Machine Learning Updates - MS-CS, MS-AI on Coursera

Important Update: Machine Learning Specialization Changes

We are excited to inform you that the current Machine Learning: Theory and Hands-On Practice with Python Specialization (taught by Professor Geena Kim) is being retired and will be replaced with a new and improved version (to be taught by Professor Daniel Acuna) that reflects the latest advancements in the field. The last opportunity to sign up for the current version will now be November 28, 2025. The new version will be available Spring 1, 2026.

How to Earn Credit for Geena Kim’s Course Versions

(If you completed the open version before Spring 1 session, 2026 deadline last day to enroll for credit was Fall 2 session)

Who This Applies To

This process only applies to:

  • New students, and
  • Students affected by the Fall 2, 2025 enrollment shutdown

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Create Your CU Boulder Account

Create your CU Boulder account and wait for it to become active.

2. Submit the

Once your account is active, complete the provided form to let the program know that you need to earn credit for Geena Kim’s version(s) of the course(s) you previously completed in the open (non-credit) version.

⚠️ Important

  • Use only for Geena Kim’s courses that you already completed in the open version and now need for credit.
  • If you did not complete all three courses in the open version, you will complete the remaining course(s) in Daniel Acuna’s versions.

Even though you will enroll in Daniel Acuna’s courses in , the program will enroll you in Geena Kim’s course(s) on the back end so you can finish those courses for credit.

3. Receive Program Instructions

You will receive an email from the program confirming:

  • That your form was received
  • Which Daniel Acuna courses you need to enroll in
  • Which Geena Kim course(s) the program will add for you on the back end

4. Enroll and Pay for Courses

Enroll in the required Machine Learning courses through and pay your tuition.

After enrolling, email the program to confirm that you are enrolled and paid for the applicable Machine Learning course(s).

5. Program Adds Geena Kim’s Course(s)

The program will manually enroll you in the Geena Kim course(s) you indicated on the form.

You will receive a confirmation email once this enrollment is complete.

6. Complete the Correct Coursework

You will see BOTH versions of the courses in your learner area.

  • Geena Kim’s versions will have “Geena Kim” in the course title
    • ✅ Complete coursework and finals only in these courses if they are the ones you are finishing for credit
  • Daniel Acuna’s versions will show the standard course codes:
    • CSCA 5622, CSCA 5632, CSCA 5642
    • ❌ Do not complete work in these courses unless the program has told you that you need to complete them
Example:

Background:
Alex is new to the program and completed CSCA 5622 and CSCA 5632 in the open (non-credit) versions in Fall 1, 2025. Due to the Fall 2 enrollment shutdown, Alex was unable to enroll in the for-credit versions at that time.

What Happens Next

  1. Create a CU Boulder account
    Alex creates their CU Boulder account and receives a CU Boulder ID and colorado.edu email address.
  2. Submit the program form
    Alex completes to notify the program that they need to complete Geena Kim’s versions of CSCA 5622 and CSCA 5632.
  3. Receive program instructions
    The program emails Alex to confirm receipt of the form and instructs Alex to enroll in the currently available versions of CSCA 5622 and CSCA 5632 through the Buff Portal.
  4. Enroll in courses
    Alex enrolls in CSCA 5622 and CSCA 5632 in Buff Portal and pays tuition.
    • Alex understands they must complete CSCA 5642 in the current version (Daniel Acuna’s version) because they did not complete the open version before Spring 1 session, 2026.
    • This is okay—the course versions work together.
  5. Notify the program
    After enrolling and paying tuition, Alex emails the program to confirm successful enrollment.
  6. Program enrolls Alex in the correct versions
    The program enrolls Alex in Geena Kim’s versions of CSCA 5622 and CSCA 5632 and sends a confirmation email.
    • Alex will see both versions in their learner area.
    • Alex should only complete coursework in Geena Kim’s versions.
    • All completed work will appear only in Geena Kim’s versions.
  7. Complete coursework
    Alex completes finals and any remaining coursework (such as peer reviews) by the session deadlines.
  8. Grading
    The program processes grading for the courses following standard procedures.

Key Reminders

If you are seeing multiple versions of the same course, this is expected. Only complete work in the course versions the program has specifically enrolled you in to finish for credit.

These are the course titles for GEENA KIM’S versions when you will see them in your Learner Area after the program enrolls you in them:

  • Introduction to Machine Learning: Supervised Learning = “DTSA 5509/CSCA 5622 January 2026 Geena Kim Section”

  • Unsupervised Algorithms in Machine Learning = “DTSA 5510/CSCA 5632 January 2026 Geena Kim Section”

  • Introduction to Deep Learning = “DTSA 5511/CSCA 5642 January 2026 Geena Kim Section”

Make sure you are working in these versions – You will see your completed coursework transfer in to these versions.

If you have questions about the course for your course facilitators, please note in the subject line of your email that you are working on GEENA KIM’S version. This will help expedite your questions.

Key Dates:

  • November 15:Last day tosign upfor the currentnon-creditversion of any courses in the specialization, taught by Prof. Geena Kim.
  • November 28:Last day toenrollin the currentfor-creditversion of any courses in the specialization, taught by Prof. Geena Kim.
  • December 12:Last day tocompletethe currentfor-creditversion of any courses in the specialization, taught by Prof. Geena Kim. Fall 2 for-credit session ends.
  • January 12:New versions of all courses in this specialization launch, taught by Prof. Daniel Acuna. Spring 1 for-credit session begins.
  • March 1:Last day tocomplete all 3 current non-credit coursesin the specialization, taught by Prof. Geena Kim, and receive a non-credit Coursera completion certificate.

  • You will have access until March 1, 2026.
  • After this date, you will be able to enroll in the new specialization.

No. Since the old non-credit Machine Learning specialization was phased out, for whichever course(s) you did not complete in the new specialization, you will need to complete them in the new non-credit specialization in order to receive the Coursera Completion Certificate.

A Coursera completion certificate is an official credential issued by Coursera and its partner universities, verifying that a learner successfully completed a specialization and demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the course material. This is not to be confused with earning academic credit from CU Boulder.

The content is updated to reflect the current curriculum and advances in the field.

All courses in this specialization are graduate level courses and students are expected to come to the courses with the necessary prior knowledge. We encourage you to preview the courses in the non-credit version first.

Yes. However, there will be fewer than in the previous version.

If you are interested in earning the completion certificate and feel comfortable with completing Geena’s full specialization before the enrollment deadline, feel free to enroll. You will have until March 1, 2026 to complete the material in order to receive the completion certificate.

You have a few options:

  • You can enroll in Professor Kim's full specialization now if you feel comfortable with the session deadlines.
  • You can enroll in part of Professor Kim's specialization now and do the remainder of the specialization in Professor Acuna's specialization after spring 1.
  • You can wait to complete the new specialization (Professor Acuna) starting in spring 1.
  • Remember that If you are interested in earning a completion certificate from Coursera, you need to complete either Professor Kim’s version in full, or Professor Acuna’s version in full.
  • Yes, any progress you have completed will not carry over to the new specialization. We recommend saving work off-platform.
  • If you have already earned academic CU Boulder credit for any Machine Learning courses, you will not need to re-do these courses in the new specialization.

Yes, the new version will count toward the Machine Learning requirement in the MS-CS degree, the MS-DS degree, The MS-AI degree, the DS graduate certificate and the AI graduate certificate. Even if you mix and match the courses in the specialization between the old and new versions.

No. The new version of the specialization is the updated version of the same specialization with the same course codes.