IRVING, Texas (Sept. 20, 2024) — The Satish and Yasmin Gupta College of Business at the University of Dallas has added two new graduate degree programs: the Master of Leadership (ML) and the Master of Science (MS) in data science and artificial intelligence (DSAI).

The university has slated courses for the ML degree to begin in the spring trimester, which starts on Jan. 21, 2025. Courses toward the MS in data science and artificial intelligence will begin in the fall of 2025.

The Master of Leadership was formerly offered by the Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts, but the program is now part of the Gupta College of Business. 

“We want to cultivate virtuous leaders who can be a force for the common good in a variety of contexts,” said Gupta College of Business Dean J. Lee Whittington, PhD. “Our program is built on the idea that the process of cultivating the character of leaders is an inside-out process that begins with self-awareness and self-leadership. From that foundation, we are able to ethically and effectively lead others.”

“The UDallas leadership program is unique. It is grounded in a profound sense of tradition, guided and informed by real world, cutting-edge experience and organized around a moral and ethical commitment to people and life,” said Professor of English Brett Bourbon, PhD, the program director for the Master of Leadership.

The ML program, which is offered online, requires 30 credit hours, including a three-credit personal project. While students will take 18 credits in classes designed to cultivate leadership skills, the nine credits of electives weave together principles of the liberal arts and social sciences with business. In addition, the ML program will be the first College of Business program to offer the Gupta Core, three classes that work towards developing character, leadership and communication skills. These three classes, The Virtuous Leader, Business and the Common Good, and The Effective Communicator, will be offered in the spring of 2025.

The Master of Science in DSAI aims to meet the increasing demand for data scientists. 

The program is a 36-hour degree designed to satisfy the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s requirements for STEM Designated Degree Programs. It provides students with the tools and techniques required for analyzing and interpreting data and extracting insight to support ethical and sustainable business practices.

With the rise or popularity and ease that artificial intelligence can provide, the College of Business teaches AI with an eye toward the strategic use of data analytics and helps students understand both the human dimensions and ethical decisions that should inform how AI and data are applied.

Associate Professor of Business Analytics Herb Remidez, PhD, the director of the DSAI program, stated, “At the University of Dallas, we combine the mission to teach relevant technical skills with current topics. For example, by the end of the third week in their first database programming class, students write queries to retrieve U.S. Census data from their neighborhoods and combine it with government spending data. By the end of the eleventh week, students write queries to create maps that overlay U.S. Census demographic and poverty data with bank lending data. Students enjoy learning the technical skills they need to advance their careers while exploring topics important to society.”

Both programs are currently accepting applications. Prospective students can learn more and apply at this link.

About the University of Dallas

The University of Dallas is the premier Catholic liberal arts university in the country, known for its rigorous undergraduate Core Curriculum and robust graduate and professional programs in business, ministry, education and the humanities. According to national rankings, the University of Dallas has one of America’s most challenging, comprehensive undergraduate interdisciplinary programs, offered at an excellent value to some of the happiest students in the country. With campuses in Texas and Italy, UD stands apart as a thriving community of learners committed to an education that forms students intellectually, socially and spiritually for a life well-lived. For more information, visit udallas.edu.

About the Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business

The Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business at the University of Dallas has been a pioneer of graduate business education for more than 50 years. Located in Irving, Texas, the college was the first in Texas to offer an AACSB-accredited Doctor of Business Administration. Today, the college offers flexible Master of Business Administration, Master of Science, and professional education programs ideal for early to mid-career professionals seeking to advance their careers under the guidance of faculty who are both scholars and accomplished business leaders. SB Hall, which opened in January 2016, houses the college, providing students with state-of-the-art technology and practical tools to prepare them for their future career. For more information, visit udallas.edu/cob.