May 14, 2026

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Penn State Harrisburg will offer a new bachelor of science degree in artificial intelligence methods and applications (AIMA) beginning in fall 2026. The program is designed to equip students with the essential technical expertise, hands-on experience, and ethical grounding to lead in an AI-driven world.

Students will learn to design, implement, and evaluate AI solutions; gain hands-on experience in machine learning and generative AI; and critically examine the ethical implications of AI in society. Students will also benefit from the college’s strong AI education and research community, including Penn State’s Nittany AI Alliance.

“The addition of artificial intelligence to our robust portfolio of computing and information sciences degree programs reinforces the college's commitment to staying at the forefront of technological innovation and emerging technologies,” said Roderick Lee, associate professor of information systems in the Penn State Harrisburg School of Business Administration and associate professor of human-centered computing and social informatics in Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology. “It also positions the college as a key institution in shaping the next generation of AI professionals, equipping them with the skills and expertise needed to thrive in this rapidly evolving field.”

Students will build strong foundational skills in programming, machine learning, AI problem-solving, and responsible development of AI systems. Curriculum in the interdisciplinary program encourages integration with other fields, such as human-computer interaction, data science, psychology and cognitive science, social sciences, public policy, and law.

In their final year, students will complete a two-semester capstone or research project — an immersive, end-to-end experience that challenges them to apply their AI expertise to real-world problems and prepares them for impactful careers across a wide range of industries and sectors.

Guided by a cohesive, college-wide strategy and the leadership of the college's AI Coordinating Council, Penn State Harrisburg is aligning with Penn State's University-wide AI goals by expanding AI literacy, integrating AI across curricula, advancing interdisciplinary research, and fostering a culture of innovation and responsible AI development that extends from the classroom to the community.

In addition to the new AIMA major, the college is expanding opportunities to study AI across disciplines.

“Penn State Harrisburg is playing an increasingly important and distinct role in Penn State’s artificial intelligence education ecosystem by reaching students far beyond traditional computing majors,” said Lee, who is also artificial intelligence curriculum integration lead. “Through a combination of AI-focused degree courses and high enrollment general education and service courses, the campus is preparing students across engineering, science, business, humanities, arts, and other fields to work confidently in an AI‑driven economy.”

AI courses are being offered across subject areas, with focused electives and general education courses that allow students to build foundational AI literacy alongside discipline-specific skills.

Courses being offered in Fall 2026 include:

• A-I 100 Artificial Intelligence: Automated Thinking to Augment Human Intellect

• A-I 285 Experiential Learning Skills Lab

• AIMA/COMM 197G Special Topics (Artificial Intelligence in Cinema)

• AA 290G Creating and Learning with AI in the Arts

• CMPSC 360 Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science

• CMPSC 441 Artificial Intelligence

• IST 130 Artificial Intelligence and Art: What Does It Mean to Be Creative in a New Digital Era?

• HUM 220N Artificial Intelligence and the Human Experience

For more information on the AIMA major, visit harrisburg.psu.edu or contact Amanda Anderson, academic program coordinator, at ajh18@psu.edu.