UM Offers Montana's First Human-Centered AI Certificate
University of Montana students can earn the nine-credit certificate by completing three online courses on AI's ethics and leadership.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Language Learning
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The University of Montana has launched Montana's first career certificate in Human-Centered AI, a nine-credit series that any UM student can earn by passing three online, asynchronous courses. The program is designed to prepare students for an AI-centered world rather than focusing only on mastering generative AI tools.
Why it matters
For Montana students, the certificate offers a structured, credit-bearing way to build practical AI and ethics skills alongside their existing degree work. Faculty chose a broader approach because graduates will face questions about AI's ethics and impact after they leave campus, not just questions about how to use the tools.
The certificate totals nine credits and requires passing three courses, all offered online and asynchronously. Only University of Montana students are eligible at launch, though program lead Michael Cassens hopes to eventually open it to anyone, including people outside the Montana University System.
The players
University of Montana
A public research university in Missoula, Montana, and the institution launching the state's first Human-Centered AI career certificate.
Michael Cassens
The University of Montana official leading the certificate, who has said he hopes to open it to anyone, including people outside the Montana University System.
The details
Students in the certificate work through three courses in sequence. The first, Creatively Exploring AI, has them evaluate how AI affects their own fields of study and push chatbots to their limits. The second, Calling Bullshit in the Age of AI, grew out of a news literacy course offered several years ago and covers ethical issues including copyright, labor, misinformation, and environmental impacts. The third course focuses on developing students into leaders in an AI-centered world.
Timeline
Several years ago: the Calling Bullshit course began as a news literacy course.
2026: the University of Montana launched the state's first career certificate in Human-Centered AI.
Education Landscape
The certificate reflects a shift in how universities approach AI education, moving from tool-focused training toward broader questions of ethics, misinformation, and social impact. Its origin in an existing news literacy course shows how established critical-thinking coursework can be adapted to meet new technological demands.
If you are a University of Montana student, the certificate requires nine credits across three online courses that you can complete asynchronously. Students interested in how the program might fit their degree plans should contact the university's academic advising office to confirm eligibility and course sequencing.
The takeaway
The certificate signals that AI literacy for students increasingly includes ethics, misinformation, and labor questions alongside technical skill. Students who want to explore the program should ask the University of Montana's advising office about enrollment requirements and course availability.
Further reading
For related coursework and program options, browse Language Learning resources.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Inter Lake.
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