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Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering MSc

London, Bloomsbury

Become an expert in Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering with this one-year MSc. You'll gain advanced skills in software engineering, machine learning, and data engineering, preparing you to design, build, deploy, and manage AI systems in real-world environments.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£20,500
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£39,800
Duration
1 calendar year
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 04 Apr 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree (or international qualification of an equivalent standard) in computer science, computing, or software engineering including a good background in data systems, artificial intelligence, and mathematics. Relevant work experience may also be considered.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree


This MSc addresses the high demand for professionals with combined expertise in machine learning and software engineering. 

Integrating modules from our esteemed MSc in Software Systems Engineering and MSc in Machine Learning programmes, along with new data engineering modules, this programme equips you with the skills to excel as an AI Engineer, Machine Learning Engineer, or Data Engineer. 

You will learn the foundations and practices necessary for designing, coding, testing, deploying, and evolving large-scale, data-intensive systems. 

This programme culminates in a substantial engineering or research project, often conducted in collaboration with industry partners through our department’s leading Industry Exchange Network (IXN). 

Who this course is for

This programme is ideal for you if you have a strong background and interest in software engineering and maths, and wish to specialise in the engineering of complex AI systems.

If your primary interest is data science and machine learning, our other MSc programmes in AI and Machine Learning disciplines may be more suitable.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

This programme offers you the following benefits and opportunities:

Recognition from a top-ranked university: UCL is consistently ranked among the best universities globally (ranked 9th in the QS World University Rankings 2025), providing you with a prestigious qualification that is highly regarded by employers worldwide. Additionally, UCL was named the Times and Sunday Times University of the Year 2024.

High-quality education from leading experts: Learn from world-renowned academics who are at the forefront of computer science innovation. UCL Computer Science is recognised for its research excellence, being ranked first in England and second in the UK for research power in Computer Science and Informatics in the UK's most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).

Real-world experience through project work: Apply your knowledge and skills in practical settings with a substantial research project. Many of these projects are conducted in collaboration with industry partners via the IXN Industry Exchange Network, giving you valuable hands-on experience and industry insights. 

Strong employability with high employment rates and starting salaries: Our graduates are highly sought after in the job market, thanks to UCL's strong reputation and the practical, industry-focused skills gained during the programme. You'll be well-prepared to enter a variety of high-demand roles in AI and data engineering.

Enhanced research skills: The research-based components of the programme will equip you with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, preparing you for potential doctoral studies or research-intensive roles in industry.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme
Making an impact
UCL Portico building with welcome sign between columns.

Case study: Artificial Intelligence in court

We trained an artificial intelligence system that predicted court case verdicts to 79% accuracy.

The foundation of your career

As this programme admitted its first cohort of students in September 2024, graduate destination information is not yet available. However, other UCL Computer Science alumni have been employed at leading global companies, often through connections made during their final projects. 

Industry partners are eager to recruit graduates from this MSc, recognising the exceptional skills and expertise they would bring into employment.  

Employability

Graduates are prepared for careers in sectors reliant on AI and data-driven software systems. You will gain skills applicable to roles such as AI software engineer, AI system engineer, or general software engineer. The research-based curriculum also equips you for doctoral research in software engineering for large data-driven systems.

Networking

You’ll have regular opportunities to connect, collaborate and network with peers and members of academia and industry as part of your Master’s, particularly through collaborative project work and research seminars.

  • As a student and later as a graduate, you will have access to a UCL Careers events programme, connecting you with employers and alumni. This programme provides invaluable insight into the reality of different roles, sectors, and current application processes.
  • UCL also has a large number of clubs and societies, such as the AI Society, which can be an effective way to connect with peers who share similar interests and career goals.
  • Be part of a university where entrepreneurial minds thrive. Our academic and industrial networks provide a safe and supportive environment if you want to grow your own company.
  • London’s Tech Scene is vibrant and has regular networking events.

Teaching and learning

This programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, lab classes. Your self-directed learning is supported by online resources.

You will be assessed through various methods, including coursework, projects, exams, and a summer research project/dissertation.

