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Master of Art in Education 

[Fully Online]

Artificial Intelligence in Education (MA- AIED)  

UTEP’s Master of Arts in Artificial Intelligence in Education [MA in ED- AI in Education] is a fully online, 30 credit-hour degree designed for individuals who wish to pursue graduate studies focused on the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) in diverse educational contexts. Intended for educators (licensed or un-licensed), this program of study prepares professionals to become instructional leaders in how AI can enhance the educational experience for instructors and students by promoting optimal, ethical, and equity-focused uses of Gen AI in the design of teaching and learning. It also prepares graduate students who plan to pursue a doctorate in education or the social sciences. This program can be completed in as little as 12 months.

The Master of Arts- Artificial Intelligence in Education focuses on responsible use of AI in instructional design and feedback practices that enhance student learning in diverse K-16 settings. This graduate program centers applications of Generative AI (Gen AI), which is AI that creates original content in response to a user’s request. Gen AI provides possibilities for applications such as intelligent search engines; real time, personalized feedback; and intelligent tutoring. For optimal instructional and educational experiences, these applications need to be aligned with and embedded in human-centered, culturally sustaining approaches to pedagogy and instructional design, and with the technical systems that store data and populate dashboards that provide the input instructors and learners use to inform their learning process. As AI is still developing at an ever-increasing pace, this program of study does not focus on the creation of tools or algorithms. Instead, coursework in the MA in ED- Artificial Intelligence in Education program provides graduates with the needed knowledge and skill base to adopt a systems approach to issues of instructional design and assessment, utilize advanced data literacy, and develop deep understanding of education and data issues in order to use AI in Education responsibly. These topics represent a body of knowledge and skills for education and education-related professionals that will remain highly relevant as technology itself keeps evolving.  

This degree program does not include a teaching credential.  However, the Master of Arts in Artificial Intelligence in Education may be combined with our on-campus Alternative Certification Program [ACP] for individuals seeking to obtain this M.A. degree and who also want to earn a Texas teaching license (45 credits total). Admission to the Alternative Certification Program requires a separate application process. For more information on the ACP program, including specific admissions information, please contact acp@utep.edu.

Admission Requirements:

To apply for the M.A. in Artificial Intelligence in Education program, individuals must complete the application process through UTEP’s Graduate School.  Prospective students submit:

1)  a resume;

2) a written statement of purpose describing personal and professional goals related to obtaining the degree; and

3) transcripts from all previous colleges and universities attended; transcripts should indicate at least a minimum satisfactory undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0.

International students whose first language is not English must also submit an Official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score; the score requirement can be found at .

The admission materials submitted will be reviewed holistically to assess the potential of the applicant for this advance course of study.  The successful applicant would typically have an undergraduate upper division GPA of 3.0 or higher that demonstrates focus on academics, a current resume that demonstrates basic knowledge or experience in education or education-related fields, and a written statement that demonstrates maturity and commitment to the field of Artificial Intelligence in Education.

Program Application Deadlines:  

• To begin in Fall Semester, applications must be received by August 9^th.
• To begin in Spring Semester, applications must be received by January 5^th.
• To begin in Summer Semester, applications must be received by May 3^rd.

To apply for the M.A. in Artificial Intelligence in Education program, go to Graduate School Application, select this program when prompted and follow the directions provided to submit your application.

Degree Requirements and Courses:

To earn a M.A. in Artificial Intelligence in Education, UTEP requires for graduation: 1) successful completion of 30 hours of required coursework with a grade of “C” or better; 2) completion and passing of a Culminating Experience (either a Capstone or Thesis Project); and 3) a final GPA of 3.0 or higher [Graduate School Requirement].

All students in this program complete 24 credits (8 courses) of content coursework.  The final 6 credits (2 courses) in the program depend on whether a student chooses to pursue the Capstone Pathway or Thesis Pathway as the Culminating Experience requirement for graduation. Students decide on their preferred pathway by their 1^st or 2^nd semester in the program in consultation with their faculty advisor.

Capstone Pathway:

For their Culminating Experience, students may choose to produce a capstone project, the topic of which is focused on Artificial Intelligence in Education. Grounded in student interest, knowledge of the program content and a detailed synthesis of the related research literature, the successful capstone project focuses on identification of a real-world problem of interest and devising an innovative solution to address the issue. Students in this pathway take two courses (STEM 4340: Capstone 1 and STEM 5344: Capstone 2) to provide content knowledge and support for designing and composing the capstone project.

Thesis Pathway:

For their Culminating Experience, students may choose to produce and orally defend a substantial research paper (i.e., a thesis), the topic of which is related to Artificial Intelligence in Education. The successful completion of the thesis paper may be found in its critical and creative synthesis, articulation of a fresh perspective on the work of others or trends in the field, or the identification of new, research-based questions/data that shed light on existing problems or issues within the field of Artificial Intelligence in Education. Students in this pathway take two courses (TED 5398: Thesis 1 and TED 5399: Thesis 2) to provide content knowledge and support for designing and composing the thesis project.

During the final semester of coursework, students will meet virtually with the Teacher Education Department Graduate Studies Coordinator for an audit and verification of coursework and final GPA, verification of completion of the Thesis/Capstone project and application for graduation with UTEP’s Graduate School office. 

 Degree Plan:

 Still have questions about the M.A. in Artificial Intelligence in Education? Teacher Education Department staff are ready to answer your questions.  Please contact us at tedgrad@utep.edu.

Ready to apply to the M.A. in Artificial Intelligence in Education program? Go to Graduate School Application