiency

Minimum scores by test:

  • TOEFL iBT: 4.5 (comparable to about 90), no section below 4.0
  • IELTS Academic: 7.0, no band below 6.5
  • Duolingo English Test: 130

Credential evaluation

If you earned your degree outside the United States, submit a course-by-course credential evaluation from WES or another NACES member with your application. You can upload it yourself; it does not need to be sent directly from the evaluator. Fees vary by provider, and evaluations can take several weeks, so we recommend ordering yours as soon as you start your application.

Will the Online MS in AI fit around my job?

You choose how many courses to take each half-semester term, and every course meets online one evening a week for 90 minutes. In a consultation, a member of our enrollment team will map out your first year with you, including what that pace would cost, and can help you prepare a tuition support request for your employer.

Application Deadlines

  • November 1

    Spring 2027 entry, extended deadline November 15

  • April 15

    Fall 2027 entry, Round 1 (priority)

  • June 15

    Fall 2027 entry, Round 2 (final)

Funding your degree

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Merit scholarships are considered automatically with admission. No separate application.

Financial aid: admitted students can apply for federal aid through the FAFSA.

Ask us about scholarships

To learn to master AI, you’ll need to understand how it works, what impact it has on your organization, how to steer it toward your goals, and how to apply all of this to your area of expertise. Our program is designed to get you there and lead.

Jesse Spencer-Smith, Director of Graduate Studies, MS in Artificial Intelligence Jesse Spencer-Smith
Director of Graduate Studies, MS in Artificial Intelligence

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Do I need a background in computer science or coding?

    No. The program is built for working professionals from technical and non-technical backgrounds. Every course assumes you bring domain expertise, not a technical degree.

  • How technical is the program?

    Technical enough to lead AI work credibly. You work hands-on with advanced agentic systems, data architecture and AI security, alongside organizational strategy, leadership and product management. No coding background is needed to start.

  • How long does the program take?

    You set the pace. Most working professionals finish within two years, and you can finish in as little as four semesters, summer included.

  • When do classes meet?

    Each course meets live one night a week, Monday through Thursday, for a 90-minute evening session, plus a recorded lecture you work through on your own schedule. Courses run eight weeks, half a semester. There are no weekend classes.

  • When can I start?

    Fall or spring. Apply by November 1 for Spring 2027 (extended deadline November 15), or for Fall 2027 by April 15 (Round 1, priority) or June 15 (Round 2, final).

  • I have fewer than three years of experience. Can I still apply?

    Yes. Three or more years of professional experience is preferred, and candidates with fewer years are reviewed holistically.

  • Do I have to attend the In-Person convenings?

    No. The program is fully online. Optional convenings bring the cohort to campus in Nashville each fall and spring.

  • Are merit scholarships available?

    Yes. Every admitted student is considered for merit scholarships, with no separate application. Fill out the information form and a member of the enrollment team will reach out to discuss what you may qualify for.

    Have a question we did not answer? Request information and we will get back to you.