The Department of Communication is pleased to announce the launch of the Undergraduate Certificate in AI and Communication, beginning Fall 2026.
Students may begin enrolling in courses now.
As the communication field redefines itself amid rapid technological change, programs that blend creativity with AI literacy are becoming a strategic necessity rather than an academic novelty. This certificate’s distinct focus on creative and ethical communication–on message design, cultural interpretation, and human expression in AI-mediated contexts–prepares graduates to apply AI competencies within the relational, cultural, and strategic dimensions of human communication. As industries increasingly demand professionals who can navigate the intersection of technology, communication, and ethics, this certificate positions students at the forefront of that demand.
The 12-credit certificate is built around three areas of graduate competency. Students will develop an ethical and critical understanding of how AI shapes human interaction, media systems, and organizational practices, learning to assess AI’s capabilities and limitations while applying rhetorical and ethical reasoning to design communication strategies that foreground empathy and inclusion. They will also gain skills in strategic and creative message design, using AI tools to research, generate, and evaluate messages across new media platforms, and applying human-AI collaboration to produce work that integrates aesthetic innovation with genuine audience engagement. Finally, the certificate cultivates career readiness and leadership, preparing students to integrate communication theory with AI practice in order to address real-world organizational challenges, lead communication initiatives across industries, and advocate for human-centered, ethical AI communication in professional and civic settings.
The curriculum includes core courses in media communication skills and new media production with AI, a tailored elective from a range of approved options in areas such as digital studies, health communication, writing with generative AI, and AI ethics, and a capstone course in AI and Human Communication.
For more information or to declare the certificate, contact the certificate director, Dr. Soumia Bardhan, at soumia.bardhan@ucdenver.edu.
Full program details, learning outcomes, and application procedures are available on the certificate's program page.