Google offers many free online short courses on AI-relevant topics. Here's a list you might explore over the holiday break.
Introduction to Cloud Computing, Learn cloud basics and why they matter for AI
Prompt Engineering in Vertex AI, Learn to write better prompts and get more out of Gemini
Google AI Essentials (Coursera), Use AI for productivity, brainstorming, and writing
What Is Generative AI?, Beginner-friendly, no coding required
Large Language Models Explained, Understand how models like ChatGPT actually work
AI Principles in Google Cloud, How Google applies responsible AI in real products
Programming Basics, Foundational coding and logical thinking
Cloud Computing Foundations,, Cloud, big data, and machine learning — together.
Responsible AI Practices, Build ethical, safe, and inclusive AI systems
Upskill for the holidays, Links to additional courses relevant to AI
UMBC is offering another new class on AI this spring:
PHIL 352: THE ETHICS OF AI & OTHER TECHNOLOGIES
SPRING 2026 | MW 2:30-3:45 | PAHB 229 | GEP: AH
Instructor: Dr. Blake Francis
Counts as an elective in the HCST certificate program
This course surveys ethical questions about the development, use, and regulation of AI and other technology. Topics to be discussed include surveillance, algorithmic fairness, self-driving cars, social media, the future of work, and the environmental impacts of AI. Competing ethical frameworks are used to evaluate how AI and other technologies affect society and the environment.
The course will be taught by Blake Francis who is a professor in the Department of Philosophy and also the director of UMBC's Human Context of Science and Technology program.
]]>Dr. Reetam Majumder from the University of Arkansas will lead a three-hour short course on AI for statistical analysis from 2:00 to 5:00 pm on Friday, October 31, 2025, in room 104 of UMBC's Math & Psychology building. The course will provide a hands-on introduction to deep learning models using the Keras package in R.
Deep learning is the cornerstone of all current AI models. While they have historically been used extensively in supervised and unsupervised learning problems, deep learning is also seeing increased adoption for statistical inference associated with complex/intractable models, massive datasets, or both. The short course will provide a hands-on introduction to deep learning models using the keras package in R.
The course aims to familiarize statisticians with the entire pipeline for analyzing data, including software setup, data preprocessing, and some common neural network architectures used in predictive modeling for different data types like tables, images, and time series. Participants will also be introduced to deep learning approaches for density estimation and parameter estimation in statistical problems, and an overview of the current state-of-the-science.
The hands-on sections will be demonstrated on Google Colab, and participants will be able to follow along on their own personal devices. Course materials, including code, data, slides, and resources for installing the Keras and Torch deep learning libraries on R, will be made available on GitHub.
UMBC’s Department of English has added a new course, ENGL 211 Writing with AI. The course is being taught for the first time this Fall by Dr. Tanya Olsen, a Senior Lecturer and the Director of the Department's Writing and Rhetoric Division. Here is the description from UMBC's course catalog.
What if AI could help you solve problems, generate ideas, or tackle challenges simply by asking the right questions? This course introduces prompt writing - the art of crafting clear, purposeful inputs to guide AI tools, which is rooted in rhetorical skills. Rather than replacing human thinking, AI can enhance the creativity and analysis you bring to any writing situation. Students will master a range of prompt writing techniques while critically engaging with AI to design prompts for personal, academic, and professional purposes.
]]>The University System of Maryland and Google have partnered to give free access to online Google Career Certificates and AI training courses to UMBC and other USM campuses, with a special focus on supporting military students and veterans. By completing the online courses, you can gain job-ready skills that can help you succeed in today’s market.
The free Google Career Certificates that are available in six high-growth fields:
USM will also offer learners Google’s AI courses, designed and taught by AI experts at Google, to teach foundational skills in artificial intelligence technology.