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AI, Ethics and Society at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

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2024 - 20252025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Course summary

Our new MA AI, Ethics and Society gives you the opportunity to explore a broad range of critical topics essential for understanding the complex interplay between artificial intelligence and society. Why choose this course?

  • There is a growing demand for professionals capable both of navigating the ethical landscapes that these advancing technologies create and able to address the challenges they pose to contemporary businesses and society.
  • This course merges technical knowledge with philosophical and ethical insight, to prepare you to contribute positively to a world increasingly shaped by AI.
  • By integrating interdisciplinary methodologies from philosophy, law, social sciences and humanities, you will learn to navigate the ethical, societal and creative implications of AI.
What you will learn This course is designed to equip you with a deep understanding of the intricate relationship between artificial intelligence technologies and societal values. The curriculum is crafted to address the decision-making processes of AI, emphasising fairness, biases, security risks and privacy concerns. It investigates how these technological advancements influence politics, personal relationships and societal structures across various domains. You will begin with core modules, in which you will:
  • gain an understanding of the history and development of AI
  • think about AI through an ethical lens to critically evaluate how and when to use AI and the associated pressures of doing so.
Option modules give you the chance to explore the regulatory and theoretical challenges that new algorithmic technologies pose to the law. You can consider the concepts behind artificial general intelligence and gain hands-on experience with media production to examine issues like the risks of deepfakes, bias and effects on labour. How you will learn This MA AI, Ethics and Society is available to study full- or part-time in the evening. Lectures will introduce you to complex concepts and theories, while seminars will develop your deeper understanding of these through discussions, group work and practical exercises. Highlights
  • You will study at our Bloomsbury campus in the heart of London, a city fast becoming one of the major European hubs for AI research and development.
  • Birkbeck is a leading centre for philosophical research in the UK. All of our established members of academic staff are active researchers, and our excellence in both teaching and research is consistently reflected in UK and international surveys.
  • We have a specialist philosophy library at 30 Russell Square. The main philosophy collection is held in the Birkbeck Library, which has an extensive range of books and online resources.
  • We are a member of the University of London’s Institute of Philosophy. Our students therefore belong to a large, intercollegiate community of philosophers, and are welcome at a range of seminars, lectures, talks and conferences.
  • In law, we have a proud tradition of critical scholarship and address issues of law through power and inequality led by principles of social, economic, political, environmental and racial justice.
Careers and employability On successfully graduating from this MA you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:
  • applying theories and frameworks to real-world scenarios
  • developing and critiquing policies
  • critical thinking
  • debating and discussing complex ideas
  • effective communication.
Graduates from this course will be equipped to follow career paths in a wide range of roles, including in:
  • management
  • research and academia
  • analytics
  • law.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

Assessment on this course includes short written exercises, essays which will develop in length and expected complexity as you progress through your studies, quizzes and multiple-choice questionnaires, case studies, and problems to solve.

How to apply

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Entry requirements

At least a second-class honours degree (2:2), or equivalent, in any area of study. We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £10800 Year 1
Northern Ireland £10800 Year 1
Scotland £10800 Year 1
Wales £10800 Year 1
International £19830 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
AI, Ethics and Society at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS