Who teaches the courses?

Instruction is delivered by a multi-disciplinary team of staff and industry practitioners with backgrounds in product development, data science, and business innovation. Guest speakers add specialized perspectives.

Will this certificate qualify me for a student visa?

Yes. The program’s full-time contact-hour load meets visa requirements. International applicants must follow UCSB PaCE’s standard I-20 documentation process.

How do I apply?

International Students need to apply to the International Certificate Program before enrolling in classes from this course schedule. 

Domestic students may enroll directly in available courses once registration opens. If you plan to earn the Professional Certificate in Applied AI and Innovation, submit the certificate candidacy form so it is associated with your student profile and your program completion is automatically recorded once all four courses are taken concurrently in the same term and passed.

Who is this program for?

This program is open to anyone interested in learning how to apply AI tools and strategies in a practical, business-focused way. It’s especially well-suited for:

• Professionals and entrepreneurs who want hands-on AI skills without diving into complex coding
• Managers, analysts, and creative problem-solvers looking to integrate AI into their workflows
• Career changers or upskillers seeking to build a portfolio of real-world AI projects
• Undergraduate students aiming to complement their academic degree program with practical coursework and portfolio pieces that demonstrate applied skills to future employers

No formal programming experience is needed. If you can work with spreadsheets and are comfortable learning new software tools, you’ll be ready to succeed. The program’s step-by-step, integrated format ensures you can follow along regardless of your technical background.

What is the weekly workload outside of class?

You should plan for 6–8 hours per week outside of scheduled class sessions. This time includes:

• Readings and videos to prepare for each week’s theme
• Hands-on tool practice to reinforce concepts introduced in lectures and labs
• Team project work applying weekly topics to your capstone business solution
• Portfolio-building assignments, such as dashboards, prompt libraries, or executive summaries
• Reflections and peer feedback to strengthen learning and collaboration

Work is designed to be practical and directly connected to your weekly lecture, lab, and capstone activities, so each task builds toward your final deliverables. Many assignments result in professional artifacts you can showcase to employers.

Can I take just one course instead of the full program?

Yes. Students may enroll in individual courses from the program. 

What is the structure of the certificate?

The Applied AI and Innovation Certificate consists of three required 4-unit courses, taken in any quarter and in a flexible order:

MGMNT X440 – AI Essentials for Innovation

MGMNT X441 – AI Applications for Business Impact

MGMNT X442 – Leading AI-Driven Change

Students may take the courses in a single quarter or spread them across multiple terms. The only sequencing requirement is that students must be enrolled in, or have already completed, both X440 and X441 when they take X442. X442 may be taken concurrently with the other two courses, but it cannot be taken before them.

Each course builds applied skills in areas such as AI fundamentals, generative AI, prompting, business use cases, workflow design, data storytelling, responsible AI, and organizational change. Together, the three courses provide a complete applied AI toolkit.

Throughout the certificate, students create portfolio-ready work including business briefs, dashboards, prompt sets, workflow diagrams, and responsible AI assessments. These artifacts demonstrate practical skill development and can be shared with employers.

To earn the certificate, students must complete all three courses with passing grades.

Over the quarter, you’ll produce portfolio-ready artifacts (dashboards, prompt libraries, executive summaries, prototypes) in labs and apply these tools directly in your collaborative capstone project. The program culminates in a final presentation of your team’s AI-enabled solution, clearly framed in terms of strategy, impact, and responsible innovation.

To earn the certificate, you must enroll in all four courses for the same quarter, actively participate in all components, and achieve a passing grade of "C" or better in each.

Technology Requirements

Students must bring a personal laptop computer to participate in hands-on activities, complete assignments, and access course materials.

Recommended: A modern operating system (Windows 10+, macOS 11+), reliable internet access, webcam/mic for presentations, and the ability to access browser-based tools or install software if needed.

Note: Most tools used in the program will be web-based or no-code/low-code. Any required software installations (e.g., Python, IDEs, or cloud SDKs) will be guided by instructors during class or lab sessions - no prior installation or technical setup is expected before the course begins.