You can now major in artificial intelligence at these Maryland colleges

ChatGPT lovers rejoice: Maryland colleges are adding new majors and programs that allow students to graduate with a degree in artificial intelligence.

The new offerings at schools including the University of Maryland, College Park, and Morgan State University reflect a nationwide trend: Between December and June, there’s been a 36% increase in AI majors at universities nationwide, according to research conducted by Carla Brodley, dean of inclusive computing at Northeastern University. More programs, including those in Maryland, were announced this summer.

The rise corresponds to increased AI use among college students, according to a 2026 Lumina Foundation-Gallup study, which found that 57% of them use it in their coursework at least weekly. One in five said they use it daily.

AI majors are “the trendy thing” right now, said Lisa Meeden, a computer science professor at Swarthmore College who has spent her 30-year career studying robot learning.

It’s better, she thinks, to major in computer science instead and take classes on artificial intelligence, which she worries is too hyperfocused to be a standalone major.

“We really need students to be solid computer scientists that understand the theory and basic foundation of what AI is built on top of,” she said. “Just focusing on the latest, greatest tool and how to interact with it doesn’t give you the foundation of truly understanding it.”

But Maryland universities are forging ahead anyway.

The state’s flagship university announced last month it was launching two bachelor’s degrees developed in partnership with the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland. A major in human-centered artificial intelligence will teach students how to critically evaluate the ethical implications of AI technologies and analyze systems for biases. Class offerings include “Gender, Race and Computing,” “Privacy, Security and Ethics for Big Data,” and “Designing Fair Systems.” Students can choose to specialize in themes like the arts, ethics, and law, policy and governance.

On its website, the university advertises the degree for those interested in pursuing careers in the arts, business, education, government, law, medicine, policy or any field that “requires a scientific understanding of AI along with a rigorous appreciation of its ethical, social and cultural impact.”

The other new major is a bachelor’s in computational structures for AI systems, in which students learn to build AI systems and algorithms from the ground up.

“We have over 250 faculty members who do artificial intelligence research and are working to ensure that we are training the next generation of students on how not only to build the technology, but also do it in a way that uplifts people and society,” said Alyssa Ryan, a program director at the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute.

Morgan State also announced a new major in artificial intelligence beginning this fall, adapted from a previous major in cloud computing.

Rather than traditional lecture-based instruction, each AI and machine-learning course will include hands-on projects developed by faculty and students. This gives students competitive portfolios for internships and careers, said Paul Wang, a professor in the university’s computer science department.

“These projects are really embedded into classes, which is very unique,” Wang said. “We’re focusing on experimental learning and hands-on learning.”

Students in Wang’s lab have done research projects on AI bias toward students with lighter skin and have used artificial intelligence to map out Baltimore’s air quality through the lens of income and race.

Some of Wang’s students have gotten internships at Google, JPMorgan and Bloomberg, he said, while others have gotten full-time jobs at Microsoft, Uber and Oracle. Students who graduate with the new bachelor’s in AI will have the skills to work in development, cybersecurity, engineering and game design.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County, is also jumping into the fray. This fall, the university is launching a master’s degree in AI. Graduates, according to the university, will leave the program equipped to tackle complex AI-related problems.

Students enrolled in the program will have access to federally funded research programs through agencies like the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, according to the university’s website. Classes include “Principles of Artificial Intelligence,” where students learn about search algorithms, logical reasoning and machine learning, and “Computer Vision,” which teaches techniques for enabling computers to interpret and understand visual information.

UMBC has long offered classes in artificial intelligence, said Mohamed Younis, a professor of computer science and electrical engineering. But interest grew exponentially in recent years. Younis said that the university is developing a bachelor’s program in artificial intelligence as well.

“We are excited about growing in this direction and really contributing to the workforce,” Younis said. “It’s become quite popular.”

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