With AI and data science transforming every industry, upskilling with a recognized postgraduate credential is more important than ever.
In 2025, many top universities will offer flexible online or hybrid Master’s degrees, diplomas, and certificates designed for working professionals.
This list highlights seven globally respected programs that deliver rigorous AI/DS training, industry-relevant curriculum, and career support, all without leaving your job.
Each data science and AI course below includes delivery mode, duration, key features..
Top 7 Postgraduate AI & Data Science Courses
1. e-PG Diploma in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science – IIT Bombay (Online, 18 months)
Delivery mode: Fully online (designed for working professionals)
Duration: 18 months
Key features:
- This artificial intelligence online course (offered by IIT Bombay’s Centre for Machine Intelligence & Data Science) covers core AI/DS skills with a curriculum crafted by IIT faculty.
- Courses include Programming for Machine Learning, Statistical Foundations, Machine Learning, Deep Learning & GenAI, etc. The program emphasizes hands-on tools like Python, SQL, TensorFlow, Keras, Seaborn, and more.
- Students benefit from personalized mentorship and a dedicated program manager through Great Learning’s platform, ensuring tailored support and project guidance
2. Master’s in Artificial Intelligence – University of Texas at Austin (Online, ~10 courses)
Delivery mode: 100% online (asynchronous, instructor-paced)
Duration: 30 credit-hours (approximately 10 courses), typically 1–3 years part-time
Key features:
- UT Austin’s MS in Artificial Intelligence is one of the first fully online AI master’s programs. It’s built for professionals seeking cutting-edge AI expertise.
- The curriculum covers reasoning under uncertainty, AI ethics, case studies in machine learning, and advanced topics like deep learning and reinforcement learning.
- Students learn from world-class UT faculty across engineering and computer science, gaining skills that apply to healthcare, finance, robotics and more. The program uses on-demand lectures and weekly modules so you can study on your own schedule.
- A UT Austin degree offers a top-ranked educational experience (at a public university with fees exceeding $10,000) to boost careers in the rapidly expanding AI job market.
3. e-Postgraduate Diploma (ePGD) in AI and Data Science – IIT Bombay & Great Learning (Online, 18 months)
Delivery mode: Fully online (synchronous live sessions)
Duration: 18 months (three semesters)
Key features:
- Offered in partnership with Great Learning, this IIT data science course is delivered by IIT Bombay faculty.
- The curriculum spans 36 credits (6 courses) covering machine learning, deep learning, data analytics, and AI applications.
- Live online classes are held in a structured format for working learners, and students also meet instructors during a campus immersion visit.s
- Graduates earn IIT Bombay alumni status and can attend an in-person convocation at IIT Bombay.
- The program provides hands-on training with industry-standard tools (Python libraries, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Hugging Face, etc.) and access to IIT Bombay’s
- Lateral Hiring Group for networking and job opportunities
- No GATE score is required, and flexible pacing (part-time or full-time) is possible.
4. MSc in Artificial Intelligence – University of Bath (Online, ~2 years)
Delivery mode: 100% online, part-time study (intakes in Jan/May/Sep)
Duration: Minimum 2 years 3 months (180 UK credits)
Key features:
- Bath’s online MSc in Artificial Intelligence delivers a broad AI curriculum that spans robotics, mathematics, machine learning, natural language processing and AI ethics.
- The program balances technical depth (programming, algorithms, deep learning) with discussion of ethical, transparent AI through its connection to Bath’s ART-AI Center. Students tailor their studies via optional modules (e.g., advanced deep learning, robotics, entrepreneurship) to fit their career goals.
- Bath emphasizes industry relevance by partnering with the UK’s Institute of Coding, ensuring the AI curriculum aligns with employer needs.
- Coursework builds practical skills through real-world case studies and a research-based dissertation. Graduates gain expertise sought by tech firms, healthcare, finance, and government, backed by Bath’s strong reputation in computing and AI.
5. MSc in Data Science – University of London, Goldsmiths (Online, 1–5 years)
Delivery mode: Flexible online (with optional local tutorial centers worldwide)
Duration: 1–5 years (part-time or full-time options)
Key features:
- This MSc Data Science from the University of London (Goldsmiths) builds deep analytical and computing skills for real-world data problems.
- Students learn advanced statistics, machine learning, data programming (Python), and big data analytics, with the ability to specialize.
- Two pathways are offered: an Artificial Intelligence focus and a Financial Technology focus, enabling targeted careers in tech, finance or research.
- The degree is highly respected worldwide (Goldsmiths is ranked top UK university for innovation) and is fully accredited.
- Learning is self-paced and supported by interactive online resources and optional in-person sessions at teaching centers.
- This international program lets working professionals advance their careers without pausing work, earning a prestigious credential that employers value.
6. Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS) – UC Berkeley (Online, 20–32 months)
Delivery mode: Online (with occasional in-person immersion opportunities)
Duration: 27 units; typically 20 months (part-time), accelerated 12 months, or extended up to 32 months for flexibility
Key features:
- UC Berkeley’s MIDS is the #1 ranked online data science master’s (Berkeley I School).
- It offers a multidisciplinary curriculum spanning computer science (AI/ML), statistics, social sciences, and law. Key focus areas include Machine Learning & Deep Learning, Generative AI/LLMs, NLP, Data Engineering, AI Ethics, and applied statistics..
- Students engage in project-based learning using real-world data and the latest tools. Weekly Zoom seminars, collaborative projects, and GitHub-integrated coding give a rich online classroom experience.
- Faculty are drawn from Berkeley’s top researchers and industry partners. Upon graduation, MIDS alumni enter leadership roles in tech, finance, and government data science.
- The program’s flexible pacing (part-time or accelerated) is ideal for working professionals seeking an elite data science credential.
7. Online Master of Science in Analytics (OMS Analytics) – Georgia Tech (Online, 24–36 months)
Delivery mode: 100% online, self-paced (lectures on demand)
Duration: 24–36 months (2–3 years)
Key features:
- Georgia Tech’s OMS Analytics is a top-5 US data science program designed for working professionals.
- It leverages expertise from Tech’s computing, engineering, and business colleges to teach a broad toolkit: machine learning/AI, statistical modeling, data engineering, visualization, optimization, and business analytics.
- The online format is highly flexible; students watch recorded lectures on their schedule and can specialize via three tracks (Analytical Tools, Business Analytics, Computational Data Analytics).
- Despite its rigor, OMS Analytics remains affordable (total tuition ~$11K) and requires no GRE.
- Graduates earn a Georgia Tech degree valued by industry, gaining credentials in advanced data analytics and AI, ready to boost their careers.
Conclusion
All of these programs have intensive academic education and professional services (e.g. capstone projects, alumni networks and employer connections). Their online or hybrid courses are available to enable you to continue with your job and still upskill at the same time.
With the continued increase in combination of AI and data science jobs, a master diploma or certificate in a related area in 2025 can add a lot of value to your resume. Research curricula, prerequisites, and alumni outcomes to find the most appropriate option to your objectives and use such global programs as the future-proof of your career.
