With artificial intelligence readily available to students and faculty, many university programs have begun seriously considering these tools and regulating when and how they can be used for coursework. Some are going further by building courses around AI compliance and academic integrity.
Boise State’s online Bachelor of Business Administration in Management is currently integrating the study of AI into its program to teach students how to use it as a partner and not a replacement for critical thinking.
But what does that look like in a program focused on building managerial skills, leadership and business ethics? And what does it mean for university policy as a whole? Here’s a closer look at how the online BBA in management administration views and utilizes AI tools in their coursework, along with general guidelines for AI use at Boise State University.
Understanding AI’s role in higher education
As AI tools continue to gain momentum, they’re more likely to become the norm rather than a novelty in higher education. University faculty and staff credit AI with speeding up the preparation of course materials and schedules and creating a more tailored experience for their students. Students are even more likely to rely on AI, with a 2025 study confirming that nearly all students (95.6%) polled admit to using AI tools to assist with their coursework. That said, reliance on AI has its shortcomings and these tools should be used with discernment and in compliance with individual program policies.
How is AI used in the online management program?
Karen Krier, Ed.D., course technologist for the online Bachelor of Business Administration in Management, shared how AI is currently being incorporated into courses:
”AI is integrated into multiple courses as both a practical tool and a subject for critical evaluation and a majority of our instructors have an AI policy in place for their courses. Assignments are designed to help students gain hands-on experience while reflecting on the benefits, risks and limitations of AI.
“For example, BUSMGT 300 — which serves as the entry point — students complete a mandatory AI Literacy and Academic Success workshop to build foundational skills in responsible AI use. Advanced class BUSMGT 420 (Managing Innovation and Change) offers a 20-point extra-credit assignment in which students use OpenAI’s Playground to generate a one-page bio and then write a two-page APA-formatted analysis addressing possible uses, potential misuses, productive applications and managerial applications of AI.
“By pairing AI tools with strong research skills, these courses foster student agency — helping learners make informed choices, evaluate information effectively and use AI as a means to enhance, not replace, their own intellectual work.”
— Karen Krier, Ed.D.
“This collaboration positions AI as a partner in the learning process rather than a replacement for critical thinking. By pairing AI tools with strong research skills, these courses foster student agency — helping learners make informed choices, evaluate information effectively and use AI as a means to enhance, not replace, their own intellectual work.”
What is the online management program’s policy for AI use?
There’s no universal policy for AI use at present, so this is left up to each instructor.
“Taking classes from different instructors is like working for someone new. Each instructor has their policy regarding AI, and it must be respected. As instructors, we want students to be able to think critically and to use AI when and where it is helpful. We are continually working to develop assignments that support these goals. As AI is a moving target, so are our courses!” said Karen Nicholas, Ph.D., department chair and clinical associate professor.
“Instructors also make students aware that AI-generated work often appears bland and uninspiring, underscoring the importance of original thought and critical analysis. Across courses, instructors are actively developing and refining assignments that balance skill-building with ethical considerations, helping students learn when AI use is appropriate and when it is not,” Krier added.
Academic integrity and responsible AI use at Boise State
As a general policy, Boise State University prohibits students from submitting AI-created work as their own. Some AI-produced content is allowed if the use is disclosed or properly credited. AI use without citations can be considered plagiarism under Boise State’s Code of Student Conduct.
While tools are available to faculty to detect improper AI use, the AI in Teaching and Learning Committee — a group of university faculty and staff — advises against adopting AI detection tools at an institutional or individual level. These tools are essentially AI detecting itself and may flag content that isn’t AI-generated as suspicious, which is dangerous for students who run the risk of being reported for university policy violations.
When in doubt, check out Boise State’s AI in Education page to stay up to date on how to responsibly use AI tools within university policies.
Best practices for transparent AI use
Best practices for using AI in an academic setting will vary depending on the institution, professor and how the tool is being used. Restrictions on AI use are as ever-evolving as the tools themselves, so it’s a good idea to stay up to date with all policies. Boise State has its own generative AI policies in place to help protect sensitive information and copyrighted materials.
Building AI literacy
AI literacy refers to your understanding of how a particular AI tool generates its content, how to use it effectively to meet your needs and how to evaluate or edit the output provided by the tool. If you want to improve your AI literacy and learn more about available tools, Bronco Learn offers self-paced web courses on AI Literacy and Academic Success and using Boise State AI. Bronco Learn courses are free to anyone with a boisestate.edu mailing address.
AI tools every Boise State student should know about
Boise State University has a list of supported AI tools available for student and faculty use that meet academic privacy standards:
- boisestate.ai: A free, cloud-hosted AI platform built using Boise State’s branding and governance. It also has multiple AI models to choose from, including Claude Sonnet 4.
- Google Gemini and NotebookLM: Google Gemini (Education edition) is a university-approved AI assistant that’s integrated into other Google products and apps and can be used to generate content. NotebookLM is a similar AI assistant, but can be used to collect and organize research for papers and presentations.
Other AI tools that are worth mentioning, but may not be approved for programs, include:
- Grammarly: Grammarly use may depend on the individual department or class policy, due to the popular app’s use of generative AI. Grammarly plug-ins may also trigger AI detecting software.
- ChatGPT: Another popular content creator, ChatGPT’s education edition may be used as a teaching tool by faculty and staff, but is rarely allowed for student use due to its use of generative AI, which poses a security risk.
It’s important to note that the use of AI tools by students for coursework should be cited or disclosed.
Learn more about business programs at Boise State
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