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PhD Certificate: Human-AI Decision Making

A joint certificate between the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the School of Computer Science at CMU. Supported by the NSF AI Institute for Societal Decision Making (NSF AI-SDM).

Bridging machine learning and decision science to prepare doctoral scholars for a future where AI systems complement human intelligence.

Artificial intelligence doesn't just process data, it increasingly informs critical decisions in healthcare, policy, finance, and everyday life. Yet, even the most sophisticated AI systems fail when they are disconnected from human cognition, values, and organizational realities. The next generation of advances in AI-enabled decision making will require more than computer science or behavioral science in isolation; it will require their convergence.

The PhD Certificate in Human-AI Decision Making provides doctoral students with a rigorous interdisciplinary foundation in both artificial intelligence and the science of human decision making. The program prepares students to understand, design, analyze, and evaluate AI systems that interact with, support, or augment human decision making across individual, organizational, and societal contexts.

The certificate builds on Carnegie Mellon University's distinctive strengths in artificial intelligence and decision science, particularly in the Machine Learning Department (MLD) and the Department of Social and Decision Sciences (SDS), and complements other cross-college efforts such as the Ethics and AI Certificate and the Joint PhD Program in Autonomous and Human Decision Making.

Program Impact & Value

High-Impact Dual Competency: Bridges the technical rigor of machine learning with the empirical science of human judgment, equipping students to design and evaluate AI systems that align with human cognition and societal needs.

Streamlined PhD Integration: Structured specifically to minimize friction and prevent time-to-degree delays. Through strategic course mapping, students gain cross-college expertise while needing only two additional courses beyond their home department requirements.

Cross-College Faculty Mentorship: Fosters direct collaboration between computer scientists and behavioral researchers, lowering the traditional barriers to cross-disciplinary co-advising and high-impact joint publications.

Workforce Development: Trains leaders capable of addressing critical AI challenges across academia, industry labs, and public policy contexts.

Curriculum & Program Requirements

The certificate consists of four graduate-level courses (36 units minimum) and a research component:

  • One Integrative Course: Human-AI Complementarity for Decision Making (10-736 / 88-836), examining core human-AI concepts.
  • One Course in AI Foundations: An approved SCS graduate course establishing core technical machine learning and AI principles.
  • One Course in Human Decision Science: An approved Dietrich College graduate course establishing core behavioral, cognitive, or judgment principles.
  • One Interdisciplinary Elective: A pre-approved course bridging artificial intelligence, human cognition, ethics, or policy.
  • Joint Research Project: A co-advised paper or dissertation component integrating methods from both AI and decision science.

To satisfy certificate requirements, students must take four courses:

  1. 10-736/88-836 Human-AI Complementarity for Decision Making
  2. AI Foundations (choose one):
    • 10-701 Introduction to Machine Learning
    • 10-715 Advanced Topics in Machine Learning
    • 15-780 Graduate Artificial Intelligence
    • A SCS course pre-approved by the Certificate Committee
  3. Human Decision Science (choose one):
    • 88-703 Judgment and Decision Making
    • 88-702 Behavioral Economics
    • A Dietrich College course pre-approved by the Certificate Committee
  4. An interdisciplinary elective bridging AI and human decision-making perspectives, such as (choose one):
    • 05-775 Cognitive Perspectives in HCI
    • 10-734 Foundations of Autonomous Decision Making Under Uncertainty
    • 11-830 Ethics, Safety, and Social Impact in NLP and LLMs
    • 15-784 Cooperative AI
    • 17-716 Responsible AI and AI Governance
    • 76-829 Introduction to Digital Humanities
    • 80-625 Foundations of Causation and Machine Learning
    • 80-831 Responsible AI
    • 80-836 Topics on Ethics in AI
    • 84-671 International Governance of Artificial Intelligence
    • 85-712 Cognitive Modeling
    • 85-814 Cognition in the Age of AI
    • Other interdisciplinary course pre-approved by the Certificate Committee
**Note on double counting: This certificate requires a minimum of 24 units of coursework that are not counted toward the PhD. Course units taken in excess of that may double-count toward the PhD.  For example, the typical certificate students will take four 12-unit courses, and two of those may also count toward the student’s PhD requirements.

Students must complete a research paper or project that integrates methods or theory from both AI and human decision-making domains.

The project may be:

  • Part of the student’s dissertation work (with interdisciplinary scope), or
  • A standalone paper developed under supervision of two faculty mentors—one from the SCS and one from the DC. 

The paper or project must be supervised or co-supervised by at least one CMU faculty member who is not in the student’s home department and approved by the Certificate Committee.

How to Apply

Eligibility: This program is strictly available to currently enrolled Ph.D. students in good standing at Carnegie Mellon University.

For consideration for the joint certificate, please complete the online application form.

Admission requires meeting course prerequisites and securing written approval from your primary advisor. For any questions about eligibility, please contact Connie Angermeier.

Apply Now

For more information:

Certificate Program Directors
Professors Cleotilde Gonzalez & Aarti Singh

General Information
Connie Angermeier

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

This program is strictly available to currently enrolled CMU PhD students. Submit the online application form, which will request a brief statement of interest, an unofficial transcript, and evidence of advisor approval.

2-4 weeks after the submission of the application form.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Yes. Because the certificate involves additional coursework, students must have their advisor’s support before enrolling.

Yes. Relevant, already completed coursework may be applied toward the certificate with approval from the program director.

No. The certificate program was designed to not extend time to degree.

Upon completion, a PhD Certificate in Human-AI Decision Making will officially appear on your CMU transcript and in official university records.

The PhD certificate enhances your degree by giving you a "shared language" across the fields of artificial intelligence and decision science. This interdisciplinary edge prepares you for specialized academic and industry careers by integrating technical ML skills with human cognition and ethics.