The growing emphasis on artificial intelligence in national education and workforce development highlights the timeliness of introducing a dedicated AI certificate program.

The new AI certificate program will offer students a structured curriculum and comprehensive learning experience focused on AI. By completing the certificate, students will gain a University of Kansas-endorsed recognition of their AI specialization, which will not only validate their expertise but also enhance their professional profiles. This credential will provide a competitive edge in the job market, differentiating graduates from their peers and positioning them to meet evolving industry demands.

NSA’s NCAE-C AI in Cybersecurity initiative has recently defined the SecureAI and AICyber Programs of Study (PoS) designation. By aligning the  AI certificate with these national standards, KU strengthens its branding in AI specialization, reinforcing its commitment to cutting-edge education and workforce development.

The Undergraduate Certificate in AI is a 12-credit undergraduate-level certificate designed to provide fundamental knowledge of artificial intelligence, machine learning/deep learning, data mining, as well as real-world practice with hands-on experiences in AI/ML. The purpose of this undergraduate certificate is to offer a credential that covers the theoretical, practical, ethical, and trustworthiness aspects of AI to students who are currently pursuing baccalaureate work in KU EECS department.

The entrance requirements for students entering the undergraduate AI certificate include: (a) Upper-level eligibility in KU EECS; (b) Overall GPA of 2.8 or better.

All pre-requisite and/or co-requisite courses are completed as part of the majors offered in EECS. This certificate is only for students in the EECS department.

Certificate for Artificial Intelligence Requirements

The Certificate for Artificial Intelligence requires the completion of four core courses at a total of 12 credit hours:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
EECS 568	Introduction to Data Mining	3
EECS 649	Introduction to Artificial Intelligence	3
EECS 658	Introduction to Machine Learning	3
EECS 565	Introduction to Information and Computer Security	3
Total Hours		12

The completion requirements of the undergraduate certificate for AI include:

• Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or better in all certificate courses;
• The minimum grade for any course to be applied toward the certificate is a grade of C; and
• All courses must be taken in residence at KU.

Note: For students who have been enrolled in the BSEE/CoE/CS/AC programs, all the credits obtained in the certification program will count toward the degree. 

At the completion of this program, students will be able to:

• analyze AI problems, propose and develop appropriate solutions.
• use current AI techniques, skills, and tools for large-scale real-world problems
• understand security, ethical, and social issues and responsibilities of artificial intelligence
• design and deploy secure and privacy-preserving AI systems
• communicate about AI with a range of audiences.