AI Ethics and Society MSc

Course overview

Gain a rare set of skills to address the big challenges in the responsible and ethical use of AI. This course breaks new ground in training the experts of the future.

AI is transforming the world around us. From how doctors make decisions, to how housing is allocated or how police and governments act; the impact of artificial intelligence is no longer science fiction. It’s becoming integral in our everyday lives.

But how can we make sure AI serves humanity without destabilising our society as we know it?

This Masters degree will provide you with trailblazing tools in ethical AI to become a holistic and strategic expert on AI’s role in society. The course is ideal for those with a non-technical background, whilst also offering a rare combination of complementary skills for those with technical experience.

Developed and taught by Leeds Institute for Societal Futures, you'll focus on real-world scenarios, working collaboratively across disciplines and sectors to find ethical and responsible solutions to the challenges of AI.

You’ll engage with the big questions around the hopes and harms of AI in society, such as:

• Who controls the future of AI?
• How can AI be deployed to narrow gaps between the rich and poor?
• What is the role of AI in the ‘fake news’ culture of misinformation and disinformation?
• How important is it to build public trust in AI?
• How are industry and policy reacting to the implementation of AI?
• How will we shape the rules and governance of AI?

Once you graduate, you'll be equipped with a rare set of interdisciplinary skills that meet the rising demand for professionals who can manage responsible and trustworthy use of AI.

This highly sought-after skillset will appeal to a diverse range of employers across all, sectors and prepare you for emerging career opportunities as AI becomes more integrated into our daily lives.

Course highlights

• This course has been designed and is delivered by academic experts from Leeds Institute for Societal Futures in partnership with industry, NGOs and policy makers, exposing you to a wide range of perspectives that reflect the latest sectoral expertise and needs.
• Learn differently on a multi-disciplinary, challenge-based course; work with your fellow students to explore multiple disciplines and perspectives to find solutions to the biggest real-world challenges in AI, preparing you for the future world of work.
• Gain industry exposure and global insights through practical case studies, project work and assessments based on real-world scenarios, and teaching by industry experts in guest lectures.
• Build a rare combination of knowledge, skills and experience in the fast-growing area of ethical and responsible AI, and be qualified for careers in AI implementation, ethical usage, policy and governance.
• The interdisciplinary nature of the course means you’ll also develop a range of professional skills that could transfer into many different job roles.

Leeds Institute for Societal Futures

This course is led by Leeds Institute for Societal Futures, a new institute at the University of Leeds that is dedicated to finding solutions to the big global challenges facing society. We draw expertise from a range of subject areas to solve them.

You’ll focus on real-world challenges and develop the practical skills to address them, meaning what you learn is hands-on and immediately useful. You’ll practice working across disciplines with a diverse team to build solutions that matter.

When you graduate, you’ll understand the AI challenge in-depth and have the insight and skills to develop solutions that make a real difference in a wide range of careers and sectors. You'll be ready to turn ideas into action that will truly impact society’s future.

Guaranteed work experience

While studying at Leeds, you’ll have the chance to work with a business and gain consultancy experience as part of a 2-week virtual Global Industry Programme.

As well as giving you the opportunity to build key industry connections, you’ll also develop invaluable professional and practical skills that are highly valued by employers.

Course details and modules

You’ll start the year by taking three core orientation modules.

The first orientation module will depend on your previous academic background.

• Most students will take an Introduction to AI Fundamentals module delivered by Leeds Institute for Societal Futures. This will give you a strong understanding of how AI works and operates, enabling you to make informed decisions about the implementation of AI and consider the related ethical questions. You’ll develop the basic technical understanding that is needed to work productively with your peers, and to develop complex and appropriate solutions to the potential challenges of AI.
• Students with a BSc in Computer Science at 2.1 (or equivalent) will have the option to take the Introduction to AI Fundamentals module, or may instead choose to take one 15 credit orientation module from the School of Computing.

All students will study two further orientation modules together: Introduction to AI Ethics and Knowledge Futures and Interdisciplinary Skills. These modules will introduce the theoretical frameworks, ethical principles and interdisciplinary skills you’ll need to succeed on the course and will be highly valuable for your future career. You’ll also engage productively with questions about knowledge integrity, how we determine fact from fiction and preserve knowledge in a culture of increasing misinformation, whilst exploring how we communicate and share knowledge effectively across cultural and sectoral contexts.

