Master's Program Review

Pennsylvania State University-World Campus Online Master of Artificial Intelligence, Applied and Generative AI Option

MAI program at Pennsylvania State University-World Campus in University Park, PA, fully online. It ranks 47 of 49 online master's programs in our methodology.

Taylor Rupe, Founder & Editor, B.S. in Computer Science

Edited by , Founder & Editor · B.S. in Computer Science

Last updated

We may earn a commission when you request information from some schools. It never changes a program's score or rank. How the site is funded

Online Program Score

41.2

Ranks 47 of 49 at this level

Cost per Credit

$1,089

Online rate

Credits

30

Semester credits

Format

Fully Online

Verdict

Our Verdict on the MAI

Penn State World Campus's Master of Artificial Intelligence, Applied and Generative AI Option, is a 30-credit, fully online degree priced at $1,089 per credit, or $32,670 in tuition at the 2026-27 rate. Other schools charge less, and the data shows a thin set of program details. It makes sense if the stackable certificates and the applied capstone matter more to you than the lowest price.

This is one of two options inside Penn State's Master of Artificial Intelligence. The other is the AI Engineering Option, and each option has its own program page. You earn the degree through Penn State World Campus, the university's online campus, which describes more than two decades of online learning.

The degree takes 30 credits at the 400, 500, or 800 level, and you have to keep a GPA of 3.0 or better. It ends with a capstone course and a written paper based on an applied project, so you finish with something you built rather than only an exam score.

Ask the admissions office for the requirements before you apply.

Online

The Online Format

The program is delivered fully online through World Campus. Ask whether classes run on set meeting times or on your own schedule, how long each term is, and how many starts a year there are.

Because the credit-based pricing changes at 12 credits per semester, your pace has a direct effect on your bill. A part-time plan is billed per credit. A heavier plan hits the flat semester charge. Sketch both before you register.

Terms
12- to 15-week semesters, three semesters per year (spring, summer, fall)
Start Dates
3 starts a year

Source: worldcampus.psu.edu (format and schedule), verified September 30, 2026

Fit

Who Should Apply, and Who Should Not

Who It Fits

  • You want to collect credentials in steps. Penn State says you can earn up to three related graduate certificates along the way, so you can stop with a certificate if life changes.
  • You want a degree from a large public university with a long online track record, and you're willing to pay for the name and the online infrastructure behind it.
  • You'd rather end with an applied project and a written paper than with a research thesis.

Who Should Skip It

  • You're watching tuition closely. Other online AI master's programs on this site charge less per credit, and this one's rate rises for the 2027-28 year.
  • You want to lock in a price for the whole degree. The rate changes each year, so the total you plan around isn't fixed.

Curriculum

Two Concentrations and the Core Courses

Penn State lists two options under the same degree name: the AI Engineering Option and the Applied and Generative AI Option. You'd be in the second one. The option name tells you the emphasis is on applying AI tools and generative AI, not on proving theorems, but confirm the actual course sequence before you commit.

The capstone is the one requirement we can describe with confidence. It's a capstone course that produces a written paper based on an applied project. Ask who chooses the project, whether it can come from your own workplace, and how much time it takes in your last semester.

Standout Features

  • Faculty-led AI student group fielding teams for DataFest, Kaggle competitions and the Nittany AI Challenge
  • Up to three related graduate certificates can be earned along the way (stackable credentials pathway)
Concentrations
AI Engineering Option, Applied and Generative AI Option
Capstone
Capstone course with a written paper based on an applied project.

Source: worldcampus.psu.edu (curriculum and experience), verified September 30, 2026

Cost

How Much It Costs at $1,089 a Credit

The 2026-27 rate is $1,089 per credit when you take 11 or fewer credits in a semester. If you take 12 or more credits, the rate becomes a flat $13,062 per semester. Across 30 credits at the per-credit rate, tuition is $32,670.

Two cautions. The 2027-28 rate is higher, so a degree that runs across several years will cost more than the $32,670 figure. And that figure is tuition only, with no fees or books added. Because the rate changes each year, ask what Penn State expects a student starting now to pay by graduation.

30 credits at $1,089 a credit comes to $32,670 in tuition, before fees.

Cost per Credit
$1,089 per credit
Credits Required
30 credits
Estimated Tuition
$32,670
Military Benefits
Veterans and active-duty service members receive a discounted graduate application fee of $40; accepts Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), Montgomery GI Bill (Chapters 30 and 1606), Tuition Assistance and Tuition Assistance Top-Up.
Fees and Notes
2026-27 rate of $1,089 per credit for 11 or fewer credits per semester, or $13,062 per semester for 12 or more credits; 2027-28 rate is higher.

