A.1 Fundamentals: AI and Society

B.1 Technical aspects of AI

B.2 Ethical, legal, economic and educational aspects of AI

C.1 Practical implementation of technical, ethical, legal, economic and educational aspects of AI

The Micro-Degree “Artificial Intelligence and Society” is a multidisciplinary supplementary programme worth 16 ECTS credits at the University of Graz. It covers technical, ethical, legal, economic, and educational aspects of AI and concludes with a certificate issued by the University of Graz.

The Micro-Degree is modular in structure and can be completed within 2 semesters:

• Module A: Foundations (4 ECTS, lecture, winter semester – first half of semester)
• Module B: Application (6 ECTS, two courses, winter semester – second half of semester)
  • B.1: Technical Aspects of AI (3 ECTS, course)
  • B.2: Ethical, Legal, Economic, or Educational Aspects of AI (3 ECTS, course; one sub-course to be chosen)
• Module C: Implementation (6 ECTS, project, summer semester)

This amounts to a total of 16 ECTS credits.

All courses in the Micro-Degree are currently delivered online.

• Module A: Live online lecture; sessions are recorded.
• Modules B and C: Live online courses with continuous assessment; due to the mandatory attendance requirement, these are generally not recorded.

The lecture (Module A) is generally offered in English. In Modules B and C, you choose a group in either German or English when registering.

No. No specific prior knowledge of programming or computer science is required. The content builds on itself and must be completed in the order Module A → Module B → Module C. Fundamentals (e.g. Python with an AI co-pilot) are taught in the technical course B.1.

The workload is based on ECTS credits (rule of thumb: 1 ECTS ≈ 25 hours of work).

The programme is primarily aimed at:

• Students at the University of Graz enrolled in a bachelor’s or diploma programme
• Students registered at the University of Graz specifically for the Micro-Degree as part of a virtual mobility programme.

If sufficient places are available, the following may also participate:

• Students enrolled in a master’s programme at the University of Graz
• Students enrolled in a doctoral programme at the University of Graz

An active enrolment at the University of Graz is always required.

If you are enrolled at the University of Graz, you can simply register for the individual courses (Module A, B.1, B.2, C.1) via UNIGRAZonline during the respective registration windows before the start of the semester, no separate admission to the Micro-Degree programme is required. You will receive the certificate once all modules have been successfully completed.

Students from partner universities apply to participate in the virtual mobility programme and are then enrolled as mobility students in one of our regular degree programmes, which is a prerequisite for taking part in the Micro-Degree. 

Yes, provided there are sufficient places available. The programme is primarily designed for bachelor’s and diploma students, but master’s and doctoral students may also participate. Bachelor’s and diploma students, as well as incoming students participating via virtual mobility, are given priority when places in courses with limited enrolment are allocated.

No. Participation is only possible if you

• are enrolled at the University of Graz in a regular degree programme (bachelor’s, diploma, master’s, or doctoral), or
• are registered at the University of Graz as an incoming student specifically for the Micro-Degree as part of a virtual mobility programme.

Yes, if you enrol at the University of Graz (e.g. co-enrollment or through regular enrolment). Once you have an active enrolment at the University of Graz, you can register for the Micro-Degree courses via UNIGRAZonline (UGO).

You can only participate while you have an active enrolment at the University of Graz. If you complete your degree and do not have any further active enrolment (e.g. in another bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral programme), you will not be able to start or continue the Micro-Degree.

The modules follow a fixed sequence (A → B → C) and are tied to specific semesters:

• Modules A and B are only offered in the winter semester.
• Module C builds on Module B and only takes place in the summer semester.

Starting in the summer semester is therefore not possible.

Winter semester:

• Module A: Online lecture, two sessions per week, from early October to approximately mid-November.
• Modules B.1 and B.2: Online courses with continuous assessment, from early December to the end of January.

Summer semester:

• Module C: Online project courses with continuous assessment, from early March to the end of June.

Specific dates will be announced in UNIGRAZonline before the start of the semester.

• Module A: Online lecture with two live sessions per week, from early October to approximately mid-November. Sessions are recorded; attendance is not mandatory.
• Modules B.1 and B.2: Online courses with fixed sessions and mandatory attendance, from late November to the end of January.
• Module C: Online project course with mandatory attendance at fixed sessions and continuous assessment, from early March to the end of June.

Specific course dates will be announced in UNIGRAZonline before the start of the semester.

• Module A (lecture): Yes, sessions are recorded and made available in the Moodle course.
• Modules B and C (courses/project): Generally not, as these are courses with continuous assessment and mandatory attendance.

• Module A: No, attendance is not mandatory. Online lecture, recorded.
• Modules B and C: Yes, attendance is mandatory. Online courses with continuous assessment, not recorded.

It is recommended to complete all modules within 2 semesters (one cycle). To receive the certificate, all required courses must be completed within a maximum of 4 semesters. If you are completing the Micro-Degree as part of a mobility programme, you must finish all modules within 2 semesters.

