MBA and Graduate Business Administration Certificate in Artificial Intelligence Programs 

For students who are thinking of studying artificial intelligence, the idea of getting a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) might not immediately come to mind. However, AI is becoming increasingly popular in the business world, prompting many schools to incorporate AI concentrations into their MBA and graduate certificate in business administration programs. 

Books and a graduation cap with a symbol of artificial intelligence

According to Professor John G. Mooney of Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, MBA programs provide the perfect environment for pioneering and demonstrating the capabilities of artificial intelligence in a responsible manner. AI has already been recognized as important to the business world, as some of the largest corporations have committed to developing AI safely, securely, and transparently. These companies include OpenAI, Microsoft, Meta, Inflection, Google, Anthropic and Amazon. 

Global economic output is projected to increase by $13 trillion by 2029 as a result of artificial intelligence, per McKinsey Global Institute. IBM has noted that 35 percent of companies worldwide are already using AI, and 42 percent are exploring the use and implementation of AI in the future. 

MBA programs teach students how to make decisions that are based on insights gleaned from data, how to analyze issues in an advanced manner, and how to further automate cognitive processes in business. Mooney writes that MBA graduates who have AI competencies will be much better suited to today’s business world, better able to use innovative strategies, and improve overall quality, speed, and consistency of results. 

The MBA and graduate certificate programs listed below all incorporate artificial intelligence into their curricula in one format or another. Some provide an AI track or concentration, while others offer AI specializations for different types of business needs, such as AI for business intelligence, AI for business analytics, and data science for finance. AI is also integrated into foundational MBA classes, such as marketing, operations, and strategy, in many of these programs. Electives in these programs may explore issues such as the ethics of using AI in business, and how AI impacts our social, environmental, and economic landscape. 

What Admissions Requirements Must be Met for an MBA or Graduate Business Administration Certificate Program in Artificial Intelligence?

Admission requirements differ from one MBA or graduate business administration certificate program incorporating AI to the next. Most require letters of recommendation, a personal statement or essay, transcripts from your highest earned degree, and test scores from the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Examination). Additionally, business schools usually prefer to admit students who have a minimum 3.0 GPA in their prior coursework. 

How Long Does it Take to Get an MBA or Graduate Business Administration Certificate in Artificial Intelligence?

MBA programs in artificial intelligence may take from one to two years to complete, depending upon whether you attend part- or full-time and whether the program is accelerated. Graduate certificate programs typically take about a year to complete. 

What Skills Are Taught in an MBA or Graduate Business Administration Certificate Program in Artificial Intelligence?

Important business administration skills along with artificial intelligence tools and platforms are taught to students in an MBA or graduate business administration certificate program in artificial intelligence. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Programming for data science and analytics
  • Statistical analysis for business
  • Data engineering
  • Business analytics
  • Artificial Intelligence and deep learning
  • DevOps engineering for data science

What Courses Make Up an MBA or Graduate Business Administration Certificate Program in Artificial Intelligence? 

Coursework will vary from one MBA or graduate business administration certificate program in artificial intelligence to the next, and will also be dependent upon tracks or concentrations offered. Typically, courses such as these are found in MBA and graduate business administration certificate programs:

  • Statistical Theory
  • Algorithms 
  • Applied Regression Analysis
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Deep Learning
  • Machine Learning
  • Natural Language Processing 
  • Robotic Process Automation
  • Advanced Python for Financial Programming 

MBA and graduate certificate programs incorporating AI often provide students with real-world opportunities to utilize AI platforms and tools across many professional roles. This hands-on learning experience solidifies the theories that are learned in the classroom. 

Where Can I Work with an MBA or Graduate Business Administration Certificate in AI? 

An MBA or graduate business administration certificate in AI is highly regarded in today’s competitive employment landscape. The business world is keen to find graduates who are well-trained in both business administration and who understand artificial intelligence thoroughly. Examples of jobs for such candidates might include: 

  • AI Data analyst
  • AI Product manager
  • AI Business development manager
  • AI Strategy consultant
  • AI Policy analyst
  • AI Marketing manager
  • AI Operations manager

Examples of Schools with MBA or Graduate Business Administration Certificate Programs in AI

Below are some of the MBA and Graduate Business Administration Certificate Programs incorporating AI that are offered in the U.S. as of 2023:

Alaska

California

Georgia

  • Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
    • Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence Business Innovation
    • Online or on-campus programs available

Illinois

Indiana

  • Ball State University, Muncie, IN
    • Master of Business Administration: Artificial Intelligence concentration
    • Online program
  • Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
    • Master of Science in Data Science in Finance
    • Online program 

Kentucky

Massachusetts

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
    • Master of Science in Business Analytics
    • Master of Business Administration: Analytics
  • Northeastern University, Boston, MA
    • Master of Business Administration: Artificial Intelligence
    • This concentration is also available in the Master of Science in Finance/MBA program and the JD/MBA program

Michigan

Minnesota

  • Saint Mary’s University, Minneapolis, MN
    • Business Certificate in Artificial Intelligence
    • Master of Science in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics: Artificial Intelligence focus
    • Online programs

Missouri

New York

  • Fordham University, Bronx, NY
    • Master of Science in Business Analytics: Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning Track
  • New York University, New York, NY
    • Master of Business Administration: Business Analytics
  • Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
    • Master of Science in Applied Data Science
    • Online program

Pennsylvania

  • Villanova University, Villanova, PA
    • Master of Business Administration: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
    • Online and on-campus programs available

Texas

Virginia

West Virginia

  • University of Charleston, Charleston, WV
    • Master of Science in Business & Data Analytics & Applied Artificial Intelligence
    • Online program 

Wisconsin

  • Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon, WI
    • Master of Business Administration: Operations Management and Analytics
    • Online, on-campus and hybrid classes available