Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)

15 Programs 3 Degree levels
PhD

Doctor of Philosophy in Machine Learning

DegreePhD
FieldArtificial Intelligence

A research-focused PhD that trains students to design and evaluate state-of-the-art machine learning methods for academic and industrial research. Best suited to applicants aiming for careers as independent researchers, research engineers, or faculty working on advanced ML theory and applications.

What you'll study

Study combines coursework, practical experience and a substantial research thesis. The programme frames machine learning as the study of algorithms and statistical models that learn from data to perform tasks without explicit instructions, and it highlights applications such as enterprise analytics, web search, robotics, smart cities and genomics.

  • Program learning outcomes: Graduates will demonstrate deep knowledge of ML pipelines; practical skills in data preprocessing, exploration and visualization; ability to analyze limitations and improve learning algorithms; compare statistical properties and convergence behavior; deploy ML programming tools; conceive and implement innovative solutions; and produce research manuscripts and complex project reports.
  • Credit structure (minimum 60 credits): Core courses: 3 courses (8 credits); Electives: at least four courses amounting to 16 credits; Internship: at least one internship of minimum three months (2 credits); Advanced research methods: 1 course (2 credits); Research thesis: 1 thesis (32 credits).
  • Mode and location: Full‑time, on campus. Faculty from MBZUAI lead research across machine learning subfields.

Entry requirements

The programme page lists admission criteria and a final application deadline but does not publish detailed entry requirements on the excerpted text. Prospective applicants should consult MBZUAI Graduate Admission resources for specific academic, language and documentation requirements.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for researcher roles in industry and academia. Typical pathways include research scientist or research engineer positions in AI labs, faculty or postdoctoral appointments, and specialist roles developing ML solutions in areas such as business intelligence, robotics, search, smart‑city systems and computational biology/genomics.

Scholarships & funding angle

The university promotes internal fellowship and scholar schemes (for example, the Aspire Ph.D. Fellowship Program and Ruwwad AI Scholars are referenced within MBZUAI study offerings). Applicants interested in funding should review MBZUAI fellowship and scholarship pages and contact admissions or the graduate funding office for up‑to‑date opportunities and eligibility rules.

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Programme details are indicative and may change — always verify current information with the official university website before applying.