The course

AI for Business (MSc)

AI for Business is an exciting course at Royal Holloway. It is aimed at recent graduates, from any discipline, seeking to boost their knowledge and understanding of AI in the context of business, as well as professionals wanting to update their workplace knowledge and skills.

The course focuses on insight into generative AI and emerging technologies like data analytics and virtual reality whilst developing the knowledge and skills required to manage and evaluate their business impact. The course will equip you with an in-depth understanding of how to integrate transformative AI solutions in organisations whilst being able to analyse its capabilities and limitations.

A key feature of the course is the development of practical knowledge through an independent consultancy project where you will integrate knowledge acquired throughout your course.

On graduating you will have the ability to analyse AI-related business opportunities and challenges and make well-informed tactical and strategic decisions, critically analyse AI's capabilities and limitations, assess its social and ethical implications, and develop the capabilities required to implement transformative AI solutions in organisations.

You will be confident in proposing and evaluating solutions to business problems by using AI knowledge and analytical skills and be able to effectively communicate complex business information to both professional and non-specialist audiences.

As a student in the School of Business and Management you will join an intellectually stimulating, friendly and supportive research environment and, through working closely with our expert and experienced academic staff, you will be in a position to realise your full potential.

Reasons to choose MSc AI for Business at Royal Holloway:

Innovative curriculum: This course blends AI technology with essential business concepts, enabling you to apply AI solutions in real-world business scenarios.
Strong career prospects: With the rising demand for AI skills, graduates are well-prepared for sought-after roles in various industries, enhancing their career opportunities.
Expert guidance and networking: Develop an effective network by engaging with leading academics and senior corporate managers through seminars, guest lectures and industry projects.

From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Course structure

Core Modules

This module is designed to equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience to effectively leverage artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in various business functions and industries. The module aims to enhance your employability by providing you with the ability to critically evaluate, propose, and implement AI-driven solutions to address complex digital business challenges.

You’ll learn to explain key AI concepts, propose and evaluate AI-driven solutions and governance frameworks, and critically assess their risks and benefits across business functions.
This module equips students with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions and develop effective strategies for adapting changes because of AI’s transformative impact on the workforce and the evolving landscape of work and job roles. You’ll develop a deep understanding of how AI technologies are reshaping professions, from automation potential to the emergence of new job functions.

You’ll explore leadership strategies for managing AI-integrated teams and will propose innovative AI-supported solutions for remote work and virtual collaboration, thereby becoming a strategic asset for future employers in evolving work environments.
This module aims to develop an understanding of the principles and practices of gathering data and using it to visualise strategic and operational business intelligence solutions. You will look at the key channels and sources that may be used to gather information, examining how to interpret and prepare data for organisational use and explore how it can be used to promote diversity and inclusivity. You will learn how to visualise patterns and trends for decision making, as well as modelling future activities. Commonly used software tools with a variety of databases and large datasets will be used to enhance your future employability.
This module aims to equip you with a state-of-the-art understanding of the digital business landscape, covering foundational management concepts as well as contemporary digital business innovations. Learning is through interactive lectures and a series of carefully curated case studies of digital innovation and digital transformation projects. The module places an emphasis on the strategic role of digital technologies in securing competitive advantage and sustainable growth, but you'll also be encouraged to dive deep into specific impact of digital technologies on business operations. Through study and discussion, you will develop a critical understanding of the opportunities and challenges in starting and managing a digital business.
This module focuses on the social and ethical implications of AI and digital technologies and innovation with a central focus on the need to prioritise societal wellbeing and sustainability. We will discuss the impact and consequences of the use of AI and digital transformation for individuals, organisations and societies in a global context. You’ll be introduced to Responsible Innovation research and frameworks and learn to apply knowledge in relation to the design, implementation and adoption of AI and digital transformation. With an emphasis on critical thinking, the module will be research-led, drawing on up-to-date academic literature and case studies.
This module explores the intricate relationship between digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and corporate governance in the modern business landscape. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how AI drives innovation, while learning to apply agile methodologies to AI-driven digital initiatives. The module delves into critical aspects such as cybersecurity challenges, change management strategies, and the formulation of effective governance frameworks for digital and AI projects. You’ll develop leadership skills essential for successful digital transformation, including the ability to foster an innovation culture and manage change in AI-driven environments. You’ll also learn about measuring and optimising digital transformation efforts, leveraging AI technologies.
The aim of this module is to explore emerging technologies in the context of design thinking and techniques that provide a necessary bridge between potential and actual value in application contexts. The module will provide you with conceptual knowledge and practical skills, to critically evaluate the potential of emerging technologies and design ways to translate that into value in given application contexts. You will design a lightweight prototype demonstrating the user experience associated with that emerging technology and will critically evaluate the benefits and limitations of that same emerging technology.
This module aims to provide you with theoretical and practical guidance on empirical research and consulting related to business analytics challenges in an organisational setting. The emphasis is placed on developing your analytical thinking, qualitative and quantitative research skills and consulting practice to prepare you for your consulting project. The module covers a range of topics from research approaches suitable for business analytics, quantitative and qualitative methods in collecting/harvesting and analysing data, innovations in digital research methods, consulting skills and ethical considerations in conducting research related to business analytics.
The consulting project provides students with direct access to industry professionals and AI-driven management practices in a business setting. The consulting project aims to enhance knowledge of the technical, ethical, and organisational challenges in implementing AI in business contexts. You will work individually, guided by an academic supervisor. The final deliverable will be a comprehensive report or practical AI implementation, demonstrating your ability to integrate AI knowledge with business acumen.

