The Shidler College of Business

[search]

ITM department offers AI for Business Micro-Credential

AI for Business Micro-Credential

 

Build the AI Skills Business Needs Now

Artificial intelligence is changing how organizations make decisions, serve customers, manage operations, and create value. The AI for Business Micro-Credential, offered by the Department of Information Technology Management at the Shidler College of Business, prepares students and professionals to use AI tools confidently, translate data into business insight, and support responsible AI adoption.

The micro-credential has been approved by UH Mānoa and consists of two sequential courses, ITM 325 and ITM 425, for a total of 6 credits. The first course, ITM 325: AI for Business I: Foundations & Applications, will be offered in Fall 2026. 

 

Why This Matters

AI skills are quickly becoming part of the basic business toolkit. Recent reports from Microsoft, LinkedIn, and PwC all point to the same shift: AI is changing work, reshaping the skills employers value, and increasing demand for people who can combine AI fluency with judgment, communication, and business understanding. Microsoft’s 2026 Work Trend Index emphasizes the growing importance of human judgment and work design in the age of AI; LinkedIn projects that 70% of the skills used in most jobs will change by 2030, with AI as a major catalyst; and PwC’s 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer reports a strong wage premium for workers with AI skills

 

What You Will Learn

This is not just an AI tools course, and it is not a coding bootcamp. The micro-credential focuses on how AI is used in real business settings.

Students will learn to:

  • Apply AI tools to business problems.
  • Use data and AI outputs to generate actionable insights.
  • Understand AI applications in marketing, finance, operations, and decision making.
  • Build dashboards, analyses, and executive-ready recommendations.
  • Develop AI adoption roadmaps aligned with business goals.
  • Evaluate ethical, governance, and risk issues in AI use.

 

Course Pathway

ITM 325: AI for Business I: Foundations & Applications
Students learn foundational AI and machine learning concepts in an accessible, business-oriented way. The course emphasizes hands-on applications, data analysis, dashboards, and business communication. No coding background is required.

ITM 425: AI for Business II: Strategy, Use Cases & Decision Making
Students move from AI foundations to AI strategy. The course focuses on how organizations use AI to create measurable value, improve decision making, manage implementation, and address responsible AI challenges.

 

Who Should Enroll?

The AI for Business Micro-Credential is designed for:

  • Shidler and UH Mānoa students who want AI-focused business skills.
  • MIS, business, economics, and related majors preparing for AI-enabled careers.
  • Working professionals seeking practical AI skills.
  • Managers and business owners interested in using AI in operations and strategy.
  • Non-degree-seeking learners who want to upskill for an AI-driven workplace.

 

For Shidler Undergraduate Students

Both ITM 325 and ITM 425 count toward the MIS major as technical electives and toward the general BBA requirements as upper-division electives. This allows Shidler students to earn the micro-credential while making progress toward their degree.

 

Get Started

Start with ITM 325: AI for Business I: Foundations & Applications in Fall 2026, then continue with ITM 425: AI for Business II: Strategy, Use Cases & Decision Making to complete the micro-credential.

 

Contact

Professor Bo Sophia Xiao
Department Chair, Information Technology Management
Shidler College of Business
boxiao@hawaii.edu

Professor Christina Jeong
Information Technology Management
jeong275@hawaii.edu

Professor Eduard Merc
Information Technology Management
emerc@hawaii.edu