Syllabus — Texas AI Academy

Total program hours

Levels 1 to 4, required work only. About 66 to 100 hours depending on your pathway.

Level 0 (optional): 7 hr

Pathway	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Capstone	Total	At 5 / 10 hr a week
AI Automation Specialist	20.4	20.5	18	18	76.9 hr	16 / 8 weeks
AI Business Analyst	20.4	20.5	44	15	99.9 hr	20 / 10 weeks
AI Data Analyst	20.4	20.5	16	15	71.9 hr	15 / 8 weeks
AI Marketing & Content	20.4	20.5	17	15	72.9 hr	15 / 8 weeks
AI Customer Experience	20.4	20.5	11	15	66.9 hr	14 / 7 weeks
AI Sales & CRM Operations	20.4	20.5	10	15	65.9 hr	14 / 7 weeks
AI Builder	20.4	20.5	41	18	99.9 hr	20 / 10 weeks

Ready

Anyone, including first-time computer users · optional · 7 hr

An optional on-ramp for people who are new to computers or want a refresher before working with AI tools. Skip it if you already use email, browsers and online documents with confidence.

Learning outcomes

Use a browser, email and cloud documents with confidence
Create accounts and keep passwords safe
Find, save and share files online

How you're assessed

Readiness check: complete the Northstar assessments or Google Applied Digital Skills lessons
Upload proof of completion for staff to verify

Prerequisite: None.

Course sequence

About 2 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 1 week at 10 hr/week

Level 0 required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Northstar Digital Literacy Assessments	Course	Northstar	3
2	Google Applied Digital Skills	Course	Google	4
Total				7 hr

AI Literate

Every worker · Required: 20.4 hr

What AI is, how it works, where it fails and how to use it safely at work. Every student starts here.

Learning outcomes

Explain in plain words how generative AI produces answers and why it makes mistakes
Write clear prompts with context, a role, examples and a format
Check AI output against reliable sources before using it
Protect private and customer data when using AI tools
Name 10 tasks in your own job where AI could help, and test one

How you're assessed

Proof of completion for each core course, verified by staff
Two checkpoint quizzes: 10 questions each, 80% to pass
Two coach-graded labs: AI at My Job and Spot the Hallucination

Prerequisite: Basic computer skills (Level 0 or equivalent).

Required work, in order

About 5 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 3 weeks at 10 hr/week

Level 1 required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Texas AI Academy Orientation + AI Use Case Worksheet	TAA project	Texas AI Academy	3
2	AI Fluency: Framework & Foundations	Course	Anthropic Academy	2
3	OpenAI Academy: AI Foundations	Course	OpenAI Academy	3
4	IBM Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals	Course	IBM SkillsBuild	10
5	AI at My Job	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	1
6	Spot the Hallucination	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	0.8
7	Level 1 Checkpoint: How AI Works	Quiz	Texas AI Academy	0.3
8	Level 1 Checkpoint: Using AI Well and Safely	Quiz	Texas AI Academy	0.3
Total				20.4 hr

Optional extras

Go deeper if you have time. These don't count toward finishing the level.

Level 1 optional courses
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Microsoft: Introduction to Generative AI and Agents	Course	Microsoft Learn	1
2	Google AI Essentials	Course	Google	8
Total				9 hr

AI Practitioner

Staff using AI every day · Required: 20.5 hr

Turn AI into a daily work habit. Students build a prompt playbook and a portfolio of five real tasks with measured results.

Learning outcomes

Build reusable prompts for the tasks you repeat most
Break larger jobs into steps an AI assistant can handle
Edit and fact-check AI drafts until they are ready to send
Measure time saved and note the risks on each task
Decide what data is safe to share with an AI tool

How you're assessed

Proof of completion for each core course, verified by staff
Prompt Playbook lab, graded by a coach
Real-Work Portfolio: 5 tasks, graded by a coach

Prerequisite: Level 1 complete.

Required work, in order

About 5 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 3 weeks at 10 hr/week

Level 2 required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	OpenAI Academy: Applied AI Foundations	Course	OpenAI Academy	4
2	Claude 101	Course	Anthropic Academy	2
3	Texas AI Academy Prompt Portfolio Project	TAA project	Texas AI Academy	10
4	Prompt Playbook	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	1.5
5	Real-Work Portfolio: 5 Tasks	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	3
Total				20.5 hr

Optional extras

Go deeper if you have time. These don't count toward finishing the level.

Level 2 optional courses
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	AI Prompting for Everyone	Course	DeepLearning.AI	4
2	AI for Everyone	Course	DeepLearning.AI	6
3	Google AI Professional Certificate	Course	Google	60
4	Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT	Course	Vanderbilt University	12
5	Data Privacy Drill	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	0.5
Total				82.5 hr

AI Specialist

People moving into AI-heavy roles

Specialize. Each student picks one of seven career pathways and completes its core courses and a hands-on pathway lab.

