KENNESAW, Ga. — Kennesaw State University students will soon be able to graduate with a Master of Science in artificial intelligence (MSAI) degree.
According to a release, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved the program on Tuesday, and it will begin in the fall 2024 semester.
KSU is the second school in Georgia to offer this degree, according to the university. The program will be housed in the College of Computing and Software Engineering and will expand on the university's existing artificial intelligence concentration in the department of computer science.
Kennesaw State President Kathy Schwaig said the program offers students a learning environment that cultivates collaboration and creativity.
"The Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence reaffirms our University's commitment to providing cutting-edge education to our students while serving the evolving needs of the state of Georgia and beyond," Schwaig said in an online release.
The program will prepare students for jobs like AI application developer, ethics researcher, product manager, research scientist, solutions architect, or algorithm developer, the release wrote.
KSU's provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, Ivan Pulinkala, said the degree will equip students with the skills to thrive in a variety of career fields as technology continues to involve and transform industries.
According to PricewaterhouseCoopers' Global Artificial Intelligence Study, MSAI graduates will enter the artificial intelligence field, which is expected to contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. Also, the university's release said that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the employment of computer and information research scientists, like AI professionals, will increase by 21% between 2021 to 2031. This is a faster rate than the 5% average for other occupations.
In addition to classwork and research opportunities, the university said the students will gain AI knowledge through internships, collaborative assignments and capstone courses and projects. It's a 30-credit hour program and will typically take full-time students a year and a half to complete. That said, it will still be possible to complete in three semesters.
Sumanth Yenduri, the dean of the College of Computing and Software Engineering, said that the program will emphasize hands-on learning and practical experience.
"By embracing the limitless potential of artificial intelligence, we are preparing our students to meet the industry needs of tomorrow while catalyzing positive change across various sectors," Yenduri said.
According to its website, the University of Georgia also offers an MSAI degree.