Business Schools Launch More AI Courses and Certificates

• Business schools are rolling out short-term AI certificates.
• These certificate programs typically cover how to implement AI in business leadership and decision-making.
• Short-term certificates and credentials can both complement a degree and stand alone as a resume builder.
• AI skills are in demand among employers but so are traditional business skills like leadership, strategic thinking, and decision-making.

Clemson is the latest university to announce an artificial intelligence (AI) in business certificate — speaking to a broader trend toward both short-term credentials and AI instruction in business education.

The new Clemson AI in business "micro-certificate," offered as a standalone certificate through its master of business administration (MBA) program, will feature a look into how to apply AI to business and decision-making.

"The Clemson MBA program is excited to be at the forefront of the next evolution of business innovation," Clemson MBA Director Greg Pickett said in a press release. "Just like the impact of the internet and social media in the last 25 years, AI is on the cusp of changing business how we know it."

Clemson's AI certificate is part of a wider movement in the business education world as companies, students, and higher education institutions grapple with rapidly emerging AI.

Prospective business master's students consider AI a key skill and want to see it reflected in their curriculum.

Six out of 10 respondents in the 2024 CarringtonCrisp Tomorrow's Masters report agreed that they expect AI-generated content to be used in their degree program, and a similar number of students anticipated using AI tools like ChatGPT to finish projects.

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) found similarly high demand among prospective students, with demand for AI instruction growing 38% year over year, according to its 2024 Prospective Students Survey.

The rise of AI presents a unique opportunity for business schools to combine their traditional leadership and decision-making instruction with the emerging technologies.

A separate GMAC survey of corporate recruiters found that, while employers expect AI will continue to be a top skill for business graduates, soft skills like strategic thinking and leadership will continue to be critical.

"These core business school skills ... are really what employers are looking for both today and tomorrow," report author Andrew Walker told BestColleges in a previous interview.

That demand from employers for leadership, coupled with demand from students for AI instruction, has translated directly into certificate and one-off course offerings from business schools across the country.

Business School AI Certificates and Courses

AI certificates in higher education come in all shapes and sizes, but business courses typically focus on how to implement the rapidly changing technology into business strategy and decision-making.

Some AI certificates from engineering schools or computer science programs offer much more technical instruction on AI and machine learning, but a typical business course will focus on familiarizing students with AI.

Tuition for programs varies, but typically runs anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on the program. Many of the programs are geared toward business leaders and seasoned professionals and feature flexible, online options to accommodate a busy work schedule.

This table covers programs available at a variety of business schools, but it is by no means a comprehensive list. Free online courses in the form of massive open online courses (MOOCs) are also available for high-demand topics like AI in business.

Short-Term Credentials in Demand

High demand for AI in business education coincides with a rising demand for short-term credentials.

Short-term credentials, or microcredentials, can add value to an existing master's degree or stand alone as a skill-building effort.

A report earlier this year from the Council of Graduate Schools found that microcredentials are "best understood as part of a larger ecosystem including graduate degrees, not as an alternative to graduate degrees," BestColleges previously reported.

These credentials can provide fast upskilling for students. In fast-growing fields like AI and cybersecurity, this upskilling is critical as employers face a shortage of skilled workers.

Skills gaps in areas like cybersecurity and AI have led major universities to partner with online course providers to launch microcredentials.

The University of Texas System and the online education platform Coursera, for example, last year launched the largest nondegree credential program of its kind at a U.S. university system, featuring 35 entry-level certificates offered by major tech companies like Google and Microsoft.

Short-term credentials are a boon to both students and employers. Earning multiple, stackable credentials that build on each other can lead to better earnings and cut back on earnings gaps for students from low-income backgrounds, the RAND Corp. found in a 2023 report.

Part of the appeal of short-term credentials, courses, and certificates is their quick turnaround time. Students don't have to wait years to see a return on their investment or start implementing the skills they're learning in their work.

Clemson MBA Executive Board Chair Brian Stearns said the new AI certificate "will serve as a supercharged additive to what working professionals already possess in their existing degrees."

"These deep dives will allow professionals to make an immediate impact in their current roles or help a candidate stand out in interviews," Stearns said.

Short-term credentials aren't the only way colleges are embracing AI. Business schools are heavily investing in the new technology and rolling out both bachelor's and master's degrees in the field.