Optional Modules

There are a number of optional course modules available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course modules that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new modules may be offered or existing modules may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.

You will take one of the following:

This module explores the role played by technology entrepreneurship, like identifying emerging technologies, launching- and growing firms, regional economic development and selecting the appropriate stakeholders for effective commercialisation. You’ll be introduced to the management tools and frameworks needed for successful exploitation of technology-based opportunities and will develop a theoretical understanding of the process of market opportunity identification, evaluation and planning in the context of new technologies. Areas around value proposition design, business model construction, intellectual property protection and securing a sustainable advantage will be explored.
On this module you’ll develop knowledge and skills in cloud computing and its application to modern day business problems. The emphasis is on generating unique web applications using architectures and cloud services that are commonly employed in industry. You’ll gain knowledge of the architecture and operation of cloud platforms and the services they provide, how cloud solutions are employed by organisations in practice and the scaling, security and transitioning issues that arise in deployment. This understanding is reinforced practically via hands-on experience of developing a prototype cloud service using a commercially available platform.

Teaching & assessment

Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, examinations and a dissertation.

Entry requirements

2:2

UK Honours degree or equivalent.

Candidates with substantial and relevant professional qualifications or professional experience in an associated area will also be considered.

International & EU requirements

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.5 overall. No subscore lower than 6.0.
Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 61. No other subscore lower than 54.
Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
TOEFL iBT: 88 overall with Reading 22 Listening 20 Speaking 22 Writing 24.
Duolingo: 120 overall and no sub-score below 115.

Your future career

On graduating with a Masters degree in AI for Business from Royal Holloway you will possess sought-after knowledge and skills needed for a career in today’s fast-changing business world. We will help you to recognise and identify your strengths, skills and abilities so that you can make strong applications for your chosen career, or for further study.

Postgraduate students from our School of Business and Management have gone on to roles in a variety of companies including Amazon, Tesco, Accenture, Ogilvy, KPMG, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bloomberg LP, Ocado Group, HSBC, Fuji film, Huawei, Deutsche Bahn and Qatar Airways.

Fees, funding & scholarships

Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £16,100

EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £28,300

Other essential costs***: There are no single associated costs greater than £50 per item on this course.

How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, grants, scholarships and bursaries.

* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis in the academic year 2025/26. Students studying on the standard part-time course structure over two years are charged 50% of the full-time applicable fee for each study year.

Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase all postgraduate tuition fees annually. Be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree (if longer than one year’s duration), and that this also means that the overall cost of studying the course part-time will be slightly higher than studying it full-time in one year. The annual increase for continuing students who start their degree in 2025/26 will be 5%.  For further information, see the  fees and funding , and terms and conditions.

** This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2025/26. Find out more

*** These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2025/26 academic year, and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included.