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New MBA Specialization in Applied Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

Person pressing on the letters AI - Artificial Intelligence

Villanova, Pa., June 14, 2021 – The Villanova School of Business (VSB) will offer an Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) specialization within the MBA program starting fall 2021. Artificial intelligence and machine learning have become increasingly important technologies across all business disciplines such as finance, banking, marketing, healthcare, accounting, real estate and more. The three-course specialization will examine AI and all its components–natural language processing, expert systems, robotic process automation, machine vision, image recognition and AI development platforms–and especially supervised and unsupervised machine learning. 

“The applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning to business models and processes are endless,” says Stephen Andriole, PhD, the Thomas G. Labrecque Professor of Business Technology. “We expect these technologies to dominate business transformations for years to come.”

Students will learn how AI and ML will impact the future of business, including the automation of business processes and tasks, decision-making, conversational interfaces and personalization. They will also examine the ethical concerns of AI to understand the issues surrounding giving decision-making power to intelligent systems. 

“Companies are investing heavily in artificial intelligence and machine learning and want employees who are technologically savvy,” says Manuel (Manny) Nuñez ’03 MBA, associate dean, Graduate Programs and professor of practice, Management and Operations. “This new specialization will give our MBA students a competitive advantage to navigate a rapidly changing business world.”

The Villanova MBA program offers a range of specializations for students to tailor their education to their interests and long-term career goals. 

The Villanova School of Business (VSB) undergraduate program is top-ranked among business schools in the nation. Its online graduate business programs are ranked #5, and its online MBA program is ranked #17 by U.S. News and World Report. VSB has been at the forefront of business education since it was founded in 1922. Serving over 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students, VSB is home to five Centers of Excellence – the Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate, the Elenore and Robert F. Moran Sr. Center for Global Leadership, the Center for Business Analytics, the Center for Marketing & Consumer Insights and the Center for Church Management – with each designed to foster innovative, cross-disciplinary research and applied opportunities for students. VSB is known for academic rigor; creativity and innovation; hands-on and service learning opportunities; a firm grounding in ethics; and an applied education that prepares students to become outstanding leaders and global citizens within the ever-changing, complex, and fast-paced world of business. For more, visit business.villanova.edu.