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There are 3 modules in this course
As generative AI (GenAI) reshapes workplaces and job roles, using it effectively is now essential. Prompt engineering is the key to directing GenAI models and refining their output for desired results.
This course is for professionals, executives, students, and AI enthusiasts ready to harness prompt engineering to unlock tools like ChatGPT.
You’ll learn practical techniques, structured methods, and best practices for crafting strong prompts. Explore zero-shot and few-shot prompting to boost reliability and output quality. Discover advanced methods such as the Interview Pattern, Chain-of-Thought, and Tree-of-Thought to produce accurate, context-aware responses.
Hands-on labs and projects provide experience with multimodal prompting, the playoff method, and image generation. You’ll practice blending text and visuals and evaluating AI outputs for precision and usefulness.
Podcasts, dialogues, and discussions link theory to real-world scenarios, while expert insights highlight strategies for effective prompt use. A final project and graded assessments ensure you can apply these techniques with confidence, leaving you with practical, job-ready skills.
Hear from practitioners about the techniques and artistry behind writing impactful prompts. Enroll today to master prompt engineering and unlock GenAI’s potential.
In this module, you will learn the concept of prompt engineering in generative AI. You will also learn the best practices for writing effective prompts and assess common prompt engineering tools.
Expert Viewpoints: Best Practices for Effective Prompts•5 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Exploring Prompt Engineering in Generative AI•6 minutes
4 readings•Total 12 minutes
Course Overview•3 minutes
Specialization Overview•2 minutes
Helpful Tips for Course Completion•5 minutes
Reading: Lesson Summary: Concept of Prompt Engineering•2 minutes
2 assignments•Total 25 minutes
Practice Quiz: Concept of Prompt Engineering•10 minutes
Graded Quiz: Prompt Engineering for Generative AI •15 minutes
3 app items•Total 80 minutes
Lab: Getting to Know Our AI Prompting Tool•20 minutes
Lab: Experimenting with Prompts•40 minutes
Lab: Naive Prompting and Persona Pattern•20 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
AI in Everyday Interactions•10 minutes
1 plugin•Total 3 minutes
Podcast: Recap: Concept of Prompt Engineering•3 minutes
Prompt Engineering: Techniques and Approaches
Module 2•4 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you will discover techniques for skillfully crafting prompts that effectively steer generative AI models. You will also learn about various prompt engineering approaches that can enhance the capabilities of generative AI models to produce precise and relevant responses.
Expert Viewpoints: Key Considerations in Choosing Prompt Engineering Approach•4 minutes
1 reading•Total 2 minutes
Reading: Lesson Summary: Key Techniques of Prompt Engineering•2 minutes
2 assignments•Total 31 minutes
Practice Quiz: Techniques and Approaches for Writing Effective Prompts•10 minutes
Graded Quiz: Prompt Engineering: Techniques and Approaches•21 minutes
4 app items•Total 140 minutes
Lab: The Interview Pattern Approach in Prompt Engineering•20 minutes
Lab: The Chain-of-Thought Approach in Prompt Engineering•30 minutes
Lab: The Tree-of-Thought Approach to Prompt Engineering•30 minutes
Lab: Playoff Method•60 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
The Future of Interaction: Prompt Engineering in Practice•10 minutes
4 plugins•Total 53 minutes
Reading: Multimodal Prompts•10 minutes
Lab: Multimodal Prompts•30 minutes
Reading: The Playoff Method: A Powerful Tool in Prompt Engineering•10 minutes
Podcast: Recap: Key Techniques of Prompt Engineering•3 minutes
Course Quiz, Project, and Wrap-Up
Module 3•2 hours to complete
Module details
This module includes a graded quiz to test and reinforce your understanding of concepts covered in the course. The module also includes a glossary to enhance comprehension of generative AI-related terms.
The module includes a final project, which provides an opportunity to gain hands-on experience on the concepts covered in the course.
The module also includes optional content. This content includes the techniques for writing effective prompts for image generation. Additionally, you can learn about Prompt Lab, a prompting tool designed to maximize your prompt engineering capabilities in IBM watsonx.
At IBM, we know how rapidly tech evolves and recognize the crucial need for businesses and professionals to build job-ready, hands-on skills quickly. As a market-leading tech innovator, we’re committed to helping you thrive in this dynamic landscape. Through IBM Skills Network, our expertly designed training programs in AI, software development, cybersecurity, data science, business management, and more, provide the essential skills you need to secure your first job, advance your career, or drive business success. Whether you’re upskilling yourself or your team, our courses, Specializations, and Professional Certificates build the technical expertise that ensures you, and your organization, excel in a competitive world.
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GG
5·
Reviewed on Feb 21, 2024
EXcellent! So well organized and clear, the possibility to practice really makes you feel you are learning and automatically triggers new ideas on which to apply the learned lessons.
K
KI
5·
Reviewed on Mar 11, 2026
This is an excellent course for beginners. It clearly aligns the mind to think and write in a particular way that helps in getting better results from the AI tools.
H
HD
5·
Reviewed on Jul 24, 2025
This course was an eye-opening introduction into the power of prompt engineering and how strategic inputs can drive more accurate, creative, and relevant responses from generative AI models.
Do I need to be a programmer or have technical skills to learn prompt engineering?
No. This course is designed for non-technical professionals, executives, and students. We focus on "natural language programming"—the ability to use clear, structured English to direct AI behavior. While we explore advanced concepts like chain-of-thought and tree-of-thought, the goal is to help you communicate your intent effectively to models like ChatGPT without writing a single line of code.
What specific advanced prompting techniques will I master in this course?
This course goes beyond simple instructions to teach you the high-level strategies used by professional prompt engineers. You will learn to use zero-shot and few-shot prompting for immediate results, and master the interview pattern and chain-of-thought to solve complex, multi-step problems. You’ll also gain hands-on experience with multimodal prompting, learning how to blend text and images for high-fidelity generative outputs.
How does learning prompt engineering improve my career prospects?
As organizations increasingly integrate AI into their daily operations, the ability to generate reliable, high-quality AI output has become acritical workplace competency. This IBM-designed course provides you with "job-ready" skills to automate repetitive tasks, refine business strategy, and enhance creative workflows. By earning a certificate from the IBM, you demonstrate to employers that you can navigate the "art and science" of AI communication to drive measurable productivity.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Certificate?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Certificate, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.