Registration takes place via UNIGRAZonline within the regular registration deadlines of the University of Graz. You can find the courses under the following titles, for example:

• “MDK.I01 Module A – Foundations: AI and Society (VO)”
• “MDK.I02 Module B1 – Application: Technical Aspects of AI (KS)”
• “MDK.I03 Module B2 – Application: Ethical, Legal, Economic, or Educational Aspects of AI (KS)”
• “MDK.I04 Module C1 – Practical Implementation … (PT)”

For B.1 and B.2, there is a two-step registration process before the start of the semester:

1. Registration in a default group (prerequisite for the subsequent group selection)
2. Selection of the specific group

Exact deadlines are available in UNIGRAZonline and will also be sent by email if you have signed up for the reminder service on the website.

Registration for B.1 and B.2 takes place before the start of the winter semester via UGO – initially on a waiting list. Confirmed places are only allocated at mid-semester, after the Module A exam has been taken. Process:

1. Register at the start of the winter semester for Module A and the Module B.1 and B.2 courses
2. Attend the lecture (Module A)
3. Take the Module A exam (usually in calendar week 47), unless it has already been taken at an earlier date
4. Upon passing: confirmed places in B.1 and B.2 are allocated, and courses begin in the second half of the semester

Yes. Registration takes place initially on a waiting list, before the exam. Confirmed places are only allocated after the Module A exam (usually in calendar week 47), based on the ranking criteria:

• Exam passed → confirmed place in B.1 and B.2
• Exam not passed → deregistration from B.1 and B.2; a new attempt can be made in the next winter semester

For courses with limited enrolment (all courses and project courses), places are allocated according to the following criteria:

1. Incoming students under cooperation agreements for the Micro-Degree
2. The role of the course in the curriculum (compulsory subject / elective before free elective)
3. Random draw if no clear ranking is possible

No. The modules must be completed in the mandatory order A → B → C:

• For Module B (B.1 and B.2), successfully passing the Module A exam is a prerequisite.
• For Module C, successfully completing both B.1 and B.2 is a prerequisite.

Yes. This is in fact the recommended approach:

• Module A runs in the first half of the semester.
• The Module A exam takes place before Module B begins.
• Module B starts in the second half of the semester.

This allows you to complete the Micro-Degree within the recommended two semesters. Please note, however, that you must register for both Module B courses before the semester begins!

No. To receive the certificate and to participate in Module C, you must complete both B.1 and B.2:

• B.1: Technical Aspects in AI
• B.2: a sub-course in one of four fields of action (you choose one):
  • Ethical Aspects in AI
  • Legal Aspects in AI
  • Economic Aspects in AI
  • Educational Aspects in AI

A change is generally not possible, as each group has a limited number of places. In justified exceptional cases, please contact the programme coordination at mc-ki(at)uni-graz.at. A change is only possible if places are available in the desired group. Changes after receiving a confirmed place in Module C are also generally not permitted. However, you may choose a different field of action in Module C than the one you selected in Module B.2.

No. In Module C, you can independently choose a project group in any of the available fields of action, regardless of your choice in B.2:

• Practical Implementation: Technical Aspects of AI
• Practical Implementation: Ethical Aspects of AI
• Practical Implementation: Legal Aspects of AI
• Practical Implementation: Economic Aspects of AI
• Practical Implementation: Educational Aspects of AI

Yes. Module C takes place entirely online – including the kick-off, project supervision, and final presentations.

Module A is a lecture (VO). The examination is a written online exam completed from home. Registration takes place via UGO. At least 3 exam dates are offered per semester. The first exam of each cycle takes place after the final lecture session, usually in calendar week 4, in time for the allocation of confirmed places in Module B.

The courses in B and C involve continuous assessment. This means:

• Mandatory attendance
• Assessment based on multiple partial performances (e.g. exercises, assignments, presentations, project reports, participation)

Exact assessment criteria will be communicated at the beginning of each course.

Yes, these are courses with continuous assessment and mandatory attendance.

In many programmes, the Micro-Degree courses can be credited as free electives. In certain programmes (e.g. BA „Recht, Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft im digitalen Wandel“), parts of the Micro-Degree (A, B.1, B.2 – 10 ECTS) are already included in the curriculum as mandatory courses. Please clarify the specific credit recognition with the dean’s office responsible for your programme.

To receive the certificate from the University of Graz, you must successfully complete the following courses:

• Module A (4 ECTS)
• Module B.1 (3 ECTS)
• Module B.2 (3 ECTS)
• Module C.1 (6 ECTS)

This amounts to a total of 16 ECTS credits. The certificate is issued after all courses have been successfully completed within a maximum of 4 semesters.

To receive the certificate, you must complete all courses within 4 semesters (2 semesters recommended). For students participating via virtual mobility, completion within 2 semesters is required.

Once all results are visible in UGO, please contact the dean’s office for interfaculty teaching at mc-ki(at)uni-graz.at. After your transcripts have been checked, you will receive the certificate by email to your student email address.