SYRACUSE — Syracuse University’s (SU) School of Information Studies (iSchool) says it plans to launch a new graduate-degree program in artificial intelligence (AI) in the fall semester of 2025. Beginning this fall, students can apply to earn a master’s degree in applied human-centered artificial intelligence, which SU says will prepare them to “leverage advanced generative […]
SYRACUSE — Syracuse University’s (SU) School of Information Studies (iSchool) says it plans to launch a new graduate-degree program in artificial intelligence (AI) in the fall semester of 2025. Beginning this fall, students can apply to earn a master’s degree in applied human-centered artificial intelligence, which SU says will prepare them to “leverage advanced generative AI models ethically and with a human-centered approach.” “We decided to launch this new AI program to meet the growing demand from industry, where many companies, across diverse industries, need professionals capable of leveraging Generative AI. Furthermore, our students have shown significant interest in gaining expertise in AI, driven by the industry’s evolving requirements and opportunities,” Jeffrey Saltz, iSchool associate professor and program director of the school’s master’s degree in applied human-centered artificial intelligence, said in the school’s announcement. Syracuse University cites Glassdoor.com as indicating artificial intelligence is the third fastest-growing field in the U.S., and those with expertise in AI command an average salary of $162,000. Popular jobs include GenAI developer, data scientist, AI product manager, and human-AI interaction designer. The iSchool’s new program will include an emphasis on hands-on projects to showcase students’ practical expertise and knowledge in the field of AI. Examples of such projects will include creating a customer-service chatbot using large language models (LLMs) that integrate with a company’s existing customer-service system and building a sentiment-analysis agent that analyzes social-media data for brand monitoring, SU said. Other examples include developing a virtual assistant that schedules meetings and performs other tasks using public Gen AI application programming interface (API); examining the effectiveness and user experience of various human-AI interaction agents; and developing a medical diagnostic tool that assists doctors by analyzing medical images and patient data. “The iSchool has been a pioneer in AI and data science education, and we were one of the first universities to offer an Applied Data Science program,” Saltz contended. “Recognizing the evolving landscape of technology and the increasing importance of AI, the iSchool saw a critical need to expand its offerings to include advanced AI education.” SU went on to say that for the past five years, the iSchool has developed numerous courses to support the new AI program. Students can expect a curriculum covering foundational AI concepts, as well as how to apply those concepts within practical applications. The program will include course titles such as Deep Learning in Practice; Natural Language Processing; Building Human-Centered AI Applications; Responsible AI; and Dynamics of Human-AI Interaction. “The continuing enhancement of courses helps to ensure that the iSchool’s program is robust and comprehensive and can evolve as the field evolves,” SU contends. Furthermore, the iSchool’s faculty will continue to research key questions around human-AI interactions and how to incorporate human and AI knowledge into organizations and society in general, per the SU announcement.