University of Washington-Seattle Campus Online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Engineering

This is a stackable master's built from two graduate certificates plus a two-quarter capstone, and it's the most unusual structure in this batch. You can finish it fully online part time, but only one class starts each year, and one certificate option is in person only. It suits engineers who want to work in steps and who can plan around the Fall 2027 start.

The University of Washington Seattle campus runs this Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Engineering through its College of Engineering as a professional master's degree. UW says the program can be completed fully online as a part-time student.

The structure is the point. You earn two graduate certificates and then finish with an applied capstone that runs two quarters. UW lists five certificate areas: Data-Driven Dynamic Systems and Control for Engineering, Data Analytics for Systems Operations, Modern AI Methods, Data Science for Materials Engineering and Human Centered Artificial Intelligence.

UW states that the next program starts Fall 2027.

UW says you can complete the degree online as a part-time student. The pages we reviewed don't spell out whether classes meet live or run on your own time. They also don't list the total number of credits, so ask UW for the credit count and the weekly time commitment.

Because the program is part time and certificate-based, you'll finish one certificate and then move on to the next. That's easier to pace around a job than one long unbroken sequence, but it also means gaps matter. Ask how long you can wait between pieces.

Who It Fits

• You're a working engineer who wants to apply AI to systems, controls, operations or materials, and you want a certificate in each area before the degree.
• You like stackable credentials. UW also offers a 16-credit graduate certificate in AI and Machine Learning for Engineering that takes 9 months part time, and it's listed at an estimated $18,000.
• You have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and the coursework prerequisites UW asks for.
• You don't want to take the GRE. UW says the program doesn't require it.

Who Should Skip It

• You need an I-20. UW states the program isn't open to F-1 or J-1 students who need one.
• You want to start soon. Only one cohort starts each year, and the next is Fall 2027.
• You don't have an engineering or technical background. The admissions bar includes coursework prerequisites.
• You want every option online. The Modern AI Methods certificate is in person only.

You pick two certificates from a list of five: Data-Driven Dynamic Systems and Control for Engineering, Data Analytics for Systems Operations, Modern AI Methods, Data Science for Materials Engineering and Human Centered Artificial Intelligence.

UW labels the Modern AI Methods certificate as in person only, and it says some optional component certificates are in person only. So if you want a fully online degree, check which two certificates you plan to take.

The capstone is a two-quarter applied project. UW uses the quarter system, so the capstone runs across two quarters, not two semesters.

Standout Features

• Domain-specific training for engineers in manufacturing, chemical processes and robotics
• Part-time or full-time pace; one certificate at a time or concurrently
• Stackable degree: begin with one graduate certificate, stack a second, then finish with an applied capstone
• Two-quarter group project capstone sequence

UW's 2025-26 estimate for the full degree is between $40,375 and $43,088, depending on which certificates you choose. The capstone credits are $1,030 per credit and are part of that estimate.

That's a range, not a fixed price, and the figure comes from the 2025-26 year. Since your start date would be Fall 2027, ask UW for the current estimate before you budget. If you only want part of the program, the 16-credit certificate in AI and Machine Learning for Engineering has an estimated cost of $18,000.

You earn two graduate certificates on the way to the master's, so you leave with several credentials. The degree is a Master of Science (M.S.). The certificates are a practical benefit if life gets in the way: UW's certificate program has its own finish line.

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

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Only one cohort starts each year, and the next is Fall 2027.
• The cost is a range of $40,375 to $43,088, so you won't know your exact price until you choose certificates.
• The Modern AI Methods certificate is in person only, which narrows your fully online choices.
• International students who need an I-20 can't enroll.
• Admissions are selective on paper: a 3.0 GPA, prerequisites, a resume, a statement of purpose, one letter of recommendation and transcripts.

• Which certificate pairs can I finish entirely online?
• What's the updated cost estimate for my start year?
• What coursework prerequisites do I need, and can I finish them before the Fall 2027 start?
• How many total credits does the master's require?
• What kind of projects do capstone students take on, and can they come from my employer?
• If I stop after one certificate, how do I come back later?

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• Graduate Certificate in AI and Machine Learning for Engineering (Online)

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