Data and AI Storytelling Certificate

Purdue’s Data and AI Storytelling Certificate is a series of three, 100% online courses that teach the fundamentals of data visualization and data literacy – teaching professionals how to build compelling and effective data “stories” that move audiences to action. This certificate is a quick and convenient upskilling opportunity for anyone who wants to learn more about harnessing the power of data visualization and moving consumer or corporate audiences to action.
Data and AI Storytelling CoursesFAQs

Build In-Demand Skills in Data and AI Storytelling with Purdue’s Data Storytelling Certificate 

By 2028, the data visualization market will be a nearly 15-billion-dollar industry, growing at a rate of about 10% over the next five years. Data visualization skills are in-demand in numerous industries, ranging from healthcare to finance and education. In today’s data-driven market, being able to work with, evaluate, and present data effectively is a key skill that is essential to career advancement. 

Marketable data skills

Amidst soaring demand for data visualization skills, Purdue University’s Data and AI Storytelling Certificate offers professionals a strategic edge. With the market projected to hit nearly 15 billion dollars by 2028, mastering data narrative creation is crucial for career advancement. Purdue’s online program blends rhetoric, data science, and storytelling to craft impactful visualizations, empowering individuals to excel in today’s data-driven world. 

Learn Marketable Data Skills like:

  • How to combine elements of rhetoric, data science, data visualization, and storytelling to create compelling data narratives.  
  • Best practices in data visualization.  
  • How to identify causal data relationships and present them to an audience. 
  • How to effectively persuade audiences and move them to action with data. 

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Data and AI Storytelling Courses 

Every course in the Data and AI Storytelling Certificate can be taken as a standalone course, though it is recommended by faculty and staff to take all three courses to earn the certificate. This is to ensure an enriching and comprehensive experience for all learners. The first course, Data Storytelling 101, is free for students who also register for a paid course. In addition, no prior programming or data experience is necessary to enroll in any of the courses.  

Individual Courses: $350 each
Full Certificate (All Three Courses): $1,000

Data and AI Storytelling Course Information

Data and AI Storytelling 101
Building Causal Data and AI Stories
Narrative Visualization
Data and AI Storytelling As An Ethical Choice

Student Success Stories

Matthew Kerkhoff

Hear from Matthew Kerkhoff, one of our esteemed program alumni, as he shares his insights on how Data and AI Storytelling has propelled his career forward, here.

Virtual Events

Virtual Events

    Data and AI Storytelling – Panel Discussion Session
    Apr 23, 2025, Noon EST
    Register Here

    Data and AI Storytelling – Informational Session
    May 21, 2025, 04:00 PM EST
    Register Here

     

    About the Instructor 

    Dr. Sorin Adam Matei is Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Education in the College of Liberal Arts and Professor of Communication in the Brian Lamb School of Communication. His research studies the relationship between information technology, group behavior, and social structures. He is known for spearheading innovative research projects on Wikipedia, social media cognition and emotion, and ethics in Big Data. He has been awarded numerous grants and has published nine books as well as dozens of journal articles in publications like The Journal of Communication and Communication Research. 

    Transfer Credits 

    Students who complete all three courses in the Data and AI Storytelling Certificate are eligible to transfer the credits they earned into Purdue’s online Master of Science in Communication program.

    Add a Credential in Digital Media Analytics  

    Purdue also offers a series of online courses in digital media analytics that teach students how to collect and analyze data from social media. Through enrolling in the digital media analytics and data storytelling courses, professionals can expand their data toolbox and prepare themselves for data-forward roles in numerous industries.  

    Frequently Asked Questions

    See below for answers to common questions asked by other prospective students. If you still have questions after reading through this list, you can reach out directly to the Program Learning Manager at storytelling@purdue.edu.

    What will I learn if I enroll in the Data and AI Storytelling program?
    What is the learning approach for the Data and AI Storytelling program?
    What is a self-guided and self-paced class?
    How much time should I allow for doing the readings and completing assignments?
    What are the prerequisites for Data and AI Storytelling?
    What is the difference between noncredit and credit classes?
    How does the noncredit to credit pathway work?
    Do I need to enroll at a specific time?
    What is the cost of enrolling in the Data and AI Storytelling program?
    How long will I have access to the Data and AI Storytelling course(s)?
    Is financial aid available?