AI degrees, certificates and career pathways in Mississippi

Compare free MAIN courses, professional credentials, and degree programs available to Mississippi learners, then choose the level of AI education that fits your goals.

AI degrees, certificates, concentrations and academic pathways in Mississippi

Reviewed October 4, 2026 for developments through October 3, 2026.

These academic pathways include degrees, credit-bearing certificates, minors, and formally designated AI concentrations or emphases. Embedded AI learning and professional certifications are listed separately below. Programs that only include a single AI course are not treated as AI pathways.

  • Each institution owns and operates its programs.
  • Continuing education units (CEUs) and completion badges are distinct from semester credit.
  • Confirm current admissions, curriculum, delivery format, tuition, eligibility, and deadlines with the institution before applying.

Delta State University: AI Leadership

Delta State University offers a fully online Integrated M.B.A. with a 12-credit Leading AI-Driven Transformation and Impact concentration, presented as AI Leadership. Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning also records the sequence as a post-baccalaureate certificate; confirm standalone certificate enrollment with Delta State.

Jackson State University: AI, data science and cybersecurity

Jackson State University offers an 18-credit pre-baccalaureate Data Science and AI for Cybersecurity certificate and a Master of Science in Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence as an area of emphasis. The funded certificate program has geographic and participant eligibility requirements.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College: AI and Data Technology

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College offers a stackable 30-credit AI and Data Technology certificate, diploma continuation, and Associate of Applied Science for learners preparing for technical and workforce roles.

Mississippi State University: Artificial Intelligence degrees and concentrations

Mississippi State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence, a 31-credit Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, and a 17-credit undergraduate minor. Additional pathways include a Computer Science B.S. concentration in Artificial Intelligence and a Data Science B.S. concentration in Computational Intelligence.

The 2026–27 graduate catalog also lists Artificial Intelligence and Robotics concentrations within the 31-credit Computer Science M.S. and the Computer Science Ph.D. These are concentrations in Computer Science degrees, with nine and 12 credits of concentration depth coursework respectively.

Mississippi Valley State University: AI and machine learning

Mississippi Valley State University offers a 36-credit, two-year Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Biomedical and Environmental Health Systems. Students select Artificial Intelligence for Biomedical Applications or Artificial Intelligence for Environmental Health Systems.

MVSU is rebuilding its website, and the detailed program page is currently unavailable. Visit the university’s homepage for current access options.

University of Mississippi: AI Communication minor

The University of Mississippi lists an 18-credit undergraduate AI Communication minor through its School of Journalism and New Media in Oxford. Students study AI applications in media and communication, responsible use, and a capstone project. The official program page does not state a launch term; confirm availability for your catalog year with an academic advisor.

AI learning embedded in academic programs

AI learning can be part of a broader degree curriculum without being a separate AI degree or academic certificate. Credit belongs to the approved course or degree requirement; a badge or professional certification does not automatically award additional semester credit.

Mississippi Christian University School of Law: AI and law certification

Mississippi Christian University School of Law requires entering first-year law students to complete an Introduction to AI and the Law certification. This requirement is embedded within legal education. The announcement does not specify semester-credit hours for the certification itself; it is not listed here as a standalone academic AI certificate.

MGCCC: AI literacy in the General Education Core

MGCCC reports that its reimagined General Education Core embeds AI literacy across disciplines, extending AI learning beyond students in its AI and Data Technology program. This is a curricular pathway within broader associate degrees, rather than a separate AI degree or certificate.

The 2026–27 catalog lists Computer Applications I (CSC 1123) or Computer Applications in Business and Industry (BAD 2533) as the three-credit computer requirement for the Associate of Arts and Associate of Applied Science. Requirements vary by degree and catalog year. Confirm any embedded AI badge, assessment, and award requirements with MGCCC; the published core requirements do not identify a specific AI badge that every graduate receives.

AI programs in development

These initiatives are described in official sources, but availability by October 3, 2026 has not been verified. They are not included in the available-program directory above.

University of Southern Mississippi: AI programs in development

Status: Permission to plan

USM’s December 15, 2025 curriculum report describes an AI minor, an AI Foundations badge, a Maritime AI Applications badge, and a proposed master’s degree in Robotics and Intelligent Systems. The report places the programs in the permission-to-plan stage and anticipates the 2027–28 academic bulletin, subject to progress and approvals.

Free courses and non-credit AI training

MAIN is Mississippi’s statewide AI initiative. Begin with free, online, self-paced training, then decide whether professional learning credit, a certificate, or a degree fits your goals. Not every AI pathway has to start with a degree; MAIN also connects learners and employers to workforce coordination and statewide talent-development resources.

  • Free AI courses

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  • NVIDIA learning options

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  • Professional learning credit

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  • AI Workforce Readiness Council

    Learn how Mississippi is aligning AI education, workforce needs, and statewide AI priorities.

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  • MAI-TAP investment

    Read about Mississippi’s AI Talent Accelerator Program and the statewide AI workforce investment.

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Frequently asked questions

Quick answers for learners comparing courses, certificates, concentrations, emphases, and degrees.

Does Mississippi have AI degree programs?

Yes. Mississippi institutions offer AI-focused associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, plus academic certificates, minors, concentrations, and emphases. Doctoral study includes Mississippi State’s Computer Science Ph.D. with an Artificial Intelligence and Robotics concentration. Embedded professional certifications are listed separately and do not automatically award semester credit. The directory above distinguishes each type of pathway and links to the institution that operates it.

Are all of these pathways standalone AI degrees?

No. Some are standalone degrees or certificates, while others are concentrations, areas of emphasis, minors, or certifications embedded within another professional program. A badge, professional certification, or CEU is not automatically equivalent to academic semester credit. Review the credential type and admissions requirements on the institution’s website.

Can I learn AI in Mississippi for free?

Yes. MAIN offers free, online, self-paced AI courses for learners across Mississippi.

Does MAIN award degrees?

No. MAIN coordinates statewide AI education and workforce resources. Degrees and certificates are awarded by the institutions that operate those programs.

How do I choose between a free course, a certificate, and a degree?

Start with your goal. Free courses build skills quickly. Certificates document targeted learning. Concentrations and emphases add AI specialization to a broader degree, while standalone degree programs provide deeper preparation for AI and data careers.

Start building your AI pathway

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