University News

Three New College of Arts and Sciences Master’s Programs Will Take Students to the Cutting Edge

School launches graduate degrees in quantum computing, data-driven economics, and artificial intelligence

Three new, highly interdisciplinary master’s degree programs in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences will prepare students to help drive three of today’s most in-demand fields: quantum computing, data-driven economics, and artificial intelligence.

“Where disciplines converge, the future gets built,” says Stan Sclaroff, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. 

“By combining rigorous academics with real-world problem-solving under faculty who are leading innovators, “we’re preparing graduates who will be ready not just to enter these fields but to lead them,” says Sclaroff..

“These three new programs reflect where the future of these fields is heading—and where the workforce needs are most urgent,” says Malika Jeffries-EL, senior associate dean of GRS. “Across all three, students learn from faculty who are leading innovators in their fields, and they will leave not just trained for the moment, but ready to outlast it.”

The Master of Science in quantum science and engineering, the first program of its kind in New England, prepares students to lead the quantum revolution transforming computing, communication, and scientific discovery.

“Our program prepares students for a technology that is moving from the lab into industry faster than almost any field we have seen,” says Jeffries-EL.

And interdisciplinary? The one-year, on-campus program is taught by faculty from physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer science, materials science, and electrical and computer engineering departments. The program is working to attract students with interest in quantum computing from different backgrounds, explains Anushya Chandran, CAS associate professor of physics. 

The program “is, naturally, pitched at physicists, because the hardware platforms they are building quantum computers on are ones that physicists have developed, involving atoms or superconductors,” Chandran says. “Then there are a lot of use cases in physics and chemistry that bring in physicists and materials scientists. And the whole set of engineers are involved because there’s a lot of electrical engineering at the heart of getting these things to work. And finally, the computer scientists are involved because some of the biggest applications are in cryptography, and they are thinking about the algorithms you run.”

The Master of Science in applied economics and data science was developed jointly by the Department of Economics and the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences to answer a growing demand from students for deeper engagement with data, computation, and real‑world analysis in economics. The on‑campus program will immerse students in both disciplines by placing them directly into core economics and data science courses alongside full‑time students in each program.

“Economic analysis is being transformed by the explosion of new data sources and computational tools,” says Daniele Paserman, CAS professor and chair of economics. “Graduates of this program will stand out as analysts and decision‑makers in a rapidly evolving global marketplace.”

“Our MS in applied economics and data science meets the growing demand for analytical rigor in understanding markets and policy,” notes Jeffries-EL.

Those two programs are in person. The online Master of Science in computer science and artificial intelligence is one of the few virtual programs to fully integrate computer science foundations and artificial intelligence. It weaves AI throughout the computer science curriculum, so students gain a deep understanding of how AI systems work while developing strong foundations in algorithmic thinking and coding.

“The first fully online offering in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences ensures that working professionals don’t have to choose between advancing their careers and pursuing graduate study,” says Jeffries-EL.

Developed and taught by faculty in the Department of Computer Science, the program emphasizes responsible innovation and how AI is affecting decision-making and processes.

“This program blends rigorous systems thinking with applied AI, ethics, and real-world problem solving,” says George Kollios, professor and chair of computer science.

“Whether students join us on campus or online for one of these programs, they’ll be positioning themselves for leading roles in the most dynamic sectors of the economy,” Sclaroff says.