AI Practitioner Certificate

Open to all majors, the artificial intelligence (AI) practitioner certificate gives you hands-on experience to use today’s AI tools confidently and responsibly in your career.

Why Artificial Intelligence at Valpo?

As AI is increasingly being used across industries, it’s more important than ever to develop future-ready skills for a world where technology continues to evolve. Through this certificate, you’ll gain a core understanding of AI and its possibilities for your field. Expert professors from our computer science program will guide you through the fundamentals, then you’ll expand your expertise through electives and a final capstone project that can be tailored to your discipline.

This 12-credit certificate gives students of all majors a strong foundation in AI principles and how to use current AI tools – with ethics as a guiding light. Through elective courses, you can dive deeper into topics such as coding with AI, machine learning, or data analysis using AI technology. You’ll graduate with in-demand AI skills, ready to use artificial intelligence thoughtfully, creatively, and with purpose.

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About Our AI Practitioner Certificate

Available starting fall 2026, Valpo’s AI practitioner certificate helps you get ahead with real experience using current AI tools. You’ll learn about generative AI, machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), large language models (LLMs), prompt engineering, AI-assisted data analytics, AI-driven automation, and more. No matter your major, you’ll be equipped with the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, how to apply it in your field, and how to use AI ethically and responsibly in the real world.

This AI practitioner certification is open to undergraduate students across all majors, as well as individuals in the community through Valpo’s continuing education non-degree program.

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Certificate Requirements

Curriculum Overview

In the 12-credit AI certificate program, students will complete a core Fundamentals of AI class, followed by two elective courses and a capstone project. You’ll learn how to use AI tools for immediate needs and questions in your discipline, while also understanding the ethical implications of these emerging technologies.

Courses are project-based and give you experience using AI tools. A final capstone allows you to use AI to solve a real-world problem in your field, demonstrating your skills as an AI practitioner to add to your portfolio.

Note: Classes with AI practitioner content within a major or minor degree program can count toward the AI certificate.

Courses:		12 Credits
Core
CS 251	Fundamentals of AI	3 credits
Electives (select 6 credits from course options below)
CS 252 (currently CS 290)	Creative Coding with AI	3 credits
CS 345	Artificial Intelligence	3 credits
ECE 425	Machine Learning	3 credits
ECE 455	Image Processing and Computer Vision	3 credits
DATA 433	Data Mining and Applications	3 credits
Other courses as approved by the program director.
Capstone (3 credits; select from options below) Define and solve a real-world problem using AI; this should result in a deliverable suitable for use as a portfolio piece. An alternative capstone can be an independent study of a specialized AI practitioner topic.
CS 456	Capstone project in AI: The capstone project can be done with any discipline selected by the student. The project needs to be approved by the certificate program director (a mentor from another discipline is optional)	3 credits
	The capstone project can alternatively be a class of at least 3 credits offered by another department, with the approval of the AI certificate program director. Typically, this will be an independent academic work in the student’s major or minor program.
CS 495	An extended study of an AI topic. Must be approved by the certificate program director.

Admission

The AI practitioner certificate is available starting in fall 2026 and open to all undergraduate students. To learn more, connect with your admission counselor or academic advisor.

Community members can also complete the certificate by enrolling as a non-degree student at Valparaiso University. Courses are in person and applicable to small businesses looking to grow their business with AI, managers seeking to use AI, lifelong learners who are curious about AI, and anyone looking to pursue a new career path in this field.

Learn more about Valpo’s continuing education non-degree program.

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Program Highlights

Individualized Learning

You’ll have access to expert professors in small classes who are here to help you learn new skills

Open to All Majors

The certificate introduces you to AI fundamentals before building on this knowledge – no technology background required

Future– Ready Skills

You’ll learn how to design and implement AI solutions for your field of study

mathematics and computer science

Meet Our Faculty

Professors. Mentors. Friends. At Valparaiso University, you will work on real-life problems alongside faculty leaders with decades of experience and a true desire to do what’s best for you.

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