You’ll then progress through four further core modules and one optional module. These modules will enable you to engage with the big AI questions that are pressing in society today and into the future.

You'll deepen your understanding of themes such as bias and (in)justice in AI systems, the cultural politics of AI, legal AI regulation, AI and democracy, and human relationships and AI. You'll also learn how AI is deployed in different sectors, such as work, healthcare, education, sovereign security.

You'll gain a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental technologies of AI development, Large Language Models and machine learning in order to provide you with a solid foundational understanding of how AI is developed and designed, in order to consider the ethical and moral responsibilities that arise from these different modes of development and implementation. It is important to note however, that the course will not provide training in practical AI development to a level adequate for a career in the technical side of this field.

As a student at our Leeds Institute for Societal Futures, you'll also work closely with a group of fellow students supported to engage in genuine collaboration between students, academic experts and industry partners.

At the end of the course, you'll submit a final project. This is an independent piece of research on a related topic and context of your choice, which will allow you to demonstrate the knowledge and skills you’ve acquired during the year. You can choose the format of this project; a dissertation or a policy output; with the embedded option of a public, private or third sector work placement. As part of this Final Project you'll receive training in how to carry out research in AI and use AI tools. This will focus on the skills required to do this ethically and responsibly.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.

Orientation modules

Depending on your academic background, you’ll take one of the two modules below:

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals – 15 credits

This module is compulsory for all students who do not already have a BSc in Computer Science at 2.1 (or equivalent).

This module takes you through the history and development of AI; its promises and discontents. You’ll also learn about the technical foundations of AI and learn how to engage with value-sensitive design of AI models. As such; data science and open-source tool skills will be taught (not computer science per se, but to include, for example, data manipulation, interactive graphical analysis, plotting, machine learning and big data analytics).

OR

An Advanced Computer Science module – 15 credits

If you have a BSc in Computer Science at 2.1 (or equivalent), you have the option to take a related module of your choice from the School of Computing instead of Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals. This will enable you to further your technical expertise relevant to AI development and implementation. You’ll be able to choose from a range of optional modules, subject to availability, which may include the following specialisms: Data Science, Knowledge Representation and Reasoning, Algorithms, Programming for Data Science, Advanced Software Engineering, and Scientific Computation.

You’ll then take two further orientation modules:

Introduction to Ethics of Artificial Intelligence – 15 credits

Introduces key ethical frameworks, meta-ethics, and normative theories applied to AI challenges.

Knowledge Futures and Interdisciplinary Skills Training

Exploration of knowledge futures - integrity, preservation, distinction and trust. Plus, interdisciplinary skills training: covering training in collaboration, communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, debating skills, interdisciplinary language (how to communicate effectively across disciplinary boundaries) to support cross-sector collaboration.

Compulsory modules

Deployment Dilemmas – 30 credits

When is AI the right tool — and when is it disruptive or harmful? Sectoral analysis of use cases, failures, and governance gaps. AI will be explored in different domains/ sectors such as in work, healthcare, education, bordering, militarisation, smart cities.

Bias and (In)Justice in AI Systems – 15 credits

Privacy, algorithmic discrimination, facial recognition, data commodification, surveillance regimes, global inequalities in data use. Decolonial AI and data justice perspectives. Interconnected structural injustices of race, caste, class, gender and other intersectional identities, especially from Majority World contexts. Fairness frameworks. Digital divide, digital inequalities. Environmental and sustainability issues in AI. Labour exploitation. Tools for audit & critique.

Democracy at stake: Power, Democracy, and AI – 15 credits

Explore how AI impacts democratic societies by reshaping communication and public discourse. Political manipulation, weaponization of automated disinformation, platform governance, and democratic resilience in the face of AI-powered systems. Democratisation of access. Opportunities and risks of using AI in deliberation, collection decision making and elections.

AI, Human Relationships and Futures of AI – 15 credits

Therapy bots, intimacy, affective computing, mental health, and shifting norms in human-AI interaction. What AI can’t do (and possibly never will). Critical perspectives on intelligence, generalisation, AGI debates, and speculative futures.

Optional modules

You’ll choose from one of the below options.

Please note: The modules listed below are indicative of typical options.

AI, Creativity, and Cultural Disruption/ Cultural Politics of AI – 15 credits

Key cultural debates in AI that shape utopic and dystopic imaginaries of the future. Generative AI, authorship, IP rights, artistic labour, widening access to tools, cultural production.