For full-time students, typical contact hours are approximately 12-16 contact  hours per teaching week, depending on module selections and timetabling. These contact hours include lectures, seminars, workshops, and tutorials, office hours and other events.

Outside of these sessions, students are expected to engage in significant self-directed study and complete assessments. Formal teaching and self-directed study together amount to a workload comparable to a full-time job, roughly 35-40 hours per week in total.

Modules

The Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering MSc is a one-year programme.

In Term 1, you will study requirements for engineering and software architecture, which will introduce you to fundamental concepts and the latest techniques to develop your modelling skills and your ability to communicate requirements and architectures with clarity and precision to business stakeholders and software developers. You will learn applied technical details of deploying and maintaining data science applications and how to develop and write your own large-scale, state-of-the-art Machine Learning analyses. You will also learn about the theory and practical applications in Data Engineering and Machine Learning Ops, focusing on designing, developing and deploying high-throughput data science applications and pipelines in cloud environments. You will choose from a range of specialist optional topics, which may include introductory machine learning and supervised learning.

In Term 2, you will study validation and verification, which will cover not only the state-of-the-practice in validation and verification, but also the most significant trends, problems and results in validation and verification research. You will extend your knowledge of engineering for data analysis, be introduced to principles in designing and developing data science applications platforms, and learn the applied technical details of deploying and building data science applications. You will also learn about theories and principles of scaled data software engineering with a focus on designing and developing real-world high throughput data science applications and pipelines. It also offers hands-on experience in deploying state-of-the-art development platforms. You will choose from selected optional topics, which may include data science and applied deep learning. You will also begin preparation for your summer research project/ dissertation.

In Term 3, you will primarily focus on your summer research project/dissertation (either group or individual) and any examinations that take place in the main examination period.

Compulsory modules










Optional modules







Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Computer Science (Afternoon)

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Join us for a live online event with our Head of Department and Computer Science team, sharing useful admissions advice, careers support and how you can benefit from our industry links. You’ll also hear from our students about studying here and ask questions. We will host two sessions on Wednesday, these are exactly the same and repeated to cater to people in different time zones.

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Computer Science (Evening)

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Join us for a live online event with our Head of Department and Computer Science team, sharing useful admissions advice, careers support and how you can benefit from our industry links. You’ll also hear from our students about studying here and ask questions. We will host two sessions on Wednesday, these are exactly the same and repeated to cater to people in different time zones.

Roberts Cafe, Roberts Engineering Building, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE - Open day

Graduate Open Events: UCL Faculty of Engineering Sciences

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At UCL Engineering, our graduates turn discoveries into solutions - improving medical treatments, housing, transportation, the products, processes and students we produce change the world. Visit us on campus and get your questions about postgraduate study at UCL answered by our leading academics, current students, and admissions advisors. You'll also take part in Bloomsbury campus tours, and enjoy department-specific demos, visits, taster lectures, and facility tours!

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £20,500
Tuition fees (2025/26) £39,800

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

Students will require a modern computer (PC or Mac) with minimum specifications of 8GB RAM and 500GB SSD storage with a camera and microphone. However, we recommend at least 16GB RAM and 0.5-1 TB SSD storage. If you are considering undertaking a machine learning project, there will be computational capability available to you from within the Computer Science department, but you may nevertheless find it helpful to have a capable GPU in addition to the above.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For more information about funding opportunities for UCL Computer Science taught postgraduate programmes, please see the department's scholarships webpage.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

UCL East London Scholarship

Deadline: 26 June 2025
Value: Tuition fees plus £16,000 stipend ()
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

Your personal statement should include:

  • why you want to study Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering at taught postgraduate level.
  • why you want to study Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering at UCL.
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme.
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this programme. What programming experience you have.
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver. Your application will be judged entirely on the evidence you provide.

Due to competition for places on this programme, no late applications will be considered. Students with visa requirements or applying for scholarships are advised to apply early.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Computer Science
Computer Science

cs.pgt-admissions@ucl.ac.uk

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