UW-Stevens Point launches new undergraduate degree in artificial intelligence
By Brandi Makuski
STEVENS POINT – The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is launching a new bachelor’s degree in artificial intelligence this fall, blending technical programming instruction with real-world application and ethical training.
The new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence aims to prepare students for the evolving workforce demands in industries increasingly shaped by AI, including healthcare, manufacturing, and cybersecurity.
“It’s a new undergraduate program in computing, so there’s quite a bit of overlap with our existing computer information systems program,” said Associate Professor Tomi Heimonen. “But then we are offering completely new courses in AI. We’re covering everything from deep learning and neural networks to AI for security and natural language processing.”
The curriculum includes machine learning, cloud environments, AI-driven cybersecurity, and a senior capstone project that connects students with local partners. This fall, one project involves building a chatbot to help a local agency’s customer service team access internal policy information.
“I think the hallmark of all our courses is that it’s not just theory,” Heimonen said. “There’s a pretty heavy application emphasis in all of them.”
Students will also complete coursework in programming, data analytics and mathematics. A core component of the program emphasizes ethics in AI design, including fairness, transparency and human oversight.
“We’re not building terminators,” Heimonen said. “AI are systems that try to imitate human intelligence by taking in data, learning from it and then recommending actions or producing outcomes based on that data.”
The university’s decision to offer the program was influenced by market demand and workforce development trends. The program is backed by state funding and is one of only a few of its kind in the region.
“There’s definitely a gap between the number of trained professionals and what the workforce needs,” Heimonen said. “UWSP saw a chance to be one of the few institutions in the state training students specifically to work with AI straight out of their undergraduate and deliver talents to the needs of Wisconsin employers.”
Graduates will be equipped for roles such as software developers, computer systems analysts, and information systems managers. While “AI developer” may not yet be a common job title, Heimonen said employers increasingly value applicants with AI knowledge and skills.
“There has to be some guardrails,” Heimonen said. “If we’re going to trust AI to make decisions, we need to make sure those decisions are accurate, fair and conveyed in a way that can be explained to the user.”
More information about the program is available at uwsp.edu/programs/degree/artificial-intelligence.