Applied AI, BA Social Innovation Emphasis

36 credit hours

The Bachelor of Arts in Applied Artificial Intelligence with a Social Innovation emphasis frames AI as an instrument for civic engagement, public good, and mission-driven problem solving. The program integrates applied AI skills with policy analysis, community-based research, and social impact design, preparing students to work within nonprofit, governmental, and hybrid organizational contexts. Students apply AI to challenges such as resource allocation, program evaluation, public communication, and data-informed advocacy, while critically examining equity, access, and long-term sustainability. Emphasis is placed on translating technical capability into measurable social outcomes under real-world constraints, including limited data, funding, and stakeholder trust. Experiential learning anchors AI development within community partnerships and applied projects.

Requirements

Major Coursework

15 credit hours of coursework from the following options. Each course includes hands-on applied components such as prompt engineering, automation design, and ethical evaluation of AI-assisted outputs.

CAH 20501 - Fundamentals of Applied AI Credit Hour: 3
CAH 30502 - Intermediate Generative AI Tools Credit Hour: 3
CAH 30503 - Human-Centered AI Applications Credit Hour: 3
DCS 36000 - Information Literacy Credit Hour: 3
PHRL 42500 - Ethics of AI Credit Hour: 3

Ethics Coursework

3 credit hours of coursework from the following options:

PHRL 21200 - Ethics & Human Action Credit Hour: 3
PHRL 34000 - Truth, Reality, & Virtual Reality Credit Hour: 3

Social Innovation Emphasis Coursework

15 credit hours of coursework from the following options. This emphasis prepares students for leadership and innovation in nonprofit, civic, or governmental settings. Coursework emphasizes AI-assisted policy analysis, data-driven decision-making, and social-impact project design.

PHRL 30000 - The Natural Law Credit Hour: 3
PHRL 30400 - Philosophy of Law Credit Hour: 3
PS 20000 - Methods for Political Science Credit Hour: 3
PS 31600 - Global Environmental Policy Credit Hour: 3
PS 32100 - Nonprofit Advocacy and Public Policy Credit Hour: 3
PS 32200 - Social Innovation and Strategic Planning Credit Hour: 3
PS 32300 - Civic Engagement and Volunteer Management Credit Hour: 3
PS 32600 - Fundraising and Grant Writing Credit Hour: 3
PS 33500 - Public Administration Credit Hour: 3

Capstone Coursework

3 credit hours of coursework from the following option. Capstone projects must align with the selected emphasis and include an applied portfolio component.

CAH 44444 - Internship Credit Hour: 1-6