Syllabus

Master of Business Administration

MGT 660: Leading with AI – From Vision to Value

Credits - 3

Description

Artificial intelligence is already playing a major role in reshaping industries and competitive landscapes. This course equips business leaders with the strategic and managerial tools to harness AI effectively. Students will learn how to craft a strategic AI vision, evaluate potential solutions, and design implementation roadmaps that create measurable business value. Through case studies, frameworks, and hands-on exercises, participants will gain the ability to identify high-impact AI opportunities aligned with organizational strategy, assess risks, ethical considerations, and organizational readiness, lead cross-functional teams in selecting, deploying, and scaling AI solutions, and measure outcomes to ensure AI initiatives drive sustainable advantage. Students will not only understand AI’s transformative potential but also be prepared to lead organizations from concept to successful execution in an AI-driven economy.

 

 

 

 

Materials

All course materials will be provided and linked within the course in Brightspace. 

 

 

 

 

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

  • Identify high-impact AI opportunities aligned with organizational strategy
  • Assess risks, ethical considerations, and organizational readiness
  • Lead cross-functional teams in selecting, deploying, and scaling AI solutions
  • Measure outcomes to ensure AI initiatives drive sustainable advantage

 

 

 

 

Assignments

 

 

 

 

 

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Grade ItemWeight
Week 1 Discussion: Predictions & Introductions3
Week 2 Discussion: Hallucination Temperature and Prompt Conditions3
Week 2: Initial Project Checkpoint 10
Week 3 Discussion: Best-Guess Prediction in Business3
Assessment 1 (Covering Weeks 1-3)10
Week 4 Discussion: Prompting Through a Synthetic Dataset3
Week 4 Project Checkpoint 210
Week 5 Discussion: Feature Prioritization and Tradeoffs 3
Assessment 2 ( Covering Weeks 4-5) 10
Week 6 Discussion: Vendor Solution Evaluation 3
Final Project Checkpoint and Deliverable20
Week 7 Discussion: Why AI Initiatives Fail3
Assessment 3 - Cumulative 20
Week 8 Discussion: Final Reflection and Looking Ahead3
Total100

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule

Term Dates: 5/13/2026 – 7/3/2026

Week 1: Wednesday – Sunday
Week 2: Monday – Sunday
Week 3: Monday – Sunday
Week 4: Monday – Sunday
Week 5: Monday – Sunday
Week 6: Monday – Sunday
Week 7: Monday – Sunday
Week 8: Monday – Friday

WEEK TOPICS ASSESSMENTS DUE
1
  • Demystifying AI
  • Prediction, uncertainty, and decision trees
  • Course and project orientation
  • Week 1 Discussion: Predictions & Introductions
  • Course Intake Survey
  • Discussion initial post due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Intake survey due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
2
  • Risk & Bias
  • Weighting, confidence, and risk tolerance
  • Hallucination, temperature, and common bias types
  • Week 2 Discussion: Hallucination, Temperature, and Prompt Conditions
  • Project Checkpoint 1: Organization Selection and AI Risk Analysis
  • Discussion initial post due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Project Checkpoint 1 due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
3
  • Machine Learning Foundations
  • Data structure, preprocessing, and learning methods
  • Model behavior and business use cases
  • Week 3 Discussion: Best-Guess Prediction in Business
  • Assessment 1: Foundations Quiz
  • Discussion initial post due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Assessment 1 due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
4
  • Types of AI Solutions
  • Right-sizing the solution
  • RAG, APIs, orchestration, and autonomy
  • Week 4 Discussion: Prompting Through a Synthetic Dataset
  • Project Checkpoint 2: Case Commitment and Right-Sized AI Solutions
  • Discussion initial post due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Project Checkpoint 2 due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
5
  • Developing AI Solutions
  • Roles, phases, and proof of concept
  • Training, testing, fine-tuning, and guardrails
  • Week 5 Discussion: Feature Prioritization and Sponsor Tradeoffs
  • Assessment 2: Solutions and Development Quiz
  • Discussion initial post due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Assessment 2 due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
6
  • Evaluating AI Solutions
  • Build vs. buy and vendor evaluation
  • Cost-benefit, total cost of ownership, and readiness
  • Week 6 Discussion: Vendor Claims, Demo Questions, and Buyer Discipline
  • Project Submission: Stakeholder Recommendation Email
  • Discussion initial post due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Project submission due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
7
  • Measuring Performance & Impact
  • Baselines, benchmarks, and model metrics
  • KPIs, proxy metrics, and common failure patterns
  • Week 7 Discussion: Why AI Initiatives Fail
  • Assessment 3: Cumulative Assessment
  • Discussion initial post due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Assessment 3 due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
8
  • AI Governance
  • Ownership, observability, and auditability
  • Privacy, regulation, and responsible innovation
  • Week 8 Discussion: Final Reflection and Looking Ahead
  • Week 8 Exit Survey
  • Discussion initial post due Thursday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Exit survey due Friday by 11:59 PM ET

