Department of Economics

MSc Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability (launching soon)

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Key information

Duration: 1 year
Start of programme: September
Attendance mode: On campus
Fees: Home: £12,965
International: £25,320
Entry requirements: We will consider all applications with 2:2 (or international equivalent) or higher in any discipline that does not incorporate a strong data science component. In addition to degree classification, we take into account other elements of the application such as your supporting statement. References are optional but can help build a stronger application if you fall below the 2:2 requirement or have non-traditional qualifications.

Course overview

The MSc Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability at SOAS is designed for students seeking to study the interactions between AI and sustainability, in combination with a thorough understanding of related economic, political, social and developmental processes.

AI’s substantial energy demands pose challenges for tackling the environmental crisis, while AI applications can enhance a more efficient use of natural resources. At the same time, the rapid expansion of AI raises pressing ethical issues that need to be assessed through a social justice lens.

Drawing on SOAS’s world-leading research in sustainability and AI, the curriculum is shaped by a Global South perspective, emphasising context-sensitive data practices grounded in diverse epistemologies, ethical approaches and developmental priorities. Students in this programme have the opportunity to work with real-world data and AI applications, critically evaluating their implications for living within planetary boundaries and addressing social challenges.

Why study MSc AI and Sustainability at SOAS?

We are ranked top 30 in the UK for Economics (QS World University Rankings 2025).
You will have access to the Centre for Sustainable Finance, the Centre for Sustainable Structural Transformation and the Centre for AI Futures.
You will obtain transferable analytical skills that are essential for careers in businesses, financial institutions, international organisations, government agencies and non-government organisations, in particular in positions that require coding skills and a critical understanding of social and environmental sustainability challenges in the era of AI.

Global partnerships

Programme participants are eligible to apply for a co-supervised dissertation, collaborating with members of the Economics department and leading experts from international organisations. Such organisations include the World Bank, the International Trade Centre (ITC), the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Structure

Teaching and learning

Modules are taught by a combination of methods, principally lectures, tutorial classes, seminars and supervised individual study projects. The MSc programme consists of three taught modules (corresponding to three examination papers) and a dissertation.

Lectures

Most modules involve a 50-minute lecture as a key component with linked tutorial classes.

Seminars

At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work taking place in two-hour sessions. Students make full-scale presentations for each unit that they take, and are expected to write papers that often require significant independent work.

Dissertation

A quarter of the work for the degree is given over to the writing of an adequately researched 10,000-word dissertation. Students are encouraged to take up topics which relate the study of a particular region to a body of theory.

Learning resources

SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Employment

The MSc AI and Sustainability is ideal for students who wish to obtain coding skills, apply data science techniques and develop a social science expertise on the analysis of environmental and social sustainability challenges in the era of AI. The programme provides a gateway to job opportunities in private companies, the government sector and international organisations. The advanced nature of the programme also serves as an excellent foundation for PhD studies.