UC San Diego Launches Undergraduate AI Major Grounded in Computer Science, Ethics, and Hands-On Learning

UC San Diego Launches an Undergraduate AI Major Built on a Strong Computer Science Base

The University of California San Diego is launching an undergraduate artificial intelligence major this fall. The program sits in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and connects across campus, including the Jacobs School of Engineering and the School of Computing, Information and Data Science (SCIDS).

"UC San Diego has been at the forefront of artificial intelligence research and development for decades, and our new computer science AI major fosters a new era of innovation," said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. "By combining our faculty's research prowess with our educational expertise, we are empowering students to become the next generation of AI leaders and visionaries."

This is one of the few AI majors in the United States built on a strong computer science base, answering clear demand from students and industry. "I'm proud that our new AI major will give students a strong foundation in computer science while providing hands-on experiences with the foundations and practical aspects of AI," said Steven Swanson, chair of the UC San Diego Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

Scale and Structure

By 2029, the AI major is expected to enroll 1,000 students. The first 200-plus undergraduates begin in fall 2025, led by faculty such as associate professor Taylor Berg-Kirkpatrick.

Graduates are expected to integrate software, hardware, and AI components into computing systems, said computer science faculty member Mia Minnes, vice chair for Undergraduate Education.

Curriculum at a Glance

Students build depth across computer science, mathematics, and statistics, then apply it through team-based projects, a required ethics course, and a senior capstone.

• Guiding themes: mathematical foundations; systems building; ethics and societal impacts.

All students take two early, technical AI courses that bring core ideas forward in the first two years:

• CSE 25: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence - A first-year look under the hood of AI models as mathematics and algorithms, with explicit discussion of where outputs can go wrong. "I'm especially excited about creating a CS1-equivalent for AI, an introductory course with minimal prerequisites that sparks curiosity and builds strong foundations," said teaching professor Trevor Bonjour.
• CSE 55: Foundations of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning - A second-year course on the mathematics behind industry-grade tools, building skills in linear algebra, probability, and optimization, and showing how these elements power modern systems.

"We created these two foundational AI courses and placed them near the beginning of the major so that students do not have to wait until they get through the required core math and computer science courses before starting to explore AI," said Minnes.

Faculty and Research Integration

Courses are taught by AI and machine learning faculty across UC San Diego - leaders in computer vision, robotics, reinforcement learning, natural language processing, and data mining - with research closely connected to industry needs. The curriculum tracks current developments, including machine learning, large language models, and applications to real-world challenges.

Berg-Kirkpatrick studies how to build AI systems that reason more faithfully and integrate learning with structured forms of knowledge. "I see the major as a way to bring that spirit of curiosity and rigor to our undergraduates," he said.

New elective offerings include:

• Artificial intelligence for biology
• Computational robotics
• Introduction to generative AI
• Machine learning for music
• Systems and architecture for machine learning

Electives will also be open to students outside the AI major.

Teaching Quality and Evidence-Based Practice

"This was a great opportunity to help design a curriculum that makes AI approachable from the start. My goal is for our students to graduate with the confidence and skills to tackle the important questions of tomorrow," said Bonjour, who studies how students learn AI and ML concepts and applies evidence-based teaching practices.

AI coursework runs in parallel with the department's core lower- and upper-division computer science requirements. While the long-standing CS major allows broad upper-division flexibility, the AI major requires more upper-division courses specifically in AI and machine learning.

The First Class

Students chose the major because they see AI as the future of computer science and value UC San Diego's reputation and opportunities. Revelle student Leena Banga became interested in AI during an internship at the University of Pennsylvania and hopes to explore applications to quantum computing.

Nicole Fong is focused on applying AI to healthcare data and is also interested in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience. Aaryan Panda moved from Florida for better access to AI education and industry, noting that "The market for AI jobs is hot."

Some students, like Christine Antoine, are continuing a family tradition in software engineering. After taking a high school AI course and building a system to detect distracted driving, she knew she wanted more. "UC San Diego was the only campus offering an AI major among the schools I was interested in. I really wanted to study AI here," she said.

Why This Matters for Scientists and Research Leaders

This program creates a pipeline of graduates who can reason from first principles, implement reliable systems, and evaluate societal impact. The focus on mathematical depth, scalable systems, and hands-on projects means these students can contribute to lab initiatives and production teams on day one.

For more on the department, visit the UC San Diego Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

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