Professor of Communication Anand Rao (pictured L) designed the “Intro to AI” class to equip new and returning UMW students with foundational knowledge about how AI works, how to integrate it into their work and approach it with critical awareness. Photo by Norm Shafer.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how we learn, work and communicate – but many students, like much of society, aren’t sure how to use it effectively or responsibly.
That’s why the University of Mary Washington is launching a complimentary one-credit course that gives students the tools to understand and apply AI in an effective and ethical way, particularly in an academic setting. The online, self-paced course – Introduction to AI – launches in summer 2025 and will equip new and returning UMW students with foundational knowledge about how AI works, how to integrate it into their work and approach it with critical awareness.
“One of our responsibilities, and one I take very seriously, is preparing students not just for the classroom, but the world beyond it,” said Professor of Communication Anand Rao, who designed the class. “This means we need to prepare students for an AI world by making sure they have a strong foundation in what AI is, how it works and how you start incorporating it into your work.”
The Introduction to AI course will be offered asynchronously online, making it easily accessible for students with varying summer schedules. This flexible format allows students to engage with the material at their own pace over an eight-week period, starting in June and concluding in July. Upon successful completion, students will receive one credit, free, awarded at the end of the fall semester.
The new course is offered only to incoming and current UMW students, who must have a valid UMW net ID and be enrolled in the fall semester to start the course over the summer. Course materials were developed by Rao, and the course is offered pass/fail, with no additional charge. Students will receive instructions via email about how to enroll in the course. Read more.