Learning outcomes

Use the tools and methods of your chosen pathway on a real problem
Document your work so an employer can follow it
Test your work and explain its limits

How you're assessed

Proof of completion for each core course in your pathway, verified by staff
Pathway lab, graded by a coach against a published rubric

Prerequisite: Level 2 complete and a pathway chosen on your dashboard.

AI Automation Specialist

Required: 18 hr

Build workflows that do the busywork. Skills: Make, n8n or Power Automate, AI steps inside workflows, Error handling and testing. Leads to: Automation specialist, AI operations coordinator, Power Automate developer.

About 4 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 2 weeks at 10 hr/week

AI Automation Specialist required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	OpenAI Academy: Agents and Workflows	Course	OpenAI Academy	4
2	Make Academy: Automation to AI Agents	Course	Make Academy	10
3	Automate a Real Workflow	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	4
Total				18 hr

Optional extras (4, 29 hr)

AI Automation Specialist optional courses
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Microsoft Learn: Build a Power Automate Flow	Course	Microsoft Learn	1
2	Microsoft Learn: Demonstrate the Capabilities of Power Automate	Course	Microsoft Learn	1
3	n8n Academy: Essentials + Integrations + AI	Course	n8n Academy	12
4	UiPath Academy: Automation / RPA / AI Courses	Course	UiPath Academy	15
Total				29 hr

AI Business Analyst

Required: 44 hr

Find where AI pays off, and prove it with numbers. Skills: Process mapping, Power BI dashboards, ROI and risk memos. Leads to: Business analyst, Process improvement analyst, AI adoption coordinator.

About 9 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 5 weeks at 10 hr/week

AI Business Analyst required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Learning Path (PL-300)	Course	Microsoft Learn	40
2	AI-Assisted Process Analysis	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	4
Total				44 hr

Optional extras (6, 358 hr)

AI Business Analyst optional courses
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900)	Course	Microsoft Learn	20
2	Texas AI Academy Enterprise AI Playbook Workshop	TAA project	Texas AI Academy	8
3	AI for Business Specialization	Course	University of Pennsylvania / Wharton	30
4	Google Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate	Course	Google	100
5	Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate	Course	Google	120
6	Microsoft Business Analyst Professional Certificate	Course	Microsoft	80
Total				358 hr

AI Data Analyst

Required: 16 hr

Answer real questions with data, with AI as your co-pilot. Skills: Python and pandas, SQL, Charts that tell a story. Leads to: Data analyst, Reporting analyst, Junior data scientist.

About 4 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 2 weeks at 10 hr/week

AI Data Analyst required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Kaggle Learn: Python	Course	Kaggle	5
2	Kaggle Learn: Pandas	Course	Kaggle	4
3	Kaggle Learn: Intro to SQL	Course	Kaggle	3
4	Analyze a Texas Open Dataset	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	4
Total				16 hr

Optional extras (2, 7 hr)

AI Data Analyst optional courses
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Kaggle Learn: Data Visualization	Course	Kaggle	4
2	Kaggle Learn: Intro to Machine Learning	Course	Kaggle	3
Total				7 hr

AI Marketing & Content

Required: 17 hr

Create on-brand content faster, without losing the human touch. Skills: Brand voice and editing, Content calendars, Measuring what works. Leads to: Marketing coordinator, Content specialist, Social media specialist.

About 4 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 2 weeks at 10 hr/week

AI Marketing & Content required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	HubSpot Academy: Content Marketing Certification	Course	HubSpot Academy	8
2	HubSpot Academy: Social Media Marketing Certification	Course	HubSpot Academy	5
3	AI Content Campaign for a Local Business	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	4
Total				17 hr

Optional extras (1, 6 hr)

AI Marketing & Content optional courses
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Google Skillshop: Google Ads and Analytics	Course	Google Skillshop	6
Total				6 hr

AI Customer Experience

Required: 11 hr

Build and run the AI agents that help customers, and know when a person should step in. Skills: Copilot Studio agents, Knowledge bases, Escalation design. Leads to: Customer support specialist, AI agent trainer, Support operations coordinator.

About 3 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 2 weeks at 10 hr/week

AI Customer Experience required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Microsoft Learn: Create and Publish Agents with Copilot Studio	Course	Microsoft Learn	4
2	Salesforce Trailhead: Get Started with Artificial Intelligence	Course	Salesforce Trailhead	3
3	Build a Customer Help Agent	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	4
Total				11 hr

AI Sales & CRM Operations

Required: 10 hr

Research, reach out and keep the CRM clean, faster. Skills: AI account research, Outreach sequences, CRM and Agentforce basics. Leads to: Sales development rep, CRM coordinator, Sales operations analyst.