Sources: worldcampus.psu.edu (cost and aid), worldcampus.psu.edu (cost and aid), verified September 30, 2026

Credentials

Accreditation and Where It Leads

Your award is the Master of Artificial Intelligence, abbreviated MAI.

The certificates are the credentialing story that stands out. Penn State describes a stackable pathway in which up to three related graduate certificates can be earned along the way. Penn State offers several online AI graduate certificates, and certificate students are treated as nondegree, which is not eligible for federal student aid. Ask how that affects you if you plan to pay with aid.

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

Score

Where It Loses Points

Each factor is scored 0 to 10 against other online master's programs. The weights are the same for every program, and the overall score is relative to the top online master's program, which scores 100.

  • Cost30% of score 4.4 / 10

    $1,089 per credit

  • Outcomes25% of score 0.2 / 10

    34% of students graduate (school-wide, IPEDS)

  • Online Flexibility20% of score 6 / 10

    Fully online, 12- and 15-week terms

  • Program Depth10% of score 4 / 10

    2 concentrations

  • Track Record15% of score 0.9 / 10

    13 Master's completions a year in this field (IPEDS)

Online Program Score 41.2 / 100

Darker bars mean stronger factor scores. Every bar also shows its number.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

Trade-Offs

Drawbacks to Weigh

  • The price is higher than many alternatives, and the 2027-28 rate is higher still.
  • The institution-wide graduation rate is 34%. That figure covers the whole World Campus unit, not this master's program, but it's worth weighing before you enroll.
  • You'll need to collect the course list, class format and start dates directly from Penn State.

Before You Apply

Questions to Ask Pennsylvania State University-World Campus Before You Apply

  • What are the admissions requirements for the Applied and Generative AI Option, and is any programming background expected?
  • What courses make up the 30 credits, and how do they differ from the AI Engineering Option?
  • What will tuition be in each semester I'd be enrolled, given that the 2027-28 rate is higher?
  • Which graduate certificates count toward this degree, and do certificate credits transfer into the master's automatically?
  • How are capstone projects chosen, and can I base mine on my current job?
  • Are classes taught on set meeting times or on my own schedule?

School

About Pennsylvania State University-World Campus

Penn State World Campus is the online campus of Pennsylvania State University. The page describes more than two decades of online learning leadership.

Degree
MAI, Master's
School
Pennsylvania State University-World Campus, University Park, PA
Institution Type
Public
Delivery
Fully Online

Source: worldcampus.psu.edu (program and school), verified September 30, 2026

Graduation Rate
34%
Admit Rate
91%
Total Enrollment
13,774
Master's Completions a Year in This Field
13
Campus Setting
City

Source: nces.ed.gov (school data from ipeds), verified September 30, 2026

Rankings

Rankings This Program Appears In

Rank is the program's position among the online programs on that list at its degree level.

Same School

Other Online Programs at Pennsylvania State University-World Campus

Compare

Online Master's Programs With Similar Scores

Other online master's programs with the closest scores.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pennsylvania State University's Online Master of Artificial Intelligence, Applied and Generative AI Option a Good Program?

It ranks #47 of 49 online master's programs in our 2026 rankings, because it offers 2 concentrations and a capstone, and it charges $1,089 per credit, but its school's IPEDS graduation rate is 34% (the lowest among the online master's programs we rank).

It also places #3 among master's programs on the Best Generative AI Programs list.

How Much Does Penn State's Online AI Master's Cost?
At the 2026-27 rate of $1,089 per credit, the 30-credit degree comes to $32,670 in tuition. Taking 12 or more credits in a semester switches billing to $13,062 for that semester. The 2027-28 rate is higher.

Is the Applied and Generative AI Option Different From the AI Engineering Option?
Yes. They're two options within the Master of Artificial Intelligence, each with its own program page. Both are 30 credits and fully online, and both end with an applied capstone paper. Compare their course lists before choosing.

Can I Earn a Certificate on the Way to the Degree?
Penn State says you can earn up to three related graduate certificates along the way. Certificate students are nondegree and not eligible for federal student aid, so check how that works with your funding.

Sources

All sources retrieved .

Best Online Master's ProgramsThe full ranking at this level.Online Programs by StatePrograms based in each state, with in-state rates.How We RankThe five factors and the checks behind every score.