Iowa State University recently added two new undergraduate minors to address the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in nearly every aspect of daily life.
The miners offered are AI miner and applied AI miner.
Both minors have strong fundamental concepts about the ethical use of AI and how it can improve the workplace. Although both belong to the same general field of AI and have similar titles, there are important differences.
According to ISU, the AI minor will be introduced in fall 2025 and is designed to give students a foundation of knowledge in AI and machine learning principles and develop the ability to use AI to generate solutions to real-world challenges. course catalog.
The AI minor is open to undergraduate students in all majors, but is intended for students who have a quantitative background and have already enrolled in a major that satisfies the prerequisites. These majors include software engineering, data science, and computer science.
The minor consists of completing 15 credit hours, including three core classes and two from the pre-approval list. The core classes are PHIL 3430 (Ethics of Computing and AI), COMS 4720 (Principles of AI), and COMS 4740 (Introduction to Machine Learning).
Students can choose their remaining credits from an approved list that includes a variety of courses on topics such as mechanical engineering, computer science, and electrical engineering.
At least 6 credits on the approved list must be courses at the 3000 level or higher with a C grade or better.
Jack Whitmore, a second-year management information systems student, is interested in this minor because he loves coding. He also believes that AI is a growing industry that is pervasive in the workplace, and completing this minor will help you gain in-demand skills.
“Learning how to use work will help move me forward in the job market because as much as I may take away jobs, I will also create just as many jobs,” Whitmore said.
The Applied AI minor will be established in spring 2024 and is open to all undergraduate students.
There are not many prerequisites for taking core courses, so it is designed to be available to all college majors.
According to ISU, the Applied AI minor provides foundational knowledge in the use of AI using low-code and no-code tools that are available to a wide range of users. course catalog. It is designed to be accessible to students of all majors interested in learning AI skills.
“Many different students find different paths to completing this minor, so different combinations of electives suit their different career and academic interests,” said Annemarie Butler, associate professor of philosophy and religious studies.
The core classes are AI 2010 (Introduction to Applied AI) and AI 2020 (Ethical Design, Use, and Impact of AI).
Students can choose nine credits from a list of pre-approved courses, including topics such as data science, management information systems, and English.
Six credits in the 3000 range or above are required, with a grade of C or higher.
Deb Holmes, assistant director of academic advising for computer science, said the applied AI minor focuses on the use of AI compared to the AI minor, which is how to create AI.
“We’re more focused on using AI in the workplace than how we create it,” Holmes says.
