Help us solve AI. Then we’ll solve everything else.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is an interdisciplinary field with the objective of understanding and constructing computational systems that act rationally. Advances in computer processing and data storage have contributed to recent AI breakthroughs in diverse domains including health care, autonomous vehicles, space exploration, banking and finance, games, natural language translation, manufacturing, scientific discovery and defense.
AI is a large and exciting subject with vast human potential. Through the 24 credit Minor in AI, students master concepts and methods that allow them to design and build responsible AI systems.
The study of AI allows students to enter the workforce with:
- High-demand job skills valued by employers across the globe
- Knowledge and tools applicable to diverse fields
- Problem solving abilities that can change the world
- Hands-on experience designing and building AI systems
Minor in This Program
Declaring A Minor
Shenandoah students work with their Academic Advisor to declare a minor. Academic Advisors will continue to work with students to ensure that they fulfill all of the requirements to complete the minor.
Incoming students should not indicate their intended minor on their Shenandoah application. Applications are for intended majors only.
Career and Salary Possibilities
The demand for employees with the rare combination of AI expertise is high. Salaries for AI engineers in the US are between $150,000 and $200,000 according to statistics published by Indeed, Ziprecruiter, Glassdoor, Udacity, Datamation and other recruiting sites. The New York Times estimates that high-level AI researchers at top companies make more than $1,000,000 per year as of 2018, and AI specialists with little or no industry experience making between $300,000 and $500,000 per year in both salary and stock.
Career & Professional Development provides a comprehensive range of services and resources to assist Shenandoah students in their career search. Services offered include resume and cover letter building, mock interviews, and professional dining etiquette workshops.
Classes
Coursework includes computer programming, machine learning, mathematics, statistics and an advanced two-semester AI course sequence covering both foundational and state-of-the-art methods.
Small class sizes allow instructor-student collaboration, interaction and feedback. Students gain hands-on experience programming AI agents, analyzing sensor and actuators performance, and building robotic systems.
Courses are offered in-person on our Winchester campus with hybrid and online options also available for some courses.
Required courses:
- CSC 121: Computer Programming I
- CSC 122: Computer Programming II
- CSC 406: Machine Learning
- CSC 420: Artificial Intelligence I
- CSC 421: Artificial Intelligence II
- MATH 207: Introduction to Statistics
- MATH 209: Discrete Mathematics
- Select one of the following:
- MATH 208: Applied Statistical Concepts and Methods
- MATH 303: Linear Algebra
Learning support services are available to all students in every course at Shenandoah. Free peer tutoring with a student who has previously succeeded in the course is available for any course across the university. The Writing Center is available for every stage of the writing process from thesis development to proofreading and bibliography assistance. The Math Enrichment Center is available for math and science assistance. Professors and Academic Advisors across the university also have office hours and open door policies to ensure Shenandoah students succeed academically.
Join the Honors Program
The Honors Program is a multidisciplinary Honors Program for students who are curious, creative, self-motivated, and eager to engage in their education and community.
Not only do Honors Program students partake in honors courses that emphasize collaboration, service, and communication, but they will also have the opportunity to develop aspects of the program based on their own interests and goals. By participating in the Honors Program you will acquire the tools, knowledge and experiences necessary to make meaningful contributions to your community – whether it be globally, locally, or specific to your life’s work. You will have access to unique courses, exciting experiences and a community of peers and faculty who never stop asking questions and striving for excellence.
Faculty
Shenandoah University faculty contributing to the program have expertise in mathematics, programming, computer vision, virtual reality, data science, statistics, machine learning and robotics. They have contributed health care, finance, banking, defense, science, technology entrepreneurship and basic research and are highly active in their fields.
Study Abroad
Make studying abroad the highlight of your college experience! Whether you go for a year, a semester, or just a few weeks. You will never forget learning in another culture! The Center for International Programs is here to help you plan your study abroad experience. Start your planning early to ensure the courses you complete abroad count toward your degree and you graduate on time.
Global Experiential Learning (GEL) Program
The Global Experiential Learning (GEL) Program offers Shenandoah students a short-term, faculty-led, study-abroad experience for academic credit. These short-term, credit-bearing, faculty-led programs are offered winter break, spring break, and during the summer. If a course is not within your major, it might be used as an elective.
Study Abroad
Shenandoah University is a member of the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), a global network of 300 universities. This partnership allows students to study for a full semester or year at other member campuses abroad. By working closely with their academic advisors and the study abroad advisor, students can take classes taught in English abroad while receiving Shenandoah credit.
Shenandoah University also maintains direct partnerships with several universities around the world. These relationships allow students from SU to study abroad as exchange students and students from these universities to study at SU. All partner universities offer courses taught in English.