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A new certificate program at Rollins aims to equip students with expertise in data analytics and artificial intelligence, preparing them to thrive in a professional world where AI and big data top the list of fastest-growing skills.

Launching in fall 2025 and enrolling now, Rollins’ Certificate in Data Analytics with Artificial Intelligence addresses how advancements in AI can help bridge the gap between creating and understanding data. Students will also learn how to leverage AI to boost productivity through prompt engineering and programming languages like R and Python.

Focusing on practical application of real-world skills, the program is designed to empower professionals across industries—from sales and marketing to health care and hospitality—no tech background required.

“AI is transforming business and industry, careers, research, and innovation,” says Don Davison, vice president for academic affairs and provost. “It is imperative that Rollins prepares our students for a future where AI will virtually become ubiquitous across business and social life. Our certificate in data analytics with AI provides students with broad introductory skills in data management, data visualization and communication, and analysis that can be used daily in their jobs.”

The program consists of four modules that students will take sequentially over the course of 16 weeks. During the first eight weeks, students will take Fundamentals of Data Analytics with Prompt Engineering I and II, which explore foundational skills in data analytics, programming, and database management while fostering ethical awareness in areas like data privacy, security, and responsible AI use.

In the second eight weeks, students move on to Fundamentals of Data Management with Prompt Engineering I and II, deepening and reinforcing the knowledge they gained during the first two modules as they learn to harness AI and data visualization tools to identify patterns, create impactful visuals, and communicate complex insights through compelling storytelling.

“Researchers agree that AI is not taking jobs directly, but someone who knows how to use AI may take the job of someone who doesn’t,” says data analytics lecturer Jasser Jasser, who developed the program. “With this program, we’re equipping students with the skills not only to thrive in today’s workplace but also to adapt and lead through constant change.”

The program’s hybrid format will blend the best of online and in-person learning. Regardless of whether students attend class on the College’s Winter Park campus or remotely, they’ll benefit from the small class sizes, personalized support, and engaged learning that led The Princeton Review to rank Rollins’ classroom experience among the top 25 in the nation.

Delivered by expert professors in computer science and data analytics, the new program is grounded in Rollins’ liberal arts mission to provide a broad, interdisciplinary education that fosters 21st-century skills like critical thinking, creativity, and communication. Discussions will explore various disciplines and domains through which students will analyze the dataset of their choosing. They are encouraged to examine the ethical, social, and cultural implications of using AI for data analytics and to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world problems and challenges—culminating in a robust portfolio by the end of the program that showcases their expertise.

“With hands-on experience monitored by an expert, our program equips students to problem- solve and communicate effectively and reflect on how they faced and resolved obstacles,” says Jasser. “When using AI, you have to adapt and adjust. R and Python may be today’s go-to programming languages, but this program goes beyond just teaching syntax. Students will learn how to prompt AI to write code—and more importantly, how to understand the logic behind it. In a way, they will learn a higher concept than coding. By focusing on core programming concepts, not just commands, they’ll gain the critical-thinking skills to evaluate AI-generated code and adapt as technologies evolve.”