Western Governors University Online Master of Science in Computer Science, AI and Machine Learning

This is a computer science master's with an artificial intelligence and machine learning specialization, not a degree titled "Artificial Intelligence." Western Governors University (WGU) charges $4,385 per six-month term and lists 19 months as the typical length. The program is fully online and asynchronous. Ask WGU for the course list and credit total before you apply.

WGU, a private nonprofit university based in Salt Lake City, Utah, offers this program as an all-online degree you complete through independent study. The official name is Computer Science with an AI and machine learning specialization. The whole program follows that AI and machine learning track, which is why it appears on this list even though the diploma title says computer science.

WGU's school profile describes competency-based programs with flat per-term tuition. The program page says tuition is charged per term rather than per credit, and that this helps you control the ultimate cost of earning your degree online. That is the school's own framing, and it is the main selling point here.

The program page gives three main facts: the format, the length and the price. Ask WGU for the courses, credit total, admission requirements and program-level accreditation before you apply.

The program is fully online. WGU describes it as all-online and completed through independent study. The class format is asynchronous, so there are no set meeting times to plan your week around.

That suits people with jobs, family schedules or travel. It also puts the pacing on you. Nobody sets weekly deadlines the way a cohort program would, so ask WGU how faculty support works and how often you can expect to talk with someone.

Who It Fits

• You want a self-paced, fully online master's and you're comfortable working through material on your own.
• You prefer paying a flat price per six-month term over paying per credit.
• A computer science master's with an AI and machine learning specialization works for your goals, and you don't need the degree name itself to say artificial intelligence.

Who Should Skip It

• You want classmates, live sessions or scheduled lectures. The program is asynchronous and built around independent study.
• You need the diploma to read "Artificial Intelligence." The degree is titled Computer Science.
• You want to compare courses, credit totals and capstone details before you apply. You would need to ask WGU directly.

The program follows an AI and machine learning specialization within a computer science master's.

Before you commit, ask WGU for the full course list and for the number of credits. Look for the machine learning and AI courses, any programming prerequisites, and whether the program ends in a capstone or a project. Those answers will tell you more about the degree than the specialization label does.

Standout Features

• Independent study with faculty support; finish faster by completing more units each term at no extra tuition
• Specialization in natural language processing, deep learning, machine learning and advanced AI with ethics focus
• Tuition includes third-party certification exam vouchers such as AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer, Associate

WGU lists tuition at $4,385 per six-month term. The school says it charges per term rather than per credit. That is different from most online master's programs, where you multiply a per-credit rate by the credit count.

The program page lists 19 months as the typical duration, and the asterisk next to that number means the time can vary. Because tuition is billed by the term, the length of your enrollment matters to your total.

Ask WGU what fees apply on top of tuition, and how it bills a term if you finish partway through. Also ask whether the $4,385 rate is still current.

WGU is a private nonprofit university. You earn a Master of Science (M.S.) in Computer Science with an AI and machine learning specialization.

Look up WGU's accreditation on its own site and with the U.S. Department of Education before you enroll, particularly if you plan to use the degree for a licensure, employer reimbursement or a doctoral application.

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

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• The degree is titled Computer Science, not Artificial Intelligence. Some employers or admissions committees may read the specialization differently than a full AI degree.
• Independent study means less structure and fewer built-in ways to meet peers.
• The 19-month figure carries an asterisk, so your actual time to finish may differ.
• Tuition is per term, so a slower pace means paying for more terms.

• What is the full list of courses in the AI and machine learning specialization, and how many credits does the degree require?
• What does the 19-month figure assume, and how long do students who work full time actually take?
• How is tuition billed if I finish a term early or need an extra term, and which fees come on top of the $4,385?
• What programming or math background do I need before I start, and is there an admissions test or prerequisite coursework?
• How do faculty support me in an independent-study program, and how quickly do they respond?
• Does the degree end in a capstone or project I can show to employers?

Private nonprofit online university with competency-based programs and flat per-term tuition.

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