Lawrence Technological University offers a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MSAI) as a joint program of the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences.
The 30-credit program is based on the Southfield campus. Its core pairs Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition and Deep Learning for Engineers with digital signal processing, computer security, and algorithms, and students finish with either a graduate project and a three-course specialization or a 9-credit thesis.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Quick Facts
| Degree | MS in Artificial Intelligence (MSAI) |
| School | College of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences (joint program) |
| Location | Southfield, Michigan |
| Format | Campus |
| Credits | 30 |
| Specializations | Robotics and Sensors, Connected Vehicles, Data Science, Cybersecurity |
| Culminating Experience | Graduate project or 9-credit thesis |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 (2.8 to 3.0 considered for provisional admission) |
| GRE | Not required |
| Tuition | $1,425 or $1,650 per credit hour, depending on the course |
Official MS in Artificial Intelligence page
Curriculum
The MSAI is run jointly by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. It is a standalone degree, separate from the Data Science / Intelligent Systems concentration in the university’s MS in Computer Science.
Students complete 30 graduate credits under one of two options:
- Coursework only: 18 credits of core courses, a 3-credit graduate project, and 9 credits in one specialization
- Coursework and thesis: 21 credits of core courses and a 9-credit thesis
Students must keep a cumulative graduate GPA of at least 3.0 and plan their courses each semester with an academic advisor.
Core Courses
Coursework-only students take six of these seven courses. Thesis students take all seven.
- EEE 5513 – Software Development for AI
- MCS 5623 – Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition
- EEE 5653 – Digital Signal Processing
- MCS 5243 – Theory of Computation
- MCS 5813 – Intro to Computer Security
- EEE 5253 – Deep Learning for Engineers
- MCS 5803 – Algorithm Design and Analysis
Because the coursework option allows one core course to be left out, students who want both machine learning and deep learning should keep both in their plan of study.
Specializations
Coursework-only students choose one specialization and take three courses from its list.
Robotics and Sensors
- EME 5983 – Bioinspired Robotics
- EEE 5563 – Interface and Control of Robotics
- EEE 5553 – Application of Artificial Intelligence
- MCS 5403 – Intelligent Robotics with ROS
- MRE 5183 – Mechatronics Systems I
- MRE 5323 – Modern Controls Systems
Connected Vehicles
- EEE 5293 – Connected Vehicle Technologies
- EEE 5353 – Computer Vision
- EEE 6553 – Advanced Deep Learning for Engineers
- EEE 6243 – Advanced Embedded Systems
Data Science
- MCS 6623 – Natural Language Processing
- MCS 5723 – Social Network Mining
- MCS 5993 – Special Topics
- Applied Machine Learning (course number not yet assigned)
Cybersecurity
- EEE 5223 – Computer Network Cyber Security
- EEE 5453 – Embedded Networking
- EEE 5463 – Computer Networking
- MCS 6523 – Advanced Cryptography
- INT 6043 – Management Information Systems
- INT 7223 – Cybersecurity
Natural Language Processing and Computer Vision sit in different specializations, so the standard coursework plan has room for one of them but not both.
Graduate Project or Thesis
Coursework-only students complete a 3-credit graduate project. The program page states that the project requires a publication in a conference or journal.
Thesis students propose a topic with a thesis advisor, present the proposal to a thesis committee, and then register for 9 thesis credits through EEE 6911, EEE 6912, and EEE 6913. They must submit at least one conference or journal paper before defending the thesis.
Cost and Tuition
Lawrence Tech is a private university and charges the same tuition to Michigan residents and nonresidents. Graduate tuition is set by the college that offers each course, not by the student’s degree program.
For the 2026–27 academic year, the university’s tuition and fee schedule lists:
| Graduate Courses Offered By | Tuition per Credit Hour |
|---|---|
| College of Arts and Sciences | $1,425 |
| College of Engineering | $1,650 |
| College of Business and Information Technology | $1,650 |
The MSAI draws on computer science courses from the College of Arts and Sciences and on engineering courses, so most students pay a mix of the two rates. At 30 credits, tuition falls between about $42,750 and $49,500 before fees, depending on the courses chosen.
