INFO 7375 & Prompt Engineering for Generative AI

SPRING 2025
Course Information
Course Title: Prompt Engineering for Generative AI
Course Number: INFO 7375
Term and Year: SPRING 2025
Credit Hour: 4
CRN: TBD
Course Format: Online

Instructor Information
Full Name: Shirali Patel
Email Address: [email protected]
Office Hours: Virtual Upon Request; TA will host assistance hours

Instructor Biography
Shirali Patel is an adjunct faculty member, based out of the Arlington Campus. With over 20 years of
experience as a systems engineer, project manager, and product manager, Shirali brings a wealth of
knowledge and practical expertise to her students. She holds a Doctorate in Engineering Management
from George Washington University and currently serves as a Director of Product Management at
Microsoft. In this role, she leads a team responsible for launching M365 clouds for Government
customers, with a recent focus on the launch of CoPilot. In addition to her professional accomplishments,
Shirali is a proud US Airforce veteran, bringing a unique perspective and discipline to her work and
teaching.

Teaching Assistant Information

Full Name: TBD
Email Address:TBD
Office Hours: TBD

Course Prerequisites
None, but a basic understanding of Python coding is required.

Course Description
AI prompt engineering is a powerful tool that enables individuals to leverage AI technologies without
extensive coding skills. By carefully crafting prompts, users can guide large-language models (like GPT-3,
GPT-4, Google Bard, and Copilot) to produce valuable outputs, aiding in the development of innovative

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ideas and applications. This practice democratizes access to technology, reducing the need for deep
technical expertise and lowering entry barriers for entrepreneurs. As AI continues to evolve, prompt
engineering is likely to become a crucial skill, offering significant opportunities for those who choose to
engage with it.

Course Learning Outcomes

This course aims to equip students with a robust understanding of the fundamental concepts and
methodologies applicable to any Large Language Model (LLM). Participants will gain a deep knowledge of
AI-assisted coding and data analysis, along with a comprehensive framework for developing, testing, and
managing prompts.

This course is ideal for students looking to leverage advanced AI technology to enhance their work quality
across various industries. By effectively utilizing LLMs, potential developers can accomplish tasks with
exceptional quality and efficiency, showcasing enhanced capabilities. The course offers an in-depth
exploration of the AI field, equipping learners with skills that are applicable both professionally and
personally. The principles taught will enable effective interaction with AI systems, leading to
transformative results that were once unimaginable.

After successfully completing this course, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of Prompt
Engineering, and cultivate the necessary skills for interacting effectively with AI systems:
• Understand the fundamentals of prompt engineering and the pivotal role of prompt engineers in
systems powered by Generative AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP).
• Develop in-depth knowledge of Large Language Models (LLMs) and their operational mechanisms.
• Master the skill of crafting, optimizing, and customizing prompts tailored to various AI models.
• Explore a range of prompting concepts and techniques, including zero-shot and few-shot prompting,
Chain of Thought Prompting, Knowledge Generation Prompting, among others.
• Acquire the ability to fine-tune LLMs to produce structured outputs and enhance knowledge retrieval.
• Learn to identify and address common issues in LLMs, such as hallucinations, and devise innovative
solutions.
• Gain proficiency in the Tree of Thought Prompting technique to improve problem-solving capabilities in
AI language models.
• Efficiently utilize AI prompt libraries to organize, streamline development processes, and enhance
collaborative efforts.

Required Tools and Course Textbooks.

•TEXTBOOK: El Amri, Aymen. LLM Prompt Engineering for Developers. Packt Publishing, 2024.

•Students will review academic papers, AI research reports, and articles focused on prompt
engineering and fine-tuning techniques within the field of Generative AI.

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Course Schedule/Topics Covered.

Week In Class Topic In-Class Assignment (Due

before next class)
1 • Class Syllabus Survey on Coding
• Class Expectations Skills & AI
• Course Introduction Knowledge
• Introduction to AI/ML/DL
• Generative Models and Types
• Generative Al for Text
• Al with Foundation Models
• Recap of Generative Al Concepts
• Traditional vs. Generative Models
2 • Understanding NLP ChatGPT Prompt HW1: Exploration of
• Understanding LLMs Exercises Language Models
• Statistical Models (short paper)
• Knowledge-based Models
• Contextual Language Models
• Neural Network-based Models
• Transformer Models
3 • OpenAI GPT Tech Stack Setup HW2: Project
• GPT vs ChatGPT Proposal (Milestone
• GPT Models (3.5, 4.0, etc.) 1)
• API Usage vs Web Interface
• Costs, Tokens, & Initial Prompts
• Probability and Sampling
• API Parameters
• Deprecation
4 • N-Shot Learning Few-Shot Exercise HW3: Basic Project
• Chain of Thought (CoT) COT Exercise Model Using
• Auto Chain of Thought (AutoCoT) Prompting
Techniques
(Milestone 2)
5 • Self-Consistency Transfer Learning HW4: Fine-Tuning
• Transfer Learning Exercise the Project Model
• Fine-Tuning (Milestone 3)
6 • Perplexity BetterPrompt Perplexity
• Hack the Prompt Exercise Optimization for
• ReAct = Reason + Act Prompts (Remove)
7 • General Knowledge Prompting GK Prompting HW5: Designing
• Azure Prompt Flow Exercise Complex Prompts
Azure Prompt Flow using Azure Prompt
Exercise Flow
8 • LangChain LangChain HW6: Test and
• Exercise Refine the Project

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 Model (Milestone 4)

9 • Partial Prompting ReAct with

• Pipeline Prompts LangChain
• Prompt Templates Exercise
• Example Selectors
10 • Success Criteria & Test Cases Promptfoo HW7: User-
• Evaluating a Prompt Scenarios Centered Prompt
• Promptfoo Design
• Integrating Promptfoo with LangChain
11 • Multi-modality Multi-modal HW8: Multi-Modal
• Prompt Hacking Defense Prompting Exercise Prompting for
Creative
Applications
12 • Meta Prompting Project Live Demo
(Milestone 5)

13 • Best Practices Functional Project

• Anatomy & Types of Prompts Submission & Final
• Prompt Databases, Tools, & Resources Report (Milestone 6)
14 Final Exam, due by Friday

Assignment Grading
• Class Attendance & Participation – 13%
• Homework Assignments – 40%
• Project – 30%
• Final Exam – 20%
• Class Evaluation – 2%

Grading Scale

87-89.9% B+ 77-79.9% C+
95-100% A
84-86.9% B 74-76.9% C 69.9% or below F
90-94.9% A- 80-83.9%B- 70-73.9% C-

Attendance/Late Work Policy

Attendance Policy
Students registered in MGEN courses (INFO, CSYE, and DAMG) are allowed a maximum of 2 absences
per course, with 3 or more absences resulting in an automatic 'F' for that course. Students are
expected to inform their instructors of any absences in advance of the class; if a student is sick long-term
or experiences a medical issue that prevents class attendance, it is strongly encouraged that they speak

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with their Academic Advisor ([email protected]) to learn more about the Medical
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Teaching Assistants (TAs) or Instructional Assistants (IAs) will be present at each class to collect student
attendance.
Late Work Policy
Students must submit assignments by the deadline in the time zone noted in the syllabus. Students must
communicate with the faculty prior to the deadline if they anticipate work will be submitted late. Work
submitted late without prior communication with faculty will not be graded.

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MGEN Student Feedback

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