Frequently Asked Questions

A.I. is an umbrella discipline that includes the following subfields that touch nearly every industry: machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, natural language and speech processing, cognitive computing, and Robotic Process Automation (RPA). Potential students do not have to have an information technology background. They can be from fields and existing occupations that would be enhanced by A.I. including business, engineering, administrators, sales/marketers, field operations, data analytics, logistics, transportation, architecture, biology, geospatial, healthcare, gaming, extended reality, cyber security, and construction, among others.

 

It is for anyone and everyone because A.I. is an umbrella that touches every industry and many multiples of disciplines. Potential students don’t have to be in technical fields, they can be from areas across all industries as they begin to adapt A.I. to existing disciplines. Examples include business, engineering, administrators, sales/marketers, field operations, data analytics, logistics, transportation, manufacturing, energy, architecture, biology, geospatial, healthcare, gaming, XR, cyber security, and construction. Any student, of any age, from any background and from any interest area with an eye toward gaining the best possible advantage in their field can excel using advanced technologies learned in this program.

 

The current Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree prepares students to become A.I. Support Specialists. With the BAT degree, students are prepared to become A.I. or robotics generalists. They will be an asset to A.I. or robotics development teams. Students will be using the latest tools and techniques from industry partners such as Intel, Nvidia, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, Apple, and many others that require an A.I. and robotics workforce.

The 2-year A.A.S. degree is tailored to prepare students to become entry level A.I. Application Specialists which means students can knowledgeably apply “Pre-Trained” A.I. models (for machine learning, computer vision, speech/language, data science or cyber) to competently solve a variety of real-world business problems in most industries.

With the 4-year bachelor’s degree, students are more deeply prepared to be A.I. Generalists as A.I. Application Support Specialists with a view of most all aspects of

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing, Deep Learning, A.I. in Cybersecurity, 5/6G communications, Robotics, Autonomy, Control Systems, Simulation, Digital Twins and Data Science). This means graduates are a tremendous asset to any company with an A.I. team or smaller companies just beginning to grow A.I. teams. Students will be especially well versed in edge-based AIOT and smart devices.

What makes these students valuable is their knowledge of using the latest tools and techniques from the professional academies and industry partners. Current partnerships include Intel, Nvidia, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Apple, Wolfram, and many others that require an A.I. workforce. Example resources include AWS Machine Learning University, AWS SageMaker, Intel’s OpenVino, Microsoft’s Azure, Azure A.I. Studio, IBM Skills Build, Nvidia Deep Learning Institute, Nvidia Morpheus, and many more. These are cutting-edge tools and resources that A.I. professionals currently use.

HCC graduates will be working throughout their degree program in hands-on, State-of-the-Art Laboratories on real world projects side by side with industry. Working with industry mentors will help students better understand the needs industry requires of A.I. and Robotics.

 

No, they will learn the needed skills in the program. Creating algorithms is not required since the degree is centered on applying existing and proven A.I. and robotics systems. The goal is to make sure students understand best practices that match industry needs. As A.I. and robotics continue to develop, students will learn about changes occurring and ethical, legal, and cyber-related matters that affect these fields.

No, the need in the market is no longer centered around math-first and then programming. The professionally built A.I. Models already come with the necessary math, deeper programming, and validation/testing. The need today is for people that understand A.I. processes, how to implement the “A.I. Pre-Trained” Models and how to support the different production applications. Students don’t need to invent algorithms unless they want to take deeper dives into those abilities. Today, everything is about applying existing and proven A.I., testing and evaluating the process and supporting the people, the data, and the deployment. The goal is to make sure that students understand what the best practices are that match the industry’s needs. As A.I. continues to develop, students learn about its changes and all the ethical, legal, and cyber related matters related to A.I. Learning how to effectively trouble-shoot may be one of the most valuable skill sets in A.I. and Robotics. The emphasis of the program is on the fundamentals, applications, and hands-on confirmation of skills.

