How Gies College of Business Puts Experiential Learning and AI Into Its Programs

Updated

Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois weaves two threads through its undergraduate, graduate, and online programs: hands-on work with real clients, and artificial intelligence built into courses, career services, and projects. The school describes this as "business on purpose" — practical experience paired with leadership and social responsibility. This applies to prospective students comparing programs and to current students deciding which experiences to pursue.

Experiential learning: working directly with clients

According to the school, undergraduate and graduate learners gain experience working directly with clients on real-world challenges. The stated goal is that this hands-on approach prepares students to add value and bring high-impact solutions to future roles.

In practice, that means a course or program component can look like a project team assigned to an outside organization's problem rather than a purely classroom exercise. If you are evaluating a program, ask these questions before enrolling:

  • Who are the clients? Are they local businesses, nonprofits, campus units, or external companies?
  • Is the project tied to a course or a separate program? This affects scheduling and credit.
  • What is the deliverable? A report, a working prototype, a recommendation presentation?
  • How is the team formed? Assigned or self-selected, and does it mix majors?

The school also frames experiential learning as a way to foster leadership and social responsibility, so some projects may center on societal or community challenges rather than only corporate ones.

AI across courses, career services, and projects

Gies states that it weaves artificial intelligence into courses, career services, and real-world projects, with the aim of building skills to solve complex problems in a digital-first economy. The school maintains a dedicated Artificial Intelligence at Gies area on its site.

The three touchpoints serve different purposes:

Touchpoint What it typically covers What to verify
Courses AI concepts and tools applied within business subjects Whether AI appears in required courses or only electives
Career services Using AI in job search, interview prep, or employer-facing work Which services are available to online vs. on-campus students
Real-world projects Applying AI to client or course challenges Whether projects require prior technical background

If AI depth matters to you, ask whether the program assumes coding experience or teaches tools from the ground up. The site describes the approach at a program level, not course by course.

Career readiness beyond traditional advising

The school says its career support goes beyond traditional advising. The page excerpt stops short of listing specific services, so treat "beyond advising" as a claim to test during a visit or info session. Useful questions: Is coaching available to online students? Are employer projects or alumni connections part of the package? What does the school report about outcomes for the specific program you are considering?

Choosing among undergraduate, graduate, and online paths

The same experiential and AI emphasis is described across three program families:

  • Undergraduate programs — a broad range of business majors and minors.
  • Graduate programs — specialized business degrees the school says can be completed in as little as one year.
  • Online programs — graduate business programs delivered online for flexibility.

The school cites external rankings on its homepage, including #1 in accountancy faculty research (BYU Accounting Faculty Research Rankings), #1 public business school for graduate accounting (U.S. News & World Report), #5 undergraduate business school in academic experience (Poets&Quants), and #12 undergraduate business program nationally (U.S. News & World Report). These are the school's own citations; check the ranking source and year if the number matters to your decision.

A practical way to decide: pick the program family first (undergraduate, residential graduate, or online graduate), then ask specifically how client projects and AI content appear in that format. Online learners, for example, may have different project logistics than on-campus students.

What to confirm before applying

  • Program length and format — the "as little as one year" figure applies to specialized graduate degrees; confirm it for your target program.
  • Project availability — ask whether client-based work is guaranteed, optional, or competitive.
  • AI prerequisites — confirm whether any technical background is expected.
  • Cost and aid — the site materials reviewed do not state tuition or fees, so request current figures from the program directly.

The clearest next step is to browse the undergraduate, graduate, and online program pages on giesbusiness.illinois.edu, then bring the questions above to an admissions contact or info session.