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Bachelor of Arts in Human-Centered AI

The Bachelor of Arts in Human-Centered AI is an innovative major that combines technical fluency with critical insight to shape the future of AI. Students will learn how AI works while interrogating its impacts on people, communities and the planet. Through a humanistic lens, they will explore AI ethics, policy, regulation and the role of human creativity. Ultimately, the curriculum will cover the responsible, ethical development and use of the technology to advance the public good.

Coursework for the B.A. in Human-Centered AI is interdisciplinary by design and combines the technical aspects of AI—including programming, logic, probability and machine learning—with tailored courses from the arts and humanities, behavioral and social sciences, business, education, journalism, public health, public policy and more. Students will benefit from a wide selection of courses in ethics and philosophy, policy and governance, arts and culture, human-centered design and more.

The B.A. is designed to be accessible and does not require prior experience in AI or computer science.

Course Examples

  • Advocacy in the American Political System
  • AI and Architecture
  • AI and Ethics
  • AI and Human Creativity
  • AI and the Human Experience
  • Fairness
  • Feminism, AI and Health
  • Machine Learning
  • News Alchemy: Journalism and AI
  • Philosophy of Language
  • Technology and Inequality
  • User Experience Research

Specializations

Majors can build their own B.A. specialization with approval or may choose from one of seven pre-built specializations:

  • Arts
  • Design and user experience
  • Ethics
  • Language and cognition
  • Logic, epistemology, and machine learning
  • Law, policy, and governance
  • Society, culture, and technology
View the 4-Year Academic Plan

About the Program

The Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM) is building a future where AI serves humanity and society through interdisciplinary research, education and engagement. AIM brings together faculty from across the university whose expertise advances AI knowledge, practice and public understanding. Developed in coordination with AIM and led by the Department of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Humanities, the B.A. in human-centered AI is uniquely comprehensive and interdisciplinary, pulling in courses from many departments across campus. Participating faculty come from linguistics; philosophy; English; art; theater; American studies; women, gender, and sexuality studies; communication; history; public policy; architecture; information studies; government and politics; journalism; and more.

In addition to the B.A., the University of Maryland also offers a B.S. in AI, which is housed in the Department of Computer Science within the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. These pioneering undergraduate programs are being offered to shape the next generation of AI leaders to work in a wide range of industries, including government and policy, media, arts, education, law, medicine, technology and business.

Career Readiness

The College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU) offers courses designed to ensure students are ready to enter the workforce, along with integrated and individualized academic and career advising. ARHU graduates are prepared to excel in the competitive AI-integrated workforce, spanning the private, public and non-profit sectors in roles ranging from communication to policy, design, ethics, governance and more. As technology rapidly evolves, graduates from the human-centered AI program will be uniquely positioned to lead the governance of AI by ensuring that these powerful tools are developed and implemented with the human experience at their core. By bridging technology with ethics, critical thinking and cultural empathy, our alumni are equipped to forge their careers in a variety of industries and fields or continue on to graduate school. The creative ways to apply your ARHU degree in AI are truly limitless! Here are a few examples:

Career Pathways

  • AI Ethics and Policy Researcher
  • AI Governance Consultant
  • AI Policy Analyst
  • AI Safety Researcher
  • Compliance Analyst
  • Creative Designer
  • Customer Success Manager
  • Data Privacy and Governance Lead
  • Defense Analyst
  • Government Affairs Analyst
  • Government Relations Manager (AI/Tech)
  • Prompt Engineer
  • Public-Sector AI Advisor
  • Technology Regulation Specialist
  • Technology Strategist
  • UX Researcher

Questions and Inquiries

The program director for this degree is Professor Eric Pacuit. Please contact philadv@umd.edu with any questions or inquiries that you may have about the program. We look forward to hearing from you!