Imperial College London launches UK’s first AI, economics and policy master’s degree
Imperial Business School and Imperial’s Department of Computing launched the MSc AI, Economics and Policy, the UK’s first degree combining the three fields.
Photo by George Pak on Pexels
Imperial Business School and Imperial College London’s Department of Computing launched the MSc AI, Economics and Policy on July 28, 2026, the UK’s first master’s degree to combine technical AI training with economics, law and governance in a single curriculum, the university said. The cross-disciplinary programme opens for applications in August 2026, with the first cohort starting in September 2027.
The AI economics and policy master’s degree is delivered jointly by Imperial Business School and the Department of Computing. It will examine how artificial intelligence is governed, regulated and applied in practice, alongside how it is reshaping economic growth, competition and digital markets, according to Imperial.
What the AI economics and policy master’s degree covers
Students will build a technical foundation in AI systems and data-driven technologies alongside study of competition economics, digital markets and legal and regulatory approaches to AI governance, Imperial said. The programme includes an individual research project or internship option and is aimed at recent graduates and early-career professionals.
| Programme detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Degree name | MSc AI, Economics and Policy |
| Delivered by | Imperial Business School and Department of Computing |
| Applications open | August 2026 |
| First cohort starts | September 2027 |
| Academic Director | Professor Tommaso Valletti, Professor of Economics |
| Target audience | Recent graduates and early-career professionals |
| Related bodies informing curriculum | Information Commissioner’s Office, Competition and Markets Authority, Financial Conduct Authority, Ofcom, European Commission |
Source: Imperial College London, “Imperial launches UK’s first master’s degree focused on AI’s economic and policy impact,” July 28, 2026.
Professor Tommaso Valletti, the programme’s Academic Director, said: “By bringing together Imperial’s strengths in computing, economics and public policy, we are equipping students with the tools to understand how AI systems function in practice and how they should be governed in the real world.” Dr Rob Craven, Director of Postgraduate Studies in the Department of Computing, said the cross-disciplinary approach would give students “a unique combination of skills and perspectives” to help shape AI’s development across industry, government and society.
The degree targets career paths including AI governance analyst, regulation specialist, technology policy, digital regulation, legal technology and compliance, and competition economics, as well as roles in government, regulators and international organisations, Imperial said. It also offers a pathway to PhD study and research careers in AI governance and digital markets. FE News, reporting independently on the launch, confirmed the same start date and structure.
The launch comes as universities and school systems continue expanding formal AI curricula: AI in higher education is reaching what researchers describe as a tipping point, with adoption climbing across both students and faculty even as institutions build out AI-specific degree pathways such as Imperial’s.
About Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university in South Kensington, London, specialising in science, engineering, medicine and business. Imperial Business School, one of the university’s constituent faculties, operates alongside Imperial’s Department of Computing within the Faculty of Engineering. Professor Peter Todd, Dean of Imperial Business School, described the new degree as “a direct expression of Imperial’s Science for Humanity mission,” noting that the school’s position inside a STEM-focused university lets it combine computing, economics, law and governance “in a way few institutions can.” The MSc AI, Economics and Policy extends Imperial’s existing programme of AI-related teaching and research into a dedicated interdisciplinary degree, opening for applications in August 2026 ahead of its first intake in September 2027.
Sources: Imperial College London; FE News
Featured image: photo by George Pak on Pexels (free Pexels license).
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I specialize in sustainability education, curriculum co-creation, and early-stage project strategy. At WINSS, I craft articles on sustainability, transformative AI, and related topics. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me chasing the perfect sushi roll, exploring cities around the globe, or unwinding with my dog Puffy — the world’s most loyal sidekick.
