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The University of North Texas will launch a Bachelor of Science in artificial intelligence this fall, one of a growing number of undergraduate AI degrees at U.S. universities. The program pairs computer science fundamentals with AI coursework across departments, from math and natural sciences to healthcare, sociology, and criminal justice. UNT has taught AI and machine learning courses for more than a decade and launched a Master of Science in AI in 2020, said Lotfi ben Othmane, the program coordinator and a professor in the department of computer science and engineering. Rising undergraduate interest and industry demand led faculty to develop the new degree.

What the degree includes

The curriculum totals 120 semester hours across three areas: foundational courses such as technical writing, calculus, and lab sciences; major requirements covering computing, software engineering, cybersecurity, machine learning, and algorithms; and an application domain of 18 hours of AI coursework chosen from any UNT department. The interdisciplinary structure lets students tailor the degree to their interests and reflects how computer science has become a service industry, said David Keathly, associate chair for undergraduate studies in computer science and engineering. Keathly led the committee that developed the program, starting with market research about what skills employers want. "We're trying to build better tools to help people solve those problems," Keathly said. "That's why we want students to have the ability to go take some courses in some of these other areas that they may be interested in - not enough to go get a biology degree, but enough to be able to support somebody at a pharmaceuticals company or something like that [who] wants to use those kinds of tools."

New courses and responsible AI

Most of the coursework uses existing classes, but faculty developed four new degree-specific AI courses, three of which launch this fall. The committee is also working on courses about governance and security in large language models, an area of growing concern as AI spreads across industries. "One of the things that's kind of weaved throughout the coursework is that we have to be responsible in how we do this," Keathly said. The program has no enrolled students yet because of administrative delays in listing the degree in the university's system, ben Othmane said. Based on indicated interest, he expects many incoming freshmen and underclassmen to switch their majors to AI. "Students [will] come because they understand that we are in an evolution where we are adding artificial intelligence capability into the system," he said.

Why this matters for education professionals

For educators and administrators watching the growth of AI degrees, the UNT program offers a model for how universities can respond to industry demand without isolating AI in one department. "We want to be sure that people have the right background so they can be successful," Keathly said. "Sometimes that doesn't happen if everything is done organically in that one department if they don't have that expertise. So we're really becoming kind of a service industry to all these different areas." For teachers building their own AI skills, resources like the AI Learning Path for Teachers offer practical training that mirrors the interdisciplinary approach UNT is taking. And for education leaders tracking the trend, AI for Education covers how schools and universities are adopting AI tools and curriculum.