Next year, Tennessee Tech will become the first institute of higher learning in the state to offer an Artificial Intelligence major.¶
The university announced the new bachelor’s degree program this week that will be housed Tech’s Department of Computer Science. The university says the program builds upon what was formerly the data science and artificial intelligence concentration within the computer science major and further positions the university as a “statewide leader in AI.”¶
“When I started here at Tennessee Tech, we had the data science concentration. Eventually that changed into the data science and artificial intelligence concentration, and we've seen steady growth in that concentration over the past several years,” said Jerry Gannod, chair of Tech’s Department of Computer Science. “With the confluence of everything happening within artificial intelligence, both nationally and also here on campus, it really became the right time to do this.”¶
An ”Elevation” of AI¶
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission approved the new program last month and Tech staff have already begun developing an expanded curriculum.¶
Doug Talbert, professor of computer science and co-director of Tech’s Machine Intelligence and Data Science (MInDS) Center, said the curriculum will include courses in parallel programming and deep learning, and human-AI interaction. Tech anticipates further expansion of the program over the next three years.¶
“This is an elevation, so we’re not changing it drastically on day one,” said Talbert. “But we are beginning a planned evolution.”¶
“We’ll be rolling out even more advanced AI topics that are not currently covered in any courses on campus,” added Bill Eberle, professor of computer science and co-director of the MInDS Center. “This isn’t an applied AI degree. Our students want to build it, code it and understand the inner workings of it. We’re developing a program that emphasizes the foundations and engineering behind intelligent systems.”¶
The university says the new degree will complement the work of the MInDS Center. The on-campus hub launched in 2024 to address a national focus on AI education and workforce development.¶
Joseph P. Slater, dean of Tech’s College of Engineering, said the program represents a major step forward for the university’s role in this rapidly growing field.¶
“While AI is used throughout the curriculum across Tennessee Tech’s degree programs already, this dedicated Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence is focused on understanding AI under the hood, ensuring its safety and engineering the next generation of intelligent technologies,” Slater said. “This program will leverage our STEM expertise and the recently launched MInDS Center to ensure our graduates can be leaders in the continued evolution of AI systems that will be both secure and reliable. This is critical for all sectors of the economy, from manufacturing and energy to healthcare and research, and graduates will be able to find career opportunities in a variety of industries.”¶
