Universität Bonn

Institute of Computer Science

AI Study Program

Master Artificial Intelligence (MSc)

The demand for specialists in Artificial Intelligence has seen a meteoric rise over the last years, for their profound relevance to society, because they develop the machine learning models and intelligent systems that are revolutionizing almost all areas of life and business. As a trained AI expert, you will become a pioneer of our intelligent future.

The consecutive Master's degree program in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Bonn, a collaboration with the Lamarr Institute for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, is strongly application- and research-oriented, focusing on the mathematical foundations, training, and deployment of advanced AI models to solve complex, real-world problems. A close connection between the specialized courses on offer and the cutting-edge research carried out by our various working groups shapes this degree program, which is why it is particularly suitable for driven students seeking to deepen their knowledge and develop their technical skills. We also work closely with internationally renowned research institutions and technology companies in and around Bonn. This gives our students the opportunity to work on state-of-the-art AI projects and gives them a wide range of exciting, highly relevant topics for their research and graduation projects – a rapid launchpad into an advanced tech role or a scientific career.

Through interdisciplinary work and projects anchored in the program, students acquire key interdisciplinary skills, including the assessment of problems in AI ethics and societal implications.

You will complete your studies in Artificial Intelligence with a nationally and internationally recognized Master of Science (MSc) degree, which opens the door to a doctorate.

Facts at a glance

Type of program

  • Single-subject master's

Work load

  • 120 ECTS

Standard form & duration

  • Full-time (4 semesters)
  • Part-time (6 semesters)

Language of instruction

  • English

Size of the program

  • About 60 students per year
Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.
© Bernadett Yehdou / Uni Bonn

Master's in Computer Science

Your future prospects

The Master's degree program in Artificial Intelligence opens up a wide range of career opportunities:

  • Machine Learning Engineer / AI Architect: Machine Learning Engineers and AI Architects optimize, design and build complex intelligent systems and scalable machine learning models, from defining technical requirements for automated data solutions to implementations.
  • AI Strategy Consultant / Data Science Manager: AI consultants and managers lead specialized data teams at companies and organizations, plan the strategic implementation of artificial intelligence, and ensure that AI initiatives are completed successfully and ethically.
  • Scientist: In research and development positions, you contribute to the creation of new algorithms and forward-looking intelligent technologies, whether in industry or at research institutions.

Many other career opportunities are also open to you. In the Cologne-Bonn area and the Rhein-Sieg district in particular, you will benefit from a strong ecosystem characterized by IT companies and research institutes.

At a Glance

Admission requirements

Start & standard duration

  • starts in the winter semester

  • 4 semesters full-time

  • 6 semesters part-time

More About the Contents

The curriculum of our master's program is closely linked to ongoing research at our institute. This gives you the opportunity to gain a wide range of insights into current developments in information technologies during your studies.

Key points

The degree is awarded to students for finishing minimum required course work (and their final Master's thesis) in five categories, foundations, specialization, advanced, interdisciplinary modules, and ethical, legal, and social aspects. You can choose freely from the modules available each semester, provided you pass:

  • two compulsory modules in foundations
  • at least 12 ECTS in specialization  
  • at least 39 ECTS in advanced (including one lab and one seminar)
  • at least 10 ECTS in interdisciplinary modules 
  • at least 4 ECTS in ethical, legal, and social aspects

The Master's thesis and its presentation amount to 32 ECTS.

Course work includes lectures with exercises (6-9 ECTS), labs (9-10 ECTS) and seminars (4 or 6 ECTS). A full semester comprises 30 ECTS.

Contents, focus areas, and rough schedule

1st semester

  • Principles of Machine Learning (6 ECTS) 
  • Principles of Deep Learning (6 ECTS)

4th semester

  • Master thesis and seminar (32 ECTS)

1st semester: 2 or 3 courses to gain a knowledge base for a specialized direction, such as:

  • Audio and signal processing 
  • Computer vision 
  • Computer graphics and image analysis
  • Geometry processing and numerics
  • Neuroscience and medicine
  • Robot learning
  • Natural language processing
  • Data science

2nd and 3rd semester: advanced domain-specific course work in different specialized areas. This includes a seminar and research-focused lab work in an application domain, for example:

  • explainable AI, alignment, and ethics
  • virtual environments
  • data science and data mining
  • AI in graphics, vision, and audio
  • embodied and agentic AI
  • AI in biomedical sciences
  • Self-supervised and reinforcement learning

3rd semester: students work on an interdisciplinary project of their choosing, a collaborative research project in an adjacent field and a hallmark of the degree. Here, AI is applied to a real-world problem. Possible areas currently include:

  • ethics
  • geodesy
  • life and medical sciences
  • physics
  • neuroscience
  • crop production

Course work in ethical, social, or legal aspects relating to AI. These courses are often offered in collaboration with the philosophical faculty and are open to students throughout their studies.

Subject to change

studium_waehrend-des-studiums.jpg
© Bernadett Yehdou / Uni Bonn

Examination Regulations, Forms, and Module Handbooks

Examination Regulations

The examination regulations for the Master's degree program in Artifical Intelligence lays out all pertinent rules and requirements for your studies.

Forms

The forms contain applications and important documents for students to complete various administrative procedures.

Module Handbook

In the module handbook you will find detailed information on learning objectives, content, teaching methods and organization of the individual modules of the degree program.


Contact

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© Maximilian Waidhas | Uni Bonn

Dr. Benedikt Kolbe
Program manager

Office: 2.059

Office hours:

Fridays 10:30-11:30h during lecture weeks, by appointment 

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