Graduate Academic Certificate
Lead with Data & Applied AI
A hybrid certificate for mid-to-senior professionals who want to turn AI and data into real organizational results—without pausing their career.
Tuition: $4,999 CAD · In-person residency October 2-3, 2026 (Burlington)
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*Recommended B- average (7/12 GPA); all applications welcome.
What you’ll walk away with
- Confidence using AI and analytics to drive strategy and decision-making.
- A practical, organization-ready data & AI roadmap you’ll build during the program.
- Hands-on experience with modern tools, dashboards, and change-leadership methods.
- Responsible AI practices you can put into production with your team.
Is this for me?
Designed for mid-to-senior professionals who need to translate AI and data into business value.
- Leaders standing up AI/data initiatives
- Managers improving team productivity with AI
- Professionals pivoting into data-informed roles
Program at-a-glance
Format
Hybrid: live online sessions + on-demand modules + 2-day in-person residency (October 2-3, 2026, Burlington).
Timeline
Three 2-unit courses (~20 hrs each) completed in one term. Finish by December 2026.
Admission
Honours Bachelor’s; B- average recommended (7/12 GPA). All applications considered.
Tuition
$4,999 CAD for the full certificate.
What you’ll learn
GC700 · Strategic Leadership with Data & AI (Sept–Oct)
- Build and present a real-world data & AI strategy aligned to OKRs/KPIs.
- Redesign workflows for AI-supported decision-making; analyze cross-industry use cases.
- Includes a required 2-day, in-person residency (Oct 2-3, 2026).
GC701 · Leveraging AI for Organizational Leadership (Oct)
- Use generative AI/assistants for planning and productivity on real tasks.
- Develop your working leadership toolkit based on your AI strategy.
- Fully online; mix of live and on-demand learning.
Elective (Nov): GC702 · Business Data Fundamentals (Cloud)
- Implement a data-first strategy using cloud platforms and dashboards.
- Manage structured & unstructured data; build fluency in modern tools and architectures.
Elective (Nov): GC703 · AI Foundations for Business
- Execute an AI-first strategy; understand model design, deployment & governance.
- Test and evaluate ML solutions; lead adoption with confidence and ethics.
Meet your instructor
Dr. Ryan Tessier is a technology strategist, educator and senior leader in Canada’s energy sector. With a PhD in mathematics focused on machine learning and quantum systems, he helps professionals turn AI and data into tools for leadership, strategy and transformation.
He has led national training initiatives including the Microsoft Canada Digital Skills program and is known for making complex concepts accessible and actionable.
Key Dates · Fall 2026
- Residency (Burlington)Oct 2-3
- GC700Mid-Sept to Oct
- GC701October
- GC702 / GC703November
Not quite ready to commit? Start with a free AI badge
If you’d like to explore generative AI before enrolling, our AI Badge in Prompt Engineering for Professionals is a practical, beginner-friendly way to get started.
- Learn how tools like ChatGPT and Copilot work in real business settings
- Practice core prompting techniques for safer, more reliable outputs
- Explore how to apply LLMs in your organization
You can use this badge as a first step toward the Graduate Certificate in Data & AI Leadership.
Ready to explore fit and next steps?
Share your details and we’ll send a concise overview with key dates, course outlines and how to position the certificate inside your organization.