 

Student Resources

 

 

 

 

 

Online Student Support

Your Enrollment and Retention Counselor is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Please reach out to your student success team member.

UNE Libraries:

  • Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Brightspace.
  • Research by Subject: Business & Entrepreneurship Collection
  • Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.

UNE Student Academic Success Center

UNE's Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of free online services to support your academic achievement. Writing support, ESOL support, study strategy and learning style consultations, as well as downloadable resources, are available to all matriculating students. To make an appointment for any of these services, go to une.tutortrac.com. For more information and to view and download writing and studying resources, please visit:

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Students should notify their student success team member and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.

ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week 

Phone: Mon-Fri: (207) 602-2487

After Hours/Weekends: (877) 518-4673

Career Ready Program

UNE Online supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!

The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.

ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.

Career Ready Program

The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!

The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.

Policies

 

 

 

 

 

Passing Grade Statement

A grade of 80% or higher is required to pass the course. A grade lower than 80% will result in you having to repeat the course. Obtaining two "Fs" in the program will result in dismissal from the program.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Statement

Generative AI (GenAI) applications (like ChatGPT) have proven to be powerful and effective tools, and students are encouraged to become familiar with and use them. However, as with any tool, students must use GenAI in ways that support their roles as learners and professionals. The use of AI in academic work falls under our academic integrity agreement, ensuring that all AI applications are used in alignment with our commitment to honest and responsible learning.

In situations in which AI tools are used as a resource, students must:

  • Ensure that all submitted academic work adequately demonstrates student learning (i.e., that the student, rather than a machine, has met the learning outcomes related to the assessment).
  • Acknowledge, in written assessments and extra-curricular applications, the role played by AI tools in producing the student’s work (this can usually be done in a citation or by including a session transcript).
  • Take ultimate responsibility for accuracy of results, think critically about them, and never substitute them for professional human judgment.
  • Monitor GenAI output for bias and risks for vulnerable populations and underrepresented groups.

As GenAI continues to evolve, students should also stay abreast of best practices and changing risks and benefits.

Please note that individual courses or assignments may have specific guidelines regarding AI use — please refer to your faculty’s directions or assignment instructions for details.

The Student Orientation has a module "Artificial Intelligence Literacy for Students", please refer to this module for more information about navigating the use of AI.

Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool

UNE uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.

Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. 

You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements.

Late Policy

Students are responsible for submitting work by the date indicated in Brightspace.

Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your enrollment and retention counselor if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.

Student Handbook - Policies and Procedures

The policies contained within this document apply to all students at the University of New England. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.

UNE Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your Enrollment and Retention Counselor if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. Tuition charges may still apply. Students are strongly urged to consult with Student Financial Services, as course withdrawals may affect financial aid or Veterans benefits.

Attendance Policy

Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Business will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 p.m. ET of the first week. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean’s Office.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.