Most organizations are racing to adopt AI, and most discover the bottleneck is not technological. It’s the strategic, managerial, and governance skills required to put AI to work. The Certificate in AI for Business Transformation is a 12-unit graduate certificate designed for you if you want to manage the use of artificial intelligence inside organizations. Jointly offered by the Drucker School of Management and the Center for Information Systems & Technology (CISAT), the certificate builds the AI literacy, strategic judgment, and ethical grounding today’s organizations need from their next generation of managers and leaders. You will learn what AI can and cannot do, lead human–AI collaboration, and guide AI adoption in ways that align with your organization’s purpose and values.
- Built for any field of study. Open to current CGU master’s and doctoral students across management, public policy, information systems, the social sciences, education, psychology, and the arts and humanities — no prior technical background required.
- A stack-on credential to complement your primary course of study. You can count approved AI for Business Transformation courses toward your master’s or PhD with approval of your home department. You can take the certificate as a standalone credential or add it to your CGU degree at little or no cost.
- You can complete the certificate online in as few as two semesters, combining Drucker’s human-centered management philosophy with CISAT’s technological depth.
The Certificate in AI for Business Transformation is designed for you if you are:
- Current CGU master’s and doctoral students — including working professionals — who want to add a structured AI credential to their primary program, whether to strengthen their academic foundation or to contribute to AI initiatives in the workplace.
- Future managers and leaders in non-technological fields — public administration, education, the social sciences, the arts and humanities, organizational psychology — who recognize that AI literacy is now a baseline competency.
- Students whose research or thesis work intersects with AI-enabled decision-making, organizational change, or technology governance.
Program At-a-glance
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12 units
required units
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Certificate in AI for Business Transformation
degree awarded
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Hybrid
modality
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Spring, Fall
program start
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2 semesters | full time*
estimated completion time
2 semesters | part time
estimated completion time
Faculty
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Itamar Shabtai
Clinical Full Professor
Research Interests
IT and Innovation, Healthcare Information Technology, Economics of Information systems, Cyber Security and Innovative Technologies in Higher Education
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David Sprott
Henry Y. Hwang Dean, Drucker School of Management
Professor of MarketingResearch Interests
Retailing, branding, influence strategies, marketing public policy
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Gary Gaukler
Full Professor
Research Interests
Analytics, Innovation, Operations management, Management, RFID and sensors, Supply chain management, Technology
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Tamir Bechor
Research Affiliate, Center for Information Systems & Technology (CISAT)
Research Interests
AI at Scale for Future-Ready Business Transformation; Artificial Intelligence as a Source of Competitive Advantage; Executive-Level AI Literacy and Human Readiness; Ethical Leadership and Governance in AI-Driven Enterprises
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David Kallemeyn
Assistant Professor of Practice
Research Interests
Privacy, Cognitive Overload, Decentralized Systems, Local-First Compute, Sustainable Computing
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Robert Klitgaard
University Professor
Research Interests
Public Policy, Economic Strategy, Institutional Reform, Corruption
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C. Mónica Capra
Professor of Economic Sciences
Research Interests
Experimental Economics, Behavioral Economics, Neuroeconomics
Curriculum
The Certificate in AI for Business Transformation is intentionally sequenced. You begin by building AI literacy and an understanding of human–AI collaboration, then turn to the strategic, organizational, and change-management dimensions of AI adoption. Two required courses (8 units) anchor the certificate, and 4 units of approved electives let you add additional competencies.
Upon completing the certificate, you will be able to:
1. Understand core AI technologies, their capabilities and limitations, and their application within organizational contexts.
2. Design and lead AI-enabled transformation strategies that align with organizational goals and human-centered values.
3. Apply ethical reasoning and critical judgment to evaluate the societal, organizational, and human implications of AI systems — including issues of bias, accountability, transparency, and human agency.
- AI–Human Collaboration: Foundations, Ethics, and Governance (4 units) —
- AI in Business and Organizations (4 units) — Apply AI strategically inside organizations. Covers innovation, leadership, AI-enabled business transformation, and the change-management practices that determine whether AI adoption succeeds or fails.
You choose 4 units of approved AI-related electives offered in CGU’s schools, selected in consultation with the certificate’s faculty co-directors and your home program advisor.
Application Guidelines
- Eligibility: The certificate is open to you if you are currently enrolled in any CGU master’s or doctoral degree program.
- Application Process: If you are a currently enrolled CGU student in good academic standing, you may declare the certificate by working with the certificate’s faculty co-directors and your program advisor.
- Academic Prerequisites: Active enrollment in a CGU master’s or doctoral program. No prior technical or AI coursework required.
- International Students: If you are an international student already enrolled in a CGU degree program, you are eligible to participate.
Key Dates & Deadlines
CGU operates on a priority deadline cycle. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit complete applications by the priority dates in order to assure maximum consideration for both admission and fellowships.
Once the priority deadlines have passed, the University will continue to review applications for qualified candidates on a competitive, space-available basis. The final deadlines listed are the last date the University can accept an application in order to allow sufficient time to complete the admissions, financial aid, and other enrollment processes.
Spring 2026
Priority Deadline – November 1, 2025
Final Deadline (International) – November 15, 2025
Final Deadline (Domestic) – December 1, 2025
Classes begin – January 20, 2026
Summer 2026
Priority Deadline – February 1, 2026
Final Deadline (International) – March 1, 2026
Final Deadline (Domestic) – April 1, 2026
Classes begin – May 18, 2026
Fall 2026
Priority Deadline – February 1, 2026
Final Deadline (International) – July 5, 2026
Final Deadline (Domestic) – August 1, 2026
Classes begin – August 24, 2026
Cost & Aid
Estimated Tuition (California Residents, Non-Residents, International)
| Program | 12 units |
*Based on 2025-2026 tuition rates.
Fellowship awards are not available to Drucker Certificate Program students.
Because the certificate is designed as a stack-on credential for currently enrolled CGU students, you can often complete it without paying additional tuition beyond what is already required by your primary degree program. Consult with your advisor to confirm how many units can count toward your degree.