Law and Regulation of AI – 15 credits

Exploration of legal and ethical challenges posed by AI. Consideration of how AI changes the legal landscape and how AI is regulated. Jurisdictional and trans-jurisdictional global approaches will be explored.

Final project – 60 credits

You'll choose one format:

• Dissertation (academic research thesis)
• Policy Project (e.g. white paper, NGO or industry briefing) and Critical Communication Project (e.g. podcast, op-ed series, visual explainer)

All formats involve original critical work and interdisciplinary supervision. The second format can incorporate a work placement within a public, private or third sector setting that will offer a co-produced real-world project opportunity.

Learning and teaching

Your learning will be based on our vibrant University of Leeds campus and include a mix of lectures, seminars, workshops, practicals and peer collaboration.

As a student at our Leeds Institute for Societal Futures, you'll work closely with a group of fellow students and engage in genuine collaboration with academic experts and industry partners from a range of subject areas and sectors.

Our interdisciplinary, challenge-based approach means you’ll learn together with your classmates, bringing ideas from a diverse range of backgrounds to create lively debate and discussion.

You’ll explore ideas from a range of disciplines with academic colleagues and industry experts, giving you access to the latest ideas and trends. The result is an immersive learning experience that enables you to develop a complex, holistic understanding of the challenges and opportunities of AI implementation.

You’ll engage with a range of advanced 'frontier' AI models such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude to enhance your critical capabilities as an expert AI user, as well as AI educational tools such as Minerva AI conversations and NotebookLM to support your learning.

The course will also utilise a range of innovative digital platforms and tools to enhance collaborative and active learning, such as discussion forums, padlets, wikis, vevox quizzes, videos, screencasts and animations. We’ll also use problem-based learning to deepen your understanding of essential topics.

Learn from experts across disciplines

As a challenge-based course, this MSc draws on expertise from a range of different subjects and faculties at the University of Leeds. You’ll benefit from a blend of expertise and experience in subject areas that all offer solutions to the challenges presented by AI.

At LISF we aim to educate and nurture the next generation of collaborative, solution-focused, impactful individuals who will go on to be leaders within ethical and responsible AI globally – whether as innovators, practitioners, policymakers or academics – engendering significant societal progress and the improvement of lives.

You'll also be assigned a personal tutor, who will maintain contact throughout the year and offer pastoral guidance. They will help settle you into the University and clarify any procedures, as well as helping prepare for employment upon graduation.

On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

This course aims to develop students' abilities as critical, expert users of AI and as such AI will be integrated into assessments throughout the year.

Assessment will include a diverse range of formats including essays, critical reflections, case study evaluations, group presentations and debates, practical communication pieces and a capstone final project (dissertation or policy project). Industry partners will input into assessments; e.g. presentation to panels, meaning you'll gain first-hand experience in producing and completing ‘real-world’ tasks.

Each assessment has been carefully designed to provide you with diverse opportunities to develop and demonstrate key transferrable skills that will prepare you for your career, whilst gaining deeper insights into the topics being discussed in each module.

Applying

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in a social science, humanities or STEM subject.

OR

An honours bachelor degree in a social science or humanities or STEM subject, with at least two years relevant professional experience – from the below list (further relevant experience can be articulated in application):

• AI Ethics / Responsible Innovation Advisor
• Policy Analyst (Tech/Ethics)
• Government/ Public-sector Expert for Ethical Deployment of AI Systems
• Communications or Public Engagement Specialist (AI and Society)
• Tech Sector Consultant (Ethics and Governance)
• Creative Industries Ethics Consultant
• Researcher in AI and Society (Academic, Industry, Public Sector)
• Advisor on AI in Education, Health, Mental Health, Government/ governance
• Non-profit/ NGO AI Ethics Advisor/ Campaigner
• Technical roles involving building, training & deploying AI (e.g. Data Scientist, AI Software Developer, AI Infrastructure Engineer, Machine Learning Researcher, Natural Language Processing Engineer)
• Sustained experience within student AI societies and/ or experience of journalism/ public writing within AI topics.

We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. . For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Politics and Society (6 weeks) and Language for Social Sciences and Arts: Politics and Society (10 weeks).

We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional and our 10 week online pre-sessional. 

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.

How to apply

International – Friday 26 June 2026

UK – Friday 14 August 2026

If you intend to apply for funding, you should submit an application for a place on your chosen course at least one month before any specific scholarship deadline.

