Graduate Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence

Mission Statement

The Graduate Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence prepares professionals to design, evaluate, and implement AI solutions in organizational settings. The program promotes technical knowledge within ethical frameworks, empowering graduates to lead responsible AI adoption and drive strategic innovation in their organizations and across industries.

Program Overview

The Graduate Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence is an 18-credit hour program designed to equip business professionals with the knowledge and strategic insight to apply AI across interdisciplinary contexts. Offered in a fully online format, this certificate provides a focused pathway for individuals seeking to understand how AI intersects with areas such as organizational leadership, strategic decision-making, business model development, ethics, and governance. The curriculum includes six three-credit hour courses, including: AI for Business Executives, Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, AI Strategy and Governance, AI Tools for Business Innovation, The Future of AI: The Intelligence Revolution, and AI-Driven Decision Making and Analytics.

Expected outcomes of the Graduate Certificate include:

• MBA AI 1: Demonstrate the ability to design and implement AI-driven strategies that enhance business decision-making, operational efficiency, and innovation across diverse industries.
• MBA AI 2: Critically evaluate the ethical, legal, and societal implications of AI technologies and apply governance frameworks to ensure responsible and inclusive AI adoption in organizational settings.
• MBA AI 3: Effectively evaluate, select, and apply AI tools to address complex business challenges, demonstrating proficiency in using AI technologies to drive innovation, efficiency, and strategic decision-making.

Graduate Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence Admission Requirements & Procedures

Applicants must submit the online application for admission, application essays, the $50 application fee, a current resume including professional references which may be checked, official transcripts showing the completion of a regionally accredited bachelor’s degree with a 2.75 GPA, and official transcripts of all other undergraduate and graduate course work from accredited institutions.

International students must have a minimum score of 70 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a six (6) on the IELTS exam. In cases where a foreign student is otherwise qualified for admission to the program but his/her TOEFL score indicates the need for additional English language instruction, he/she might be admitted conditionally to the program pending satisfactory completion of the necessary courses.

If an applicant, domestic or international, has completed their bachelor’s degree in a country other than the United States, the applicant is required to submit a degree evaluation report from a reputable credentialing service (WES – World Education Services, https://wes.org/) that demonstrates degree and course equivalency. The official report for each degree evaluation report must be submitted directly from the credentialing service and provided to the School of Business; Graduate Department; 421 Park 40 North Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37923.

The admission decision is based on an evaluation of all application materials submitted by the individual. The following are criteria utilized in the decision process:

1. Graduate Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence Application
2. Previous work experience
3. Undergraduate GPA
4. Graduate GPA
5. Specific course work completed
6. Writing sample
7. Reference check

Conditional Graduate Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence Admission Status

Under special circumstances, a person who does not meet the requirements for Graduate Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence admission may be allowed conditional admission status. In order to be considered for conditional admission status, the student must have earned a cumulative bachelor’s degree GPA of at least 2.40 from a regionally accredited institution. The student must also submit all other admissions documents. If granted conditional status, candidates may take no more than six (6) semester hours of graduate coursework from their planned program within the conditional semester and earn no grade less than “B”. A grade less than “B” disqualifies the candidate from full graduate admission. Students will be granted full graduate admission upon earning grades of “B” or above within all enrolled courses during their first semester within the Graduate Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence program.

Maximum Program Completion

Students who enter the Graduate Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence program must complete their studies for their graduate degree within five (5) years after initial registration. An extension may be requested of the Program Director for personal or professional reasons.

Credential Conferral Requirements

The following requirements must be met for earning the Graduate Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence credential:

1. Completion of the course and credit hour (18) requirements associated with the academic program.
2. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B)
3. The receipt of no more than two course grades of ‘C’ or below.
4. Completion of all outcomes assessment testing and activities
5. The completion of the Graduate Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence within five (5) years
6. Payment of all fees

7. All graduating student surveys