Master's in Privacy Engineering:
now with AI Governance!

The world's first and foremost master's degree program dedicated entirely to privacy engineering and AI Governance.

Privacy is not dead, but our current state of privacy is less than ideal. Data breaches reveal just how much information is collected about all of us, while privacy policies are flimsy, obscure or unreadable. These trends impact the bottom line: users are losing trust in the services they use daily and regulators are doling out billions of dollars in fines. At the same time, AI is rapidly and permanently changing technology and the way people interact with it. Its rise in prominence has created a host of data privacy challenges, and also opened the door to development of new tools and techniques to help individuals and organizations manage privacy. Within this context, privacy engineers are increasingly called up to contribute to and often lead AI governance efforts; they are expected to have an understanding of the challenges arising from the use and development of AI technologies as well as of the new opportunities created by these technologies.

At Carnegie Mellon University, we've spent decades at the forefront of privacy and AI research. Our master's programs in privacy engineering and AI governance give you the skills you need to identify and resolve privacy and AI governance challenges in modern software systems.

Two Master's Programs. On Your Schedule.

Master's in Privacy Engineering and AI Governance

Full-time, in Pittsburgh, 12 or 16 months
We designed this program for computer scientists and engineers who want to make a meaningful impact as privacy engineers or technical privacy managers. You'll spend either 16 months (with an internship) or 12 months (no internship) on our Pittsburgh campus and engage in a capstone project, where you'll solve real-world privacy challenges for an outside sponsor. Past capstone sponsors include Meta, Netflix, Microsoft and more.

Master's in Privacy Technology and AI Governance

Full-time and Part-time, fully remote options
Have a full-time job and want to keep it? This program is for you! This master's degree accommodates students who are employed and want to stay that way. You can study full-time on an accelerated 9-month time table. If you opt for part-time, remote study, you'll have remote access to the exact same classes as full-time students, giving you the flexibility of attending live courses or watching lectures at your convenience, from wherever you call home.

Why CMU? And Why Privacy Engineering and AI Governance?

CMU faculty are internationally recognized leaders who influence ongoing research and offer a wealth of expertise through their work in industry, government and research. Their expertise spans countless specialties, from AI and privacy to cybersecurity.

Our students' skills are in high demand and our graduates earn competitive salaries at the biggest technology companies in the world. In fact, according to the International Association of Privacy Professionals, the average salary for a privacy engineer is $136,000, and that of a privacy technologist with certification comes in at more than $170,000. As the only privacy engineering and AI governance program in the world, our graduates have an unbeatable edge in this fast-growing market.

Learn more about how privacy engineering can catapult your career

Let's Talk!

We strive to provide comprehensive information for our prospective applicants, but we understand that you may still have questions. If there's anything you'd like to know, feel free to reach out using the button below and we'll respond as soon as possible.