The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page will take you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Support for part-time and mature learners

The Lifelong Learning Centre provides support for mature and part-time learners across the University, including advice on how to apply to university and support throughout your studies.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Admissions Policy 2026

Contact us

Postgraduate Admissions Office

Email: pgssp@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:

Fees

UK: £12,000 (Total)

International: £26,500 (Total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Scholarships are also available to help fund your Masters. Find out more and check your eligibility below: 

• Scholarships for International students 
• Scholarships and funding for UK students
• Your subject area may also offer scholarships

Career opportunities

As of 2025, 100% of industries are increasing AI usage – even in areas less obviously exposed to AI – which means careers in this area are only going to grow (The Fearless Future: PwC’s 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer, PwC).

The course will prepare you for a range of roles, in any sector, that work with or are impacted by AI.

As a graduate you'll be able to develop governance and policy for AI implementation and be a leader within ethical and responsible AI globally. This could include careers in consulting, policy-making, technology, government, compliance, and diversity and inclusion. Importantly, you'll be prepared for the future world of work, and the latest job roles in AI ethics and governance as they emerge.

Here's some examples of the job roles that could be available to you when you graduate:

• AI Ethics / Responsible Innovation Advisor
• Policy Analyst (Tech/Ethics)
• Government/ Public-sector Expert for Ethical Deployment of AI Systems
• Communications or Public Engagement Specialist (AI and Society)
• Tech Sector Consultant (Ethics and Governance)
• Creative Industries Ethics Consultant
• Researcher in AI and Society (Academic, Industry, Public Sector)
• Advisor on AI in Education, Health, Mental Health, Government/ governance

Skills for your future

“On average, the wages of workers with AI skills are 56% higher” according to the PwC's 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer.

This course will prepare you with a range of skills that will help you to meet the rising demand for professionals who have the skills to address the challenges of AI – and to manage and develop responsible and trustworthy use.

• A rare combination of technical and non-technical AI skills: an understanding of the technical foundations of AI alongside the ‘softer’ skills and acumen to deploy AI ethically and safely.
• AI governance and policy: the ability to develop policies that support maximum benefit of the technology and upholds ethical and moral principles.
• An interdisciplinary outlook on the opportunities and challenges of AI.
• Collaborative problem solving and teamwork.
• Strategic thinking.
• Specialist AI expertise that can be applied across a range of sectors and cultures.

Careers support

At Leeds, we help you to prepare for your future from day one — that’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers. The University's Careers Service is one of the largest in the country, providing a wide range of resources to ensure you are prepared to take your next steps after graduation and get you where you want to be.

• Dedicated Employability Officers — gain quality advice, guidance and information to help you choose a career path. From CV and cover letter writing to supporting you with job applications, our University’s dedicated Employability Officers are on hand to help maximise your capabilities through a process of personal development and career planning.
• Employability and networking events — we run a full range of events, including careers fairs and industry talks in specialist areas and across broader industries, with employers who are actively recruiting for roles, giving you the opportunity to network and engage with industry representatives. 
• Employability skills training – to support your transition to the workplace, we embed training in a range of key transferable skills valued by employers such as interdisciplinary lenses, systems thinking, ethical decision-making, policy development and digital literacy.
• MyCareer system — on your course and after you graduate you’ll have access to a dedicated careers portal where you can book appointments with our team, get information on careers and see job vacancies and upcoming events.
• Artificial Intelligence Society – build your industry awareness and learnings outside the course, with industry panels, guest talks, networking and collaboration events

Guaranteed industry experience

As a Masters student at Leeds, you’ll have the opportunity to gain real-world industry experience with our Global Industry Programme.

You’ll develop key professional skills and gain invaluable insight into working in your chosen field, helping to solve a real business problem from a live company brief.

This experience will enhance your CV, helping you to stand out in the competitive graduate jobs market and improving your chances of securing the career you want.

Benefits of the Global Industry Programme:

• Fully online and designed to fit around your studies.
• Opportunities to make industry contacts in areas such as digital marketing, business growth, sustainability and artificial intelligence.
• Build consultancy experience with a UK or international organisation.
• Gain invaluable insight into working as a consultant on a time-limited brief.
• Work as part of a team across disciplines to tackle real business needs.
• Advance your experience and hands-on skills by putting the course teachings into practice.
• Improve your employability prospects.