About 2 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 1 week at 10 hr/week

AI Sales & CRM Operations required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Salesforce Trailhead: Get Started with Artificial Intelligence	Course	Salesforce Trailhead	3
2	Salesforce Trailhead: Build an AI Agent with Agentforce	Course	Salesforce Trailhead	3
3	AI Prospecting Playbook	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	4
Total				10 hr

Optional extras (1, 1 hr)

AI Sales & CRM Operations optional courses
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Salesforce Trailhead: Drive Productivity with Salesforce AI	Course	Salesforce Trailhead	1
Total				1 hr

AI Builder

Required: 41 hr

Write code that puts AI models to work. Skills: Claude and OpenAI APIs, Testing AI output, Agents and MCP. Leads to: Junior AI engineer, AI solutions developer, Technical support engineer.

About 9 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 5 weeks at 10 hr/week

AI Builder required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Building with the Claude API	Course	Anthropic Academy	6
2	Hugging Face Agents Course	Course	Hugging Face	10
3	MIT 6.S191: Introduction to Deep Learning	Course	MIT	20
4	Ship a Small LLM Tool	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	5
Total				41 hr

Optional extras (4, 92 hr)

AI Builder optional courses
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Introduction to Model Context Protocol (MCP)	Course	Anthropic Academy	2
2	Harvard CS50's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python	Course	Harvard University	70
3	ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers	Course	DeepLearning.AI / OpenAI	2
4	Microsoft Generative AI for Beginners	Course	Microsoft	18
Total				92 hr

Capstone

Specialists ready to certify

Original work on a real business problem, presented live to a review panel. Passing earns the TAA Certified AI Practitioner credential.

Learning outcomes

Scope a business problem and get the proposal approved
Build an AI-assisted solution using your pathway skills
Measure results and identify risks honestly
Present and defend your work to a panel

How you're assessed

Capstone proposal, approved by a coach before you build
Finished project and write-up
Live presentation scored by the review panel

Prerequisite: Levels 1, 2 and 3 complete.

AI Automation Specialist capstone

Required: 18 hr

About 4 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 2 weeks at 10 hr/week

AI Automation Specialist required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Capstone Proposal	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	2
2	Texas AI Academy Automation Capstone	TAA project	Texas AI Academy	15
3	Live presentation and Q&A with the review panel	Capstone	Texas AI Academy	1
Total				18 hr

AI Business Analyst capstone

Required: 15 hr

About 3 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 2 weeks at 10 hr/week

AI Business Analyst required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Capstone Proposal	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	2
2	Texas AI Academy AI Business Case Capstone	TAA project	Texas AI Academy	12
3	Live presentation and Q&A with the review panel	Capstone	Texas AI Academy	1
Total				15 hr

AI Data Analyst capstone

Required: 15 hr

About 3 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 2 weeks at 10 hr/week

AI Data Analyst required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Capstone Proposal	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	2
2	Build the solution with coach check-ins	Capstone	Texas AI Academy	12
3	Live presentation and Q&A with the review panel	Capstone	Texas AI Academy	1
Total				15 hr

AI Marketing & Content capstone

Required: 15 hr

About 3 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 2 weeks at 10 hr/week

AI Marketing & Content required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Capstone Proposal	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	2
2	Build the solution with coach check-ins	Capstone	Texas AI Academy	12
3	Live presentation and Q&A with the review panel	Capstone	Texas AI Academy	1
Total				15 hr

AI Customer Experience capstone

Required: 15 hr

About 3 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 2 weeks at 10 hr/week

AI Customer Experience required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Capstone Proposal	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	2
2	Build the solution with coach check-ins	Capstone	Texas AI Academy	12
3	Live presentation and Q&A with the review panel	Capstone	Texas AI Academy	1
Total				15 hr

AI Sales & CRM Operations capstone

Required: 15 hr

About 3 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 2 weeks at 10 hr/week

AI Sales & CRM Operations required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Capstone Proposal	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	2
2	Build the solution with coach check-ins	Capstone	Texas AI Academy	12
3	Live presentation and Q&A with the review panel	Capstone	Texas AI Academy	1
Total				15 hr

AI Builder capstone

Required: 18 hr

About 4 weeks at 5 hr/week · About 2 weeks at 10 hr/week

AI Builder required work
#	Item	Type	From	Hours
1	Capstone Proposal	TAA lab	Texas AI Academy	2
2	Texas AI Academy Builder Capstone	TAA project	Texas AI Academy	15
3	Live presentation and Q&A with the review panel	Capstone	Texas AI Academy	1
Total				18 hr

Ready to start Level 1?

Create a free account. Your dashboard tracks every course, quiz and lab for you.

Start Level 1 free