Herkimer University is rolling out a new artificial intelligence business degree program. It is designed to prepare students for one of today’s fastest growing and most in-demand fields.
April Harris is an associate professor of criminal justice and cybersecurity at Herkimer University. She says she knows there are negative implications when it comes to artificial intelligence, but she also knows that it can also be a positive tool if used properly.
“The best way to combat this, in my opinion, is to teach kids the ethical way to use it and that it doesn’t have to be a bad thing,” Harris said.
The associate’s degree program provides students with the concepts of AI, machine learning, big data, and the ethical considerations that shape the digital economy.
“The language that AI tools are programmed in is Python, so what I’m trying to do is teach them the basics of how these tools are programmed, so that when they need to understand the back end of things, or when they want to program something with AI, they have the background to understand what that tool will require,” Harris said.
Students will be able to use AI tools for research, analysis, and other aspects needed in a business environment.
“So if you’re working in a company and you’re trying to choose market research about what’s the best flavor of soda or what business decisions to make, you can use these tools to do a ton of research and also help you make decisions. So you can organize the information and make better decisions faster,” said Steve Boucher, assistant professor of business at Herkimer College.
Students take classes like his business courses and Harris’s to understand how they fit together.
“We strongly believe that if we don’t keep up, our students will be left behind. We don’t want our students to be left behind. The world is using this tool, so we need to teach our students not only how to use it, but to use it ethically,” Boucher said.
The program is scheduled to be offered to students in fall 2026.
