New worlds of learning are once again taking shape at the University of Houston-Downtown’s College of Sciences & Technology, including the new Master’s of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MSAI) program.

UHD is one of only six graduate-level AI programs offered in Texas. Registration for the program is now open for the Fall Semester and will offer a combination of hybrid, face-to-face, and online courses.

“More companies are seeking automation and AI-based decision-making approaches in their businesses,” said Dr. Hong Lin, MSAI Director and Professor of Computer Science. “The demands for AI skilled employees are growing rapidly, and our new program will give our students a prime opportunity to share their knowledge and talents in a number of thriving industries and markets.”

Lin also noted that the MSAI program will train graduate students in AI-specific skills for industries such as automotive and supply chain, along with gaming, finance, military, and data security.

According to Lin, the National Science Foundation reported that for companies to remain competitive they must hire employees with a high level of AI competency to be successful and experience future growth. Additionally, the World Economic Forum noted that AI jobs are among the fastest-growing professions over the past three years.

To that end, the University’s MSAI program is poised to offer students an advantage in AI careers by focusing on some of the skills that companies and firms are seeking, including speech recognition, sign language recognition, and prediction in machine learning. “Our program will train students to apply AI algorithms and models to solve real-world problems,” said, Dr. Dvijesh Shastri, Assistant Chair of Computer Science and Engineering Technology.

Lin also noted that the 30-credit hour graduate program is designed with the flexibility to meet the needs of students.

“When we were creating this program, we looked at the growth of AI occurring in the industry and we also surveyed our MSDA (Master of Data Science) students to get their insights and feedback,” he said. “Our program is affordable and flexible for those students who are working and have busy schedules. We want to give them every opportunity to succeed.”

Prospective students who are interested in the program are encouraged to attend an upcoming Virtual Information Session on Wednesday, April 6. For more information on admissions and program degree requirements, visit the MSAI website.