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McGill SCS Professional Development Certificate in Applied AI and Data Science
Turn data into your most powerful asset. In today’s economy, the ability to extract actionable value from data is critical. However, the ultimate career differentiator is the ability to communicate this value to decision-makers. The Professional Development Certificate in Applied AI and Data Science bridges the gap between theoretical concepts and real-world applications.
Designed for professionals ready to pivot into technical roles, this program uses Python to move beyond the basics to wrangle massive datasets, train and tune predictive and classification models, visualize data using Tableau, and harness Generative AI to solve complex business problems.
From exploring data and evaluating model performance to uncovering deep analytical insights, you will obtain end-to-end understanding and hands-on experience to solve business challenges and succeed in high-performance data teams.
Type: Professional Development Certificate Courses: 5 CEUs: 32 Schedule: Part-time Delivery: Online Unit: Technology & Innovation Questions? Info.conted [at] mcgill.ca
Key Features
- A rigorous curriculum designed to go beyond theory, focusing on the execution of AI, machine learning, and analytics
- Covers the management of the full data lifecycle, applying large-scale data techniques and Generative AI technologies to real-world problems
- Embeds hands-on training with essential tools, establishing Python as the primary programming language alongside SQL and Tableau, directly into the coursework to build fluency in the complete data science pipeline
- Features complementary courses that explore emerging topics, such as Generative AI and Agentic AI, allowing the curriculum to align with diverse career goals
- Fosters collaboration and professional networking with peers and industry experts
- Includes full access to the McGill Library’s online books and resources, as well as industry-leading platforms such as DataCamp
Career Opportunities
This program will enable you to be well-positioned for technically focused roles in which coding and a deeper understanding of algorithms and models are required, such as:
- Data Scientist
- Machine Learning Specialist
- AI Specialist
- Data Analyst
- Technical Manager
Message From the Academic Program Coordinator
Welcome to the newly revised Professional Development Certificate in Applied AI and Data Science. As AI reshapes the technological landscape, the definition of a technical expert is evolving rapidly. To thrive in this environment, you need a curriculum that is aligned with industry requirements. We have built this program to bridge the gap between theory and practice to prepare you for specialized, high-demand roles such as data scientist, machine learning specialist, AI specialist, Data Analyst and Project or Product Manager is AI and data-related teams.
Our program is built on technical applications and hands-on work. You will gain proficiency using essential data science tools and languages, such as Python, and industry-standard platforms. You will work through the complete data science pipeline to manage, analyze, and extract value from large datasets, focusing on prediction, classification, and generative techniques. Access to useful tools and platforms will support this hands-on learning.
By participating in this program, you will build an extended professional network within the AI and data science community, connect with peers, and benefit from the support of our expert instructors and guest speakers. We have also introduced complementary courses to customize your technical learning path.
We view ourselves as your Sherpa team: we help you reach your career destination by providing a technical path adapted for you, grounded in real-world applications supported by our team, tools, and our amazing online library that houses the latest and most relevant material.
Looking forward to crossing paths with you and supporting you on your learning journey.
Nabil Beitinjaneh, BEng, MBA
Faculty Lecturer and Academic Program Coordinator
Who Should Apply
This program is a good fit for you if you are :
- A professional seeking technical, execution-focused roles in the rapidly evolving field of AI and data science
- A practitioner aiming for positions that require hands-on expertise in managing, manipulating, and analyzing data to build and deploy models
- An aspiring specialist who wants to apply relevant algorithms and models and communicate their technical findings in actionable, business-relevant ways
Learning Outcomes
This program will enable you to:
- Formulate a business need or technical problem as a data science project, select suitable tools and algorithms, interpret data insights, and communicate them using visualization and storytelling techniques
- Solve an end-to-end business problem, working through all phases of a complete data science pipeline on structured and unstructured data
- Use essential data science tools to ingest, clean, process, and analyze various large datasets (structured and unstructured) by applying both batch and streaming modes
- Test and evaluate different machine learning techniques, choosing appropriate algorithms for prediction and classification, and applying generative AI to solve complex technical problems
- Critically assess the landscape of advanced AI, including Agentic AI and evolving Generative models, to navigate the ethical, security, and strategic challenges of the next generation of automation
Delivery Format
This program is delivered online, blending live synchronous engagement with asynchronous activities to accommodate working professionals.
Courses
|
Prerequisite |
YCIT 200 AI and Data Science in Practice (8 CEUs) |
|
Required Courses |
YCIT 313 Machine Learning: Principles and Applications (8 CEUs) |
|
Complementary Courses |
YCIT 201 Applied Statistics for Data Science and Analytics (8 CEUs) Or YCIT 202 Leading AI and Data Projects (8 CEUs) Or YCIT 323 Data at Scale (8 CEUs) Or YCIT 390 Special Topics in Technology and Innovation (8 CEUs) Or YCIT 437 Fundamentals of AI for Time Series Analysis (8 CEUs) Or YCIT 438 MLOps for Predictive Modelling (8 CEUs) Or any other CEU courses offered by the School of Continuing Studies and approved by the Academic Program Coordinator |
Admission Requirements
Applicants must hold one of the following degrees:
- Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.)
- Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)
- Bachelor of Commerce in MIS (B.Com MIS)
- Bachelor's degree in another field and completed the course YCBS 286 – Introduction to Data Analytics with Python
Applicants may also be considered if:
- They do not meet the above criteria but have extensive and relevant experience in software programming or data analytics and have previously completed relevant coursework in calculus, statistics, or computer science.
- They are 21 years of age or older
Proof of English proficiency is not required to enroll in this professional development certificate. However, a good command of English is necessary to perform well and complete the program.