 

No. Think about robots as very helpful computers built to assist people. Robots crawl, walk, fly, swim, roll, climb, stand, or sit and they come in all sizes from the size of an insect and range to the size of a spacecraft or ship. Software and simulation are the Roboticist’s greatest tools. Most of the tools students will use to learn about robotics will be part of robot kits that have a small single board computer to act as the brain. Most of the skills necessary will be based on the A.I. and sensors used to program the

robot to do different jobs (computer vision, machine learning, autonomous navigation, data intake through multiple sensors, voice commands and robot chatbots). Using A.I. with a robot is almost mandatory to have intelligence on-board and an ability for the robot to learn. Students have an opportunity to use some of the newest and finest robots (cars, robotic arms, cobots, autonomous racers, drones, and simple software bots). As the world moves towards increased production needs, students will see large industrial robots that handle massive loads and repetitive tasks and students will witness the human-centric world which is seeking robotic companions and assistants to become more human-like to help people handle more and more jobs in all types of environments. Students have an opportunity to develop their own ideas about building human-like qualities for future robots. Robotics needs people who understand the rules of automation as well as people who can create different ways for robots to become more social.

 

The cost of the HCC B.A.T. in Artificial Intelligence is under $12,000. This is based on current HCC tuition rates for in-district students who complete the Artificial Intelligence A.A.S. and Artificial Intelligence & Robotics B.A.T. at HCC. Contact the program for additional payment details and financial aid information.

For more cost information, please visit .

 

Generally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 15 percent increase in computer and information technology jobs from 2019-2029, including positions like A.I. specialists, robotics specialists, prompt engineers, and machine learning engineers. You can research salaries for particular occupations here by clicking on the Program tab, browsing for Information Technology careers, or browsing for programs under Digital & Information Technology COE (click on Browe All Programs under Browse Programs window on the landing page).

 

PREREQUISITES: 

1. Completion of AAS in AI and/or Machine Learning
2. If the candidate for admission has completed an Associates degree in a related field, then the following pre-requisite courses must be completed prior to admission to the BAT program:
   • ITAI 1370 - Artificial Intelligence (AI) History, Theory, and Platforms Credits: 3
   • ITAI 1371 - Introduction to Machine Learning Credits: 3
   • ITAI 1372 - Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Cybersecurity Credits: 3
   • ITAI 1378 - Computer Vision for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Credits: 3
   • ITAI 2374 - Robot Operating System & Platforms in Artificial Intelligence (A I) Credits: 3
   • ITAI 2373 - Natural Language Processing (NLP) Credits: 3
   • ITAI 2372 - Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applications & Case Histories Credits: 3
   • ITAI 2377 - Data Science in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Credits: 3
   • ITAI 2376 - Deep Learning in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Credits: 3
   • ITAI 2275 - Cooperative Education-Artificial Intelligence (AI) Credits: 2 OR
   • ITAI 2277 - Artificial Intelligence (AI) Resources & References Credits: 2

 

Students enrolled in the B.A.T. program will complete the following courses in addition to electives. Enrollment in these courses assumes a student enters with an Artificial Intelligence A.A.S. from Houston Community College. The official degree plan will be published in the 2023-2024 HCC Catalog (coming soon).

• ITAI 3371 Cloud Configurations & Resources for A.I.
• ITAI 3374 On-Premises A.I. Hardware Platforms
• ITAI 3375 Curating DATA for A.I. Optimization
• ITAI 3377 A.I. at the Edge of IIOT Environments
• ITAI 3378 Finance and Business A.I.
• ITAI 3379 Artificial Intelligence in Robotics
• ITAI 4370 A.I. 5/6 G Communications & ORAN Networks
• ITAI 4371 Digital Twins & Virtual Simulation in A.I.
• ITAI 4372 A.I. Policies, Procedures and Governance
• ITAI 4373 The New Nature of Work in A.I.
• ITAI 4374 Neuroscience as a Model for A.I. Systems
• ITAI 4375 Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) in Healthcare
• ITAI 4377 A.I. & Robotics Planning Cooperative Education OR ITAI 4376 A.I. Controls for Robotics (Capstone)