Johns Hopkins Carey Business School has recently announced the addition of several AI-focused programs to its roster. The news comes amongst a wave of top U.S. business schools incorporating AI, and echoes demand across the industry for programs that better reflect the prevalence of machine learning in business.
Which Programs Is Carey Running?
The AI-focused programs at Carey include the Master of Science in Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (full time or part time), a Master of Science in Information Systems and Artificial Intelligence for Business (also full time or part time) and an AI for Business certificate program.
Two of these are brand new to Carey: the part-time Information Systems and Artificial Intelligence for Business program, as well as the AI for Business certificate program. Another two are twists on existing programs, refocused and renamed. The Master of Science in Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence program (full time and part time) is one of those, formerly known as Business Analytics and Risk Management programs. The other is the full-time Master of Science in Information Systems and Artificial Intelligence for Business program, formerly known as the Master of Science in Information Systems.
Students enrolled in any of these programs will, if they wish, be able to take part in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Academy. The AWS program focuses on and sets students up for careers in cloud computing, and is viewed by some in the industry as a prerequisite for work in this area.
Why Focus on AI?
Carey’s new AI emphasis reflects a shift in focus across the industry. Demand is growing for business programs that concentrate on the intersection of AI and business and study the associated ethics; Carey’s decision meets this demand, and is the result of extensive research from the Dean’s Alumni Advisory Board.
“Artificial intelligence is already reshaping our lives and the ways we conduct business,” says Carey Dean Alex Triantis, and “today’s business graduates will be in the driver’s seat” of the AI revolution. Carey’s new AI courses offer their students an opportunity to prepare for this responsibility.
What Do These Programs Offer Carey Students?
High Employability
As AI booms in business, employers get pickier about who comes on board. The industry wants business school graduates who come equipped with the skills and knowledge to harness AI effectively, efficiently and ethically in their businesses. Microsoft and LinkedIn ran a Work Trend Index earlier in 2024 that revealed the extent to which employers value AI skills. 71% of employers, for example, said they would rather hire a less experienced candidate with AI skills than a more experienced candidate without them, while 66% said they would not consider hiring someone who has no AI skills at all.
New Skills
These statistics indicate a job market that considers AI as necessary and crucial. AI is becoming such a fundamental part of business that Changmi Jung, Carey associate professor of practice and academic program director, says that we are “on the cusp of the next industrial revolution.” AI will reshape business as we know it and with it, the skills needed to enter the job market; “Carey is at the forefront of preparing future talent for this transformation.”
Naser Nikandish (Carey academic program director and associate professor of practice) comments that the school is doing this by offering a “comprehensive curriculum,” one which builds “in-depth knowledge of the cutting-edge techniques and tools in machine learning, deep learning, and generative AI – while also integrating essential areas such as management, strategy… and the interaction between AI and the human workforce.”
Higher Paychecks
If high employability and skill-building opportunities weren’t appealing enough, qualifications in AI promise higher salaries for their holders. The AWS program, for example, claims to be the highest paying certification, with certified professionals able to expect average salaries of above six figures.
It comes as no surprise that Carey has met these demands of the industry to better prepare business school graduates for future industries. The school’s values sit firmly in innovation and preparation, professing to support its graduates to “seize opportunity, inspire change, and create lasting value” and to shape “leaders who build for what’s next.”