Graduate students also pay a $200 registration fee each semester, a $550 resource fee each fall and spring semester, and a $150 graduation fee. International students on F-1 or J-1 visas pay a $250 international student fee each semester.
Rates can change each year, so students should confirm current costs with the university.
View Lawrence Tech tuition and fees
Admission Requirements
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent four-year degree from outside the United States. The program expects a Bachelor of Science in electrical and computer engineering, mathematics and computer science, or a related technical field.
Regular admission requires a minimum 3.0 GPA.
Applicants with a GPA between 2.8 and 3.0 may be admitted provisionally and are reviewed again after 12 semester hours of graduate coursework. Applicants with a 3.0 GPA and a bachelor’s degree in another field may also be admitted provisionally, with prerequisite courses set case by case by the program director.
Application Materials
Applicants submit:
- online graduate application and $50 application fee
- official transcripts of all college work
- resume
- at least one letter of recommendation, preferably from an employer or professor
- optional one-page statement of purpose
- proof of English proficiency when required
Lawrence Tech does not require the GRE, although applicants may submit scores as supplemental information. For graduate applicants whose first language is not English, the university lists minimum scores of 79 on the TOEFL iBT, 6.0 on the IELTS, or 105 on the Duolingo English Test.
Application Deadlines
Lawrence Tech does not publish a fixed application deadline for domestic applicants to this program. Graduate students can start in the fall, spring, or summer semester, and the university says application review takes two to three weeks once a file is complete.
International applicants must submit all documents at least 90 days before the term begins. The university lists these dates:
| Entry Term | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Spring 2027 (international applicants) | October 13, 2026 |
| Fall 2027 (international applicants) | May 27, 2027 |
Program Format
The MSAI is taught at Lawrence Tech’s campus in Southfield, Michigan. The university does not include it in its list of online programs.
The graduate catalog says most of the university’s classes are offered on complementary day and evening schedules, and that some courses are delivered online or in hybrid mode. Students should ask the program director which MSAI courses are available in each format.
Graduate students are considered full time at nine or more credit hours per semester. The catalog notes that fewer MSAI courses are offered in the summer semester. Up to eight graduate credits may be transferred from an accredited master’s program in artificial intelligence, subject to review.
Who Is This Program Best For?
Lawrence Tech’s MS in Artificial Intelligence is a strong option for students with an engineering or computer science background who want to study AI alongside the hardware and systems it runs on.
It may be especially appealing to students interested in:
- machine learning, pattern recognition, and deep learning
- robotics, sensors, and mechatronics
- connected vehicles, computer vision, and embedded systems
- digital signal processing
- cybersecurity and cryptography
- a thesis option, or a project aimed at a conference or journal paper
The program is campus based, and the university does not list an online version. The core spends as many credits on signal processing, security, theory, and algorithms as on machine learning, and only three specialization courses fit in the coursework option. Students who need an online degree, who want a wider choice of machine learning electives, who do not have a technical bachelor’s degree, or who want public university pricing may want to compare other Michigan schools.
Official Lawrence Technological University Program Links
- MS in Artificial Intelligence program page
- MSAI curriculum flowchart
- Graduate catalog
- Graduate admissions
- International admissions
- Tuition and fees
Related Machine Learning Programs in Michigan
Students can also compare Lawrence Technological University with other master’s programs in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and related fields offered in Michigan.
- Eastern Michigan University – Ypsilanti
- Grand Valley State University – Grand Rapids
- Michigan State University – East Lansing
- Michigan Technological University – Houghton
- Oakland University – Rochester
- University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
- University of Michigan-Dearborn – Dearborn
- Wayne State University – Detroit
- Western Michigan University – Kalamazoo