TAMPA 鈥� AI and analytics are taking a front-row seat in the USF business classrooms.
Beginning this fall, the 51在线 Muma College of Business will
launch several new artificial intelligence-focused courses, majors and programs, infusing
the teaching of AI and its applications throughout the undergraduate and graduate
curriculum.
The goal is to ensure that every business student understands AI tools and how to
use them, whether as an internal AI user or an expert in the field, as AI continues
to expand its footprint into the business industry and job market.
鈥淔rom the time that we wake up, AI is here, there, everywhere,鈥� said Kaushik Dutta, the college鈥檚 associate dean of undergraduate studies and international relations.
鈥淲e need to prepare our students for this new world, so they can use AI more confidently.
We are focusing on the beneficial and ethical application of AI in the business context.鈥�
Dutta said it鈥檚 all about preparing students for an AI-driven future where AI-powered
platforms have emerged in every business industry, from accounting to supply chain
to finance to marketing. And companies want to hire employees ready to wield those
tools.
According to the World Economic Forum鈥檚 , the top trends in the AI job market include the increasing demand for AI skills,
the growing importance of data science, and the rise of AI-related roles in non-tech
industries. A 2023 by Deloitte found that companies struggle to build a workforce with AI expertise.
鈥淎ll business students will have a background in AI, and the new major will generate
students who are more specialized in using AI in business,鈥� said GJ de Vreede, interim dean at the Muma College of Business.
The new AI-centered curriculum changes include:
- A new undergraduate major 鈥� AI and Business Analytics. The specialized major is geared toward high-achieving undergraduate business students who excel in the foundational courses and seek a rigorous bachelor鈥檚 degree track offering advanced technical AI and qualitative skills.
- Two new AI-focused foundational courses will launch in the fall of 2024. All business majors must take 鈥淎I and Information Systems in Organizations鈥� and 鈥淒ata Analytics for Business.鈥�
AI and Information Systems in Organizations replaces a basic information systems class and will teach AI skills through the use of marketing, supply chain, and finance case studies. Data Analytics for Business will focus on teaching Excel and the R programming language and applying statistical techniques to retrieve insights from data.
- Two new AI and analytics-focused master鈥檚 degree programs launch in fall 2024 鈥� a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Business Analytics and a Master of Science in Financial Analytics.
The master鈥檚 program enhancements are designed to prepare students to fill the growing
needs of an industry hungry for graduates with expertise in AI, business analytics,
data science, data engineering, and information technology across a wide range of
sectors including technology, banking, health care, energy, entertainment, and many
others.
The August rollout follows the launching of the re-designed Master of Science in Accountancy and Analytics in fall 2022 to incorporate more information technology and predictive analytics
into the program.
Additional AI and analytics-centered curriculum initiatives are in the pipeline.
A new foundational course, Python for Business, will be offered in fall 2025 and a
new Bachelor of Science in Fintech is planned for fall 2026.