Penn Engineering Announces First Ivy League AI Undergraduate Degree
Margaretta Colangelo
Leading AI Analyst | Speaker | Writer | AI Newsletter 57,000+ subscribers
This week, the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science announced its Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Artificial Intelligence degree. This is the first undergraduate AI major at an Ivy League university and one of the very first AI undergraduate engineering programs in the United States. The Raj and Neera Singh Program in Artificial Intelligence will prepare students for many jobs that don’t exist yet in fields that may be completely new or revolutionized by the time they graduate.
“Our carefully selected curriculum reflects the reality that AI has come into its own as an academic discipline, not only because of the many amazing things it can do, but also because we think it’s important to address fundamental questions about the nature of intelligence and learning, how to align AI with our social values, and how to build trustworthy AI systems.”
Zachary Ives, PhD, Chair, Department of Computer and Information Science, Penn Engineering
The rapid rise of AI is transforming every aspect of life. There is an urgent need for leading-edge AI engineers who understand the principles of AI and how to apply them in a responsible and ethical way in many areas including health, energy, transportation, robotics, computer vision, commerce, learning, and national security. Students in the program will learn how to develop responsible AI tools that can help accelerate knowledge and creativity, to help humans make transformative scientific discoveries. The program was made possible by technology visionaries Raj and Neera Singh. Their generosity provided funding to support leadership, faculty, and infrastructure for the new program.
“Penn Engineering has long been a pioneer in computing and education, with ENIAC, the first digital computer, and the first Ph.D. in computer science. This proud legacy of innovation continues with Penn Engineering’s AI program, which will produce engineers that can leverage this powerful technology in a way that benefits all humankind. We are thrilled to continue investing in Penn Engineering and the students who can best shape the future of this field."
Raj and Neera Singh
Amy Gutmann Hall
The new program’s courses will be taught by world-renowned faculty in Amy Gutmann Hall, Penn Engineering’s newest building. The six floor (116,000 sq ft) $137 million building was named in honor of Amy Gutmann, Penn’s longest-serving President, who served from 2004 to 2022. Amy Gutmann Hall will be a hub for cross-disciplinary collaborations that harness research and data across Penn's 12 schools and numerous academic centers. The building includes state-of-the-art facilities including active learning classrooms, collaborative spaces for student projects, and a data science hub.
Program Highlights
Curriculum and Courses
The new B.S.E in Artificial Intelligence program will begin in fall 2024, with applications for existing University of Pennsylvania students who would like to transfer into the 2024 cohort available this fall. Fall 2025 applications for all prospective students will be made available in fall 2024.
Mathematics and Natural Science (7 CUs):
Computing (5 CUs):
AI (14 CUs):
Students choose at least one course unit from each of the following six categories:
Introduction to AI
Machine Learning
Signals & Systems
Optimization & Control
Vision & Language
AI Project (must have AI development, 30% of grade from term project)
AI Electives:
In addition to the courses above, students will have an opportunity to take six AI courses selected from the list of approved courses below, along with the 1-year senior design sequence:
Machine Learning Electives
Optimization, Systems, and Control Electives
Other AI Electives
AI Concentrations:
The seven AI elective courses can be structured along AI concentrations depending on the interests of the student. Concentrations are optional and consist of four courses in a specific theme.
Senior Design (2 CU):
Rather than offering a specific course for senior design, AI majors will embed themselves into the ESE, CIS or other Penn Engineering senior design courses. This will enable AI students to apply their AI skills across many engineering challenges.
Technical Electives (3 CU):
Three course units from Engineering, Math, Natural Science or from the list here.
General Electives (8 CUs):
AI Ethics: Choose at least one of the following
Cognitive Science Elective: Choose at least one of the following
Additional cognitive science courses may be taken and counted towards the SS/H electives.
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Copyright ? 2024 Margaretta Colangelo. All Rights Reserved.
This article was written by Margaretta Colangelo. Margaretta is a leading AI analyst who tracks significant milestones in AI in healthcare. She consults with AI healthcare companies and writes about some of the companies she consults with. Margaretta serves on the advisory board of the AI Precision Health Institute at the University of Hawai?i?Cancer Center @realmargaretta
Head of Community Engagement, Nature Portfolio | Publishing consultant passionate about supporting researcher development
1 年I am sure more and more programs will be developed soon...and importantly too to ensure the responsible use of AI going forward. But always happy to see my alma mater leading the way! Go Penn!
co-founder and consultant, boa solutions inc.
1 年Hurrah for the Red and Blue! As with AI, the University of Pennsylvania has led the way in many cross-disciplinary fields like nanotechnology and bioengineering, with the first doctoral degree in Bioengineering in the nation awarded at Penn in 1953. Penn continues to foster the well-rounded ways that founder Benjamin Franklin insisted on, for all its students. Way to go, by the Singh family as well!