University of North Texas 
UNT Engineering has opened a new master’s of science degree in artificial intelligence. As the only standalone program in the state of Texas and one of few nationwide, this unique program will offer students the opportunity to enhance their skillset in the growing field of AI.
Why artificial intelligence?
According to the World Economic Forum, jobs in artificial intelligence will grow by 58 million between 2018 and 2022. Indeed.com also reports that employer demand for these roles has doubled in the past three years.
“We’re very excited to launch this degree. The new degree will help to educate an AI-ready workforce,” said Yan Huang, senior associate dean and director of graduate studies for the College of Engineering. “Artificial Intelligence is a game-changing technology for endless domains. We really hope that students looking for a rewarding career in engineering will see that AI could be a great fit for them.”
According to TechRepublic.com, the most in-demand jobs in AI include data scientists, software engineers, and machine learning engineers. However, career opportunities in artificial intelligence can span a wide array of disciplines, allowing graduates from the program the opportunity to fill roles in fields like healthcare, cybersecurity, manufacturing, or autonomous systems.
Why artificial intelligence at UNT?
UNT’s new degree allows students to choose one of the three concentrations: machine learning, autonomous systems, and biomedical engineering, with new concentrations to be added. The degree welcomes applicants with degrees in engineering, computer science, mathematics, and science-related fields.
“We intentionally designed this program to be interdisciplinary, allowing students to develop a deep knowledge in several different skillsets,” said Huang.
Students take bridging courses, core courses related to AI, and courses that specifically relate to their chosen concentration, allowing students to specialize in AI as it relates to their interests. All students will leave the program with a solid understanding of fundamentals in AI, feature driven and learning driven methods, and their applications. Students coming out of UNT’s degree will have skillsets in AI technology anchored deeply in a program domain as well as marketable skills in data analysis, problem solving, and communication.