DePaul University Online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence

DePaul's MS in Artificial Intelligence has four starts a year and a modest entry bar, with a 2.5 minimum GPA, and it offers intro courses for people without a technical background. It's 48 credits at $1,003 each, so tuition comes to $48,144 before fees. A fit for career changers who want flexibility and don't mind paying for it.

DePaul University is a private nonprofit university in Chicago, and the degree sits in its Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media. The Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence is offered both on campus and online, and you choose the format that fits your schedule.

We've published it as a fully online option, though the program page doesn't spell out that every course is available online, so confirm that with admissions.

DePaul runs on quarters, with fall, winter, spring and summer enrollment. That gives you four chances a year to start. The university's enrollment is 21,210, and its admit rate is 76%.

DePaul also lists an artificial intelligence engineering concentration inside its cybersecurity degree and a business analytics degree with AI in the title. Those are different programs from this one. This is the stand-alone computing degree.

The program requires a minimum of 48 graduate credit hours. Required and notable courses include Applied Deep Learning, Natural Language Processing, Ethics in Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Science and Machine Learning I.

You finish by choosing one of three options: a Capstone in Artificial Intelligence, Master's Research, or a Graduate Internship. The internship is CSC 697 and counts for 4 credit hours, so it satisfies the capstone requirement. Students who have done research may also choose to complete a Master's Thesis.

If you come in without a technical background, introductory courses in programming, data structures and statistics are available. Those are taken in addition to the 48 credits, so they add to your time and your tuition. DePaul also notes that this is a STEM-designated program.

Courses the School Names

• Applied Deep Learning
• Natural Language Processing
• Ethics in Artificial Intelligence
• Cognitive Science
• Machine Learning I

Standout Features

• CyberLabs hands-on spaces for robotics and cybersecurity
• DePaul AI Institute promotes interdisciplinary AI research and educational programs
• Introductory courses in programming, data structures and statistics are available for students without a technical background and are taken in addition to the 48 credits
• Medical Informatics (MedIX) research lab develops AI solutions for medical data problems
• STEM-designated program

Who It Fits

• Career changers. Introductory courses in programming, data structures and statistics are available, and they are taken in addition to the 48 credits. Applicants need calculus 1 and 2 completed.
• Students who want a choice of finish. You can pick a Capstone in Artificial Intelligence, Master's Research or a Graduate Internship (CSC 697, 4 credit hours).
• People with a 2.5 GPA or higher. DePaul's admit rate is 76%, and its graduation rate is 68%, so it's more open than many schools in this batch.
• Students who want four chances a year to start, in fall, winter, spring or summer.

Who Should Skip It

• Anyone who wants an online-only course list. The program page covers both on-campus and online formats, so confirm the online sections you need are offered.
• People watching the total bill. Tuition of $48,144 plus a comprehensive fee is a lot more than the lowest-priced programs on our list.
• Applicants who haven't taken calculus. DePaul asks for completion of Calculus 1 and 2, so you'd need to finish those first.

The 2026-27 graduate rate for the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media is $1,003 per credit hour. At 48 credit hours, tuition comes to $48,144. A comprehensive fee also applies, so your real total is higher.

The rate is a college rate, not a rate set for online students, and both formats share the same program page. Credits here are quarter credits, so the 48 aren't directly comparable with a 30-credit semester program.

Boston University lists $25,000 in total tuition for a 30-credit master's, so DePaul costs more even before you add intro courses and the fee. If you do need intro courses, ask exactly how many and add them to your estimate.

48 quarter credits at $1,003 a credit comes to $48,144 in tuition, before fees.

The program page says courses are offered both on campus and online, and that you can choose the format that best fits your schedule. That's flexible. Ask how many courses are offered online each quarter, whether classes meet live, and how the capstone works for someone who isn't in Chicago.

With four starts a year, you aren't waiting long to begin. DePaul lists enrollment dates of August 1 for fall, December 1 for winter, March 1 for spring and May 1 for summer.

Because the same program page covers both formats, ask whether online and on-campus students share classes, instructors and the same course schedule. The answer tells you how easy it will be to finish on time from home.

The degree is a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, and DePaul designates it as a STEM program. For international students, that label can matter for work authorization after graduation, so ask the international office what it means in your case.

Admission requires a bachelor's degree from an institutionally accredited school, which tells you DePaul cares about the accreditation of the school you came from. DePaul's graduation rate is 68%.

Where this degree can lead: Data Scientist Jobs, Jobs You Can Get With an AI Degree.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Tuition of $48,144 is well above Boston University's $25,000 programs.
• Intro courses add to the 48 credits, so career changers pay for more than the headline number.
• A comprehensive fee comes on top of tuition, so the real total is higher than the $48,144.
• The program page covers both formats, so you'll need to confirm which required courses are offered online.

• How many intro courses will I need, and what do they add to my total?
• Which required courses are offered online, and how often?
• What does the comprehensive fee come to each term?
• How does the graduate internship, CSC 697, work for an online student outside Chicago?
• Does my work experience count toward programming experience, which strengthens an application?
• What does the STEM designation mean for my situation?

• Best Online AI Degrees Rank 44 of 49, master's
• Best Online Master's Programs Rank 44 of 49, master's
• Best for Career Changers Rank 8 of 8, master's
• 100% Online Programs Rank 42 of 46, master's
• Multiple Start Dates Rank 6 of 6, master's
• AI Master's With Thesis Option Rank 5 of 6, master's
• Programs With Internships Rank 7 of 8, master's

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