AI in the Classroom
At the School of Business Administration, we’re excited to offer a dynamic range of courses that integrate cutting-edge AI tools.
How is AI Integrated into Classes
The study of management information systems and decision support systems with a focus on computer-based model development techniques. This course also covers the relationship among advanced information technologies, business processes, and organizational performance.
This course provides comprehensive fundamentals of and applications in the emerging fields of generative AI, prompt engineering, and text analytics. It focuses on designing effective interactions with large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and Google Bard.
An applications course that covers the techniques and methodologies for building information presentation solutions on modern business analytics platforms such as Power BI and Tableau, enabling students to design and implement systems similar to those used in "real-world" organizations.
Students develop critical skills for today's intensive, data-driven decision-making through practical use cases spanning multiple business functions. Students gain experience with relevant software tools and apply descriptive and predictive analytics to data describing markets, customers, products, services, and industries.
Survey of techniques and processes involved in the transfer of labor from humans to machines in sales and marketing environments.
A course focusing on the integration and application of marketing knowledge. Marketing strategy and management are explored through rigorous case studies, leading articles from the business press, and a hands-on marketing management computer simulation. Both analytical and creative thinking are emphasized.
Presents personal selling as a professional marketing activity. Coverage includes effective selling methods and the application of selling theories to the modern marketing concept. Active learning is used through in-class presentations and role-playing exercises.
Learn more about MKTG 3054 through the course catalog.
This course introduces students to the activities involved in supporting buyer-seller interactions and the personal selling function, using the principles of Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Its purpose is to provide skills in marketing and sales force technologies (including automation and augmentation) and to use those skills in areas such as prospecting, time and territory management, and customer follow-up.
Application of marketing and sales strategy to a real-world problem presented by an actual organization. Students work together as a marketing consulting team to help resolve a current marketing issue. The teams work under the direction of a faculty adviser who guides their work and serves as a resource for the team.
Building Practical, Future-Focused Skills
"AI has become an integral part of how students learn, prepare, and create within our marketing curriculum. In courses like MKTG 354, students practice elevator pitches using AI avatars through Big Interview, participate in live sales roleplays powered by custom GPTs built in ChatGPT, and use AI tools to organize meeting notes and prepare client strategies. In advanced consulting and product development courses, students leverage platforms such as Gemini, Claude, and Sora to conduct competitor analysis, generate market insights, and create professional branding and presentation materials."
Matthew Shaner
Instructional Assistant Professor of Marketing
Why Prompt Engineering Matters
The ability to collaborate with AI is vital for professionals in business, marketing, design, and research. This skill enhances productivity and creativity while reducing the time spent on editing AI responses. By transforming AI into a collaborator rather than just a tool, it streamlines workflows and fosters innovation, leading to better professional outcomes.
Envisioning Startups
"In my Franchising entrepreneurship, students are encouraged (although not required) to use AI to help them determine what kind of franchisor startup they could be and to use AI to help them research different requirements for the project, as well as to help them create their 'pitch deck.' Students are required to include all of their prompts at the end of the document, just as they are also required to cite any web sources they use."
Bud Hamilton
Instructional Associate Professor of Management
Sales Technology and Professional Selling
AI has become a major component of both classroom instruction and hands-on student activities. The focus is not just on teaching students what AI is, but on helping them understand how AI is changing modern sales organizations, CRM systems, customer engagement, and business decision-making.
- Some examples of how AI is incorporated into the courses include:
- Students use generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to support sales prospecting, lead generation, customer research, email drafting, objection handling, and sales presentation preparation.
- In Sales Technology, students learn how AI integrates with CRM systems such as Salesforce, including exposure to Salesforce Einstein AI capabilities through Trailhead modules and exercises.
- Students complete AI-assisted roleplay preparation where they use AI tools to develop SPIN questions, identify customer pain points, and tailor value propositions.
- We discuss real-world applications of AI in sales organizations, including forecasting, recommendation systems, personalization, conversational AI, and sales enablement technologies.
- Students also experiment with AI sales simulation platforms and conversational AI tools to practice sales interactions and improve communication skills.
- Students learn how to create their own AI chatbots for different purposes such as customer service.
Why Help Students Understand AI
"A major goal of the courses is ensuring students understand both the opportunities and limitations of AI in business settings, including ethical considerations, data quality concerns, overreliance on AI outputs, and the importance of human judgment in customer-facing roles. From a broader perspective, AI integration is becoming increasingly important in sales and marketing education because many organizations now expect graduates to be comfortable working alongside AI-enabled tools and analytics platforms."
Kash Afshar Bakeshloo
Assistant Professor of Marketing