UAE-based professionals

Master in Applied Artificial Intelligence

The Master in Applied Artificial Intelligence (MAAI) program is designed to address the critical skills gap in artificial intelligence (AI) applications within industry, both in the UAE and globally. Combining theoretical knowledge with practical, hands-on experience, the program equips students with advanced skills for adapting and implementing AI technologies in industry, research, and government sectors.

Aligned with Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy vision, the MAAI program educates current and future leaders in cutting-edge AI applications, supporting national AI strategies and economic and societal development in the UAE. This industry-focused, project-based curriculum emphasizes development of applied and entrepreneurial skills, preparing graduates to create AI innovations and societal, economic and environmental impact.

The goals of the MAAI are:

  • checkmark icon Graduate students with skills and knowledge to develop innovative and sustainable AI solutions and AI-based ventures.
  • checkmark icon Educate future leaders with advanced data analysis and problem-solving skills.
  • checkmark icon Equip graduates with skills and knowledge to apply AI in critical areas of advanced technology adaptation in industry, research, and development, as well as in critical government functions.
  • checkmark icon Develop graduate skills to manage and lead collaborative interdisciplinary research projects.
  • checkmark icon Graduate students to support the broader strategic societal, environmental, and economic goals as set forward in the UAE’s future economy strategy.
  • Mode: Part-time
  • 34 credits
  • Location: On Campus
  • Duration: Two years
  • Fees: AED 170,000 (AED 5,000 per credit)
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Ting Yu

Program Director of Master of Applied AI and Professor of Computer
Science

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It is my great pleasure and honor to introduce the Master in Applied Artificial Intelligence degree program at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI).

The vision of the program is to educate tomorrow’s innovators and leaders in the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to solve both organizational and societal problems, while contributing to the growth and prosperity of the UAE.

This applied master’s program is designed for working professionals in the UAE – offering a balanced mix of fundamental AI knowledge, practical projects, and industry experience. As the first program of its kind in the UAE, it is delivered by MBZUAI’s world class faculty. Students will also gain access to MBZUAI’s cutting-edge research community, top-tier facilities and a lifetime alumni network.

The program supports Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and AI strategies by equipping future leaders of the nation with advanced AI skills. It follows the global trend in AI graduate education, branching toward a highly application-focused, project-based and industry-driven program with entrepreneurial elements.

We invite you to join the MBZUAI community, and take your career to new heights by applying for the Master in Applied Artificial Intelligence (MAAI) program today.

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  • checkmark icon A fee-based, two-year part-time program. No scholarships available.
  • checkmark icon Designed for UAE-based working professionals with multi-year experience in AI, digital, or technology-related roles.
  • checkmark icon Lectures and lab sessions delivered outside of normal business hours including evenings and weekends.
  • checkmark icon Emphasis on hand-on skills for full-cycle industrial AI solutions.
  • checkmark icon Engagement with regional and global leading AI stakeholders.

Key curriculum areas include:

  • checkmark icon Data science: Apply machine learning (ML) techniques to industry challenges such as forecasting, fraud detection, recommender systems, and pattern mining for data-driven decision-making.
  • checkmark icon Software engineering and machine learning operations (ML Ops): Build, deploy, and maintain production AI systems with industry-standard MLOps practices and software engineering principles.
  • checkmark icon Deep learning: Master neural networks and deep learning architectures for computer vision, natural language processing (NLP), and complex pattern recognition tasks.
  • checkmark icon Generative AI: Learn to build and deploy cutting-edge generative models including large language models (LLMs), diffusion models, and multimodal AI systems.
  • checkmark icon Diverse electives: Choose from specialized courses in NLP, computer vision, robotics, reinforcement learning, and emerging AI domains. Tailor your learning path to align with your organization's strategic priorities.

National Qualifications Framework – three strands

The program learning outcomes (PLOs) are aligned with the Emirates Qualifications Framework and, as such, are divided into the following learning outcomes strands: knowledge (K), skills (S), and responsibility (R).

Upon completion of the program requirements, the graduate will be able to:

  • checkmark icon PLO 01: Design innovative and sustainable artificial intelligence (AI) models to support organizational entrepreneurship and new value creation.
  • checkmark icon PLO 02: Apply advanced analytical and problem-solving skills for the application of AI in solving organizational challenges.
  • checkmark icon PLO 03: Analyze big contextual data sets to improve AI applications.
  • checkmark icon PLO 04: Manage complex collaborative research, development and innovation projects in the domain of AI and advanced technologies.
  • checkmark icon PLO 05: Assess ethical, societal and legal considerations related to AI technologies.

The PLOs are mapped to the National Qualifications Framework Level Seven (7) qualification and categorized into three domains (knowledge, skill, and responsibility) as per the National Qualifications Framework set by the UAE National Qualifications Centre (NQC) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR):

PLOs Knowledge Skill Responsibility
PLO 01 K R
PLO 02 K S
PLO 03 K S
PLO 04 S R
PLO 05 S R

The minimum degree requirements for the Master in Applied Artificial Intelligence is 34 credits, distributed as follows:

Number of courses Credit hours
Core 4 16
Electives 2 8
Internship 1 2
Research methods 1 2
Research project 1 6
Total 9 34

The Master’s in Applied Artificial Intelligence (MAAI) program is a part-time, in-person, and on campus. Typical time to completion is two (2) years.

Part-time students must complete all degree requirements within a maximum of three (3) full academic years, unless terminated earlier by the conferral of the degree or by academic or administrative action.

Once this time-to-degree limit has lapsed, the person may resume work towards a Master’s degree only if newly admitted to a currently offered degree program under criteria determined by that program.

All students are required to take part in an internship. The internship is intended to provide students with hands-on experience, blending practical experiences with academic learning. The internship will normally take place during the final project work in participants’ home organizations, in a new professional role.

The program culminates in a final project, where students first work in groups to specify and address complex real life organizational and business challenges. This part of the enquiry emphasizes critical thinking, problem solving skills and teamwork. The latter part of the project is individual and enables students to demonstrate their learning throughout the program in an enquiry about a specific topic pertaining to the initial research question from their disciplinary background.

A typical part-time study plan is as follows:

SEMESTER 1

MAAI7101 Data Science for Industry (4CR)

MAAI7102 Software Engineering and Programming (4CR)


SEMESTER 2

MAAI7103 Deep Learning Foundations and Applications (4CR)

MAAI7104 Generative AI – From Theory to Practice (4CR)


SUMMER

RES799 RES799 Introduction to Research Methods (2CR)


SEMESTER 3

Elective 1 (4CR)

Elective 2 (4CR)


SEMESTER 4

MAAI799 Master in Applied Artificial Intelligence Industry Research Project (6CR)

INT799 Master of Science Internship (2CR)


Disclaimer: Subject to change.

MAAI at MBZUAI

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Trailblazers in AI

Our alumni network offers lifelong connections and valuable resources, fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem that benefits alumni and current students.

More information arrow right icon
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AI Startups

The Incubation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC) is a leading AI-native incubator with the aim to nurture and support the next generation of AI-driven startups.

More information arrow right icon
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The Node

Connecting you to the latest artificial intelligence research and innovation news from MBZUAI.

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