Old Dominion University Trustworthy AI Online Certificate

This is Old Dominion's AI certificate for people who care about whether AI can be trusted, and it's one of seven AI certificates the school runs online. It's 12 credits, fully online, asynchronous and taught in 8-week courses, with a start date of October 19, 2026. The standout practical feature is stacking: up to 12 credits can count toward ODU's master's in cybersecurity.

Old Dominion University is a public university in Norfolk, Virginia. Its online arm, ODUGlobal, delivers graduate certificates in AI through its School of Data Science and School of Cybersecurity, and every course is asynchronous and runs eight weeks.

The Trustworthy AI Online Certificate is a 12-credit graduate certificate. ODU says there are no scheduled meeting times, and you can finish in as little as one year.

ODU runs six sibling AI certificates at the same 12-credit size and the same per-credit rate: AI in Business Strategy and Operations, AI in Cyber Defense, AI in Data Science, AI in Education and Learning Technologies, AI in Healthcare, and AI in Supply Chain Operations. This one differs by centering on responsible and secure AI rather than a single industry.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

Everything is online and asynchronous. ODU says there are no scheduled meeting times, so you can fit your studies into your own schedule.

The courses follow an accelerated 8-week format. That pace suits someone who likes to finish one subject and move on, but it can feel quick if work gets busy for a few weeks. A missed stretch matters more when a course is only eight weeks long.

Starts happen three times a year. ODU says you can finish in as little as one year, which implies a steady pace of courses back to back, so ask what a part-time schedule looks like in practice.

Who It Fits

• You work in or near cybersecurity, risk or compliance and want a clear picture of how AI systems fail, get attacked and get governed.
• You're thinking about ODU's master's in cybersecurity. ODU says up to 12 credits earned here will be credited toward that master's, so the certificate can serve as a low-commitment first step.
• You need a schedule with no set class times. ODU lists none, and the 8-week courses keep each stretch of work short.
• You want to start soon. Courses begin three times a year, and ODU lists the next start as October 19, 2026.

Who Should Skip It

• You want a certificate tied to one industry. ODU's healthcare, supply chain, education and business certificates are built around those fields, and this one isn't.
• You haven't touched linear algebra. ODU lists introductory linear algebra as a prerequisite, so budget time to brush up first.
• You want a live, cohort-style classroom with scheduled sessions. This program is built to run without them.

ODU's course list covers four areas. You take Intro to Artificial Intelligence and Trustworthy & Responsible AI. You then choose between Intro to Machine Learning or Natural Language Processing for the third course. The fourth is a choice between Applied Machine Learning in Cybersecurity and AI Security & Privacy.

That structure gives you two decisions. If you're headed toward security work, the cybersecurity-flavored options fit naturally. The page lists the courses by title and doesn't describe weekly assignments, so ask an advisor for sample syllabi before you commit.

Courses the School Names

• Intro to Artificial Intelligence
• Trustworthy & Responsible AI
• Intro to Machine Learning or Natural Language Processing
• Applied Machine Learning in Cybersecurity or AI Security & Privacy

ODU lists $672 per credit hour for Virginia residents and $662 per credit hour for out-of-state students, with rates effective Fall 2026. Yes, the out-of-state figure is the lower one, and it's what ODU publishes. At 12 credits, that works out to $8,064 for residents and $7,944 for non-residents.

The figures are tuition rates per credit as ODU lists them. Ask the school for a written estimate of any fees on top, since we can't see a fee schedule for this certificate.

Because every ODU AI certificate carries the same rate and credit count, price won't help you choose among them. Fit will.

12 credits at $662 a credit comes to $7,944 in tuition, before fees. At the in-state rate of $672, the same 12 credits come to $8,064.

You earn a graduate certificate from Old Dominion University, a public institution.

The credential's practical weight comes from stacking. ODU says up to 12 credits from the certificate will be credited toward the master's program, which means a full certificate could cover a meaningful share of a master's degree if you're admitted. Confirm in writing which master's program this applies to and what grades or timelines apply.

Where this degree can lead: Data Scientist Jobs, Jobs You Can Get With an AI Degree.

• The 8-week pace leaves little room to catch up if a busy stretch hits.
• Introductory linear algebra is a listed prerequisite, which can trip up career changers.
• We have no admissions requirements or test policy for this certificate on file, so you'll need to confirm them with ODU.
• The page lists course titles, not detailed descriptions or hands-on projects.
• The rate gap between resident and non-resident pricing runs opposite to what most people expect, so double-check your own rate.

• Which exact master's program accepts the 12 certificate credits, and do any grade or time limits apply?
• How do I satisfy the introductory linear algebra prerequisite if it's been years since I took it?
• What is the admission requirement for this certificate, and is a test score needed?
• Which of the optional course pairs do most students choose, and how often is each offered?
• What fees come on top of the $672 or $662 per-credit tuition?
• How would the certificate's content differ from ODU's AI in Cyber Defense certificate?

ODUGlobal delivers graduate certificates in AI through its School of Data Science and School of Cybersecurity in asynchronous 8-week courses.

• Best AI Certificate Programs Rank 8 of 54, graduate certificate
• Self-Paced Programs Rank 5 of 16, graduate certificate
• Public University Programs Rank 5 of 31, graduate certificate

• AI in Data Science Online Certificate

  Graduate Certificate, Graduate Certificate

  Fully Online $662 per credit Score 73.2

• AI in Business Strategy and Operations Online Certificate

  Graduate Certificate, Graduate Certificate

  Fully Online $662 per credit Score 70.5

• AI in Cyber Defense Online Certificate

  Graduate Certificate, Graduate Certificate

  Fully Online $662 per credit Score 70.5

• AI in Education and Learning Technologies Online Certificate

  Graduate Certificate, Graduate Certificate

  Fully Online $662 per credit Score 70.5

• AI in Healthcare Online Certificate

  Graduate Certificate, Graduate Certificate

  Fully Online $662 per credit Score 70.5

• AI in Supply Chain Operations Online Certificate

  Graduate Certificate, Graduate Certificate

  Fully Online $662 per credit Score 70.5

• Carnegie Mellon University

  Online Graduate Certificate in AI Product Management Essentials

  Pennsylvania Score 73.2

• Harvard University

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  Massachusetts Score 73.6

• Carnegie Mellon University

  Online Graduate Certificate in AI Engineering Fundamentals

  Pennsylvania Score 70.5

• Carnegie Mellon University

  Online Graduate Certificate in Generative AI & Large Language Models

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