If you have recently completed a bachelor’s degree program in computer science, artificial intelligence, math, science, or a related area, and have some interest in studying artificial intelligence further, you might want to consider a graduate certificate program. Graduate certificate programs take far less time to complete than master’s degree programs, are typically less costly, and can provide you with advanced education in artificial intelligence.
Why Choose a Graduate Certificate AI Program Over a Master’s Degree AI Program?
Graduate certificates in artificial intelligence are perfect for those working full-time who want to add to their knowledge and further their career path. Unlike master’s degree programs in AI and machine learning, graduate certificate programs take less time to complete (usually about a year, versus two years for master’s degree programs). Credits earned from a graduate certificate program can often be applied later to a master’s degree program, if desired.
Graduate certificate programs require fewer credits than master’s degree programs and are, therefore, less costly. As an example: an online master’s degree in computer science at Stanford University costs $65,520 as of 2023. A graduate certificate in artificial intelligence, on the other hand, costs less than $24,000.
Should I Get a Graduate Certificate Instead of a Master’s Degree?
Only you can answer this question. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- A graduate certificate can provide specialized knowledge in one focused concentrated area. A master’s degree provides a more comprehensive breadth of knowledge.
- Do your career goals require a master’s degree, or will a graduate certificate suffice?
- How much time do you have to commit to the program? If you are working full-time, a certificate might fit into your schedule better than a master’s degree program. Should you decide to pursue a master’s degree later, you’ll already have some credits from the certificate to apply toward it.
- How much can you afford? As mentioned earlier, a graduate certificate costs considerably less than a master’s degree.
Courses in Graduate Certificates in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Graduate certificate programs in AI and machine learning are available in a variety of formats. These include online, on-campus and a hybrid format, or mixture of both. They may take 12 to 15 credits to complete, and might include courses like:
- Intro to machine learning
- Algorithms for data science
- Creating AI-enabled systems
- Artificial intelligence
- Applied machine learning
- Foundations of algorithms
Graduate Certificates in Artificial Intelligence
The following are some examples of graduate certificates available in various facets of artificial intelligence and machine learning as of 2023:
Graduate Certificates in Computational Linguistics and NLP
Arizona
- University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
- Online program
California
- San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
- Online program
- San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
- Online program
- San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
Illinois
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
Massachusetts
- Boston University Metropolitan College, Boston, MA
New Jersey
- Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
North Carolina
- University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, NC
Ohio
- Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Texas
- University of North Texas–Denton, TX
Utah
- University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Washington
- University of Washington-Seattle, WA
- Online program
Graduate Certificates in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Alaska
- University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
California
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
- California State University, Sacramento, CA
- Online program
- Mt. San Antonio College, Walnut, CA
- Online program
- Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA
- San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
- Online program
- Stanford University, Stanford, CA
- Online program
- University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Online program
- University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA
- Online program
- University of California-San Diego, San Diego, CA
- Online program
Connecticut
- Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT
District of Columbia
- George Washington University, Washington, DC
- Georgetown University, Washington, DC
- Online program
Florida
Georgia
- Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Online program
- Georgia State University
Idaho
- Boise State University, Boise, ID
Illinois
- Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
- Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
- University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
- Online program
Indiana
- Purdue University-Northwest, Hammond, IN
- Online program
- Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
- Online program
Kentucky
- Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY
- Online program
- University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
- Online program
Louisiana
- Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
- Online program
- University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
Maryland
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Online program
Massachusetts
- Western New England University, Springfield, MA
- Online program
Michigan
- Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI
- Online program
- Oakland University, Rochester Hills, MI
- University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI
- Online program
- Wayne State University, Wayne, MI
- Online program
Minnesota
- Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, Winona, MN
- Online program
- University of St. Thomas, Saint Paul, MN
Missouri
- Maryville University, Saint Louis, MO
- Online program
- Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO
- Online program
- Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO
- Both online programs
- University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO
- University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
- Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Nebraska
- University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE
New Jersey
- New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ
- Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
- Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
- Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ
- All online programs
New York
- Columbia University, New York, NY
- Both are online programs
- Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
- Online program
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
- Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
North Carolina
- Duke University, Durham, NC
- Online program
- University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
Ohio
- Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
- Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
- University of Akron, Akron, OH
- Walsh University, North Canton, OH
Oregon
- Portland State University, Portland, OR
Pennsylvania
- Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
- Both are online programs
- St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA
- Online program
South Carolina
- University of South Carolina-Columbia, Columbia, SC
South Dakota
- University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD
- Online program
Tennessee
- University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN
Texas
- Lamar University, Beaumont, TX
- Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX
- University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX
- University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
- Online program
- University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX
- Online program
Vermont
- Norwich University, Northfield, VT
- Online program
Washington
- University of Washington-Seattle, Seattle, WA
- Online program
Wisconsin
- Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
- Online program
- Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, WI
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI
- Online program
Graduate Certificates in Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Maryland
- University of Maryland-College Park, College Park, MD
Massachusetts
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA
- Online program
Michigan
- Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
- Online program
Mississippi
- University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
Missouri
- Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO
New Jersey
- Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ
- Online program
- Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
North Carolina
- Duke University, Durham, NC
North Dakota
- North Dakota State College of Science, Wahpeton, ND
Ohio
- University of Dayton, Dayton, OH
Texas
- University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX