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GRAND RAPIDS, MI – In an attempt to better prepare students joining a workforce that increasingly utilizes Artificial Intelligence (AI), Grand Valley State University is creating four new degree programs.
The GVSU Board of Trustees approved offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees in artificial intelligence and software engineering at its Feb. 21 board meeting.
Since 2022, references to artificial intelligence (AI) in Greater Grand Rapids area job postings have increased by 338%, according to research shared by Grand Valley State University (GVSU).
In 2022, there were 78 Grand Rapids-area unique job postings that referenced AI, according to research shared during a GVSU Board of Education meeting on Friday, Feb. 21.
In 2023, that number bumped up to 114 postings, and in 2024 there were 342 postings.
At a state level, market analysis from 2024 shared by GVSU showed nearly 16,000 AI-related job postings from about 940 Michigan employers.
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GVSU officials say the AI degree programs were co-designed with input from over 160 industry partners.
The new degree programs are part of an expansion of the university’s College of Computing, and are slated to launch this year.
The widespread use of generative artificial intelligence has exploded in recent years. One platform, ChatGPT, has an estimated 3.65 billion visits per month.
At the same time, a 2023 report from the National Skills Coalition called “Closing the Digital Skills Divide” found that while 92% of jobs nationwide are estimated to require digital skills, one-third of U.S. workers don’t have the foundational digital skills necessary.
Currently, GVSU’s College of Computing offers undergraduate degrees in computer science, cybersecurity, data science and analytics, information systems and information technology, with additional graduate degree options in applied computer science and health informatics and bioinformatics.
The new AI degree programs will include technological training in things like machine learning and AI engineering, along with human considerations for the application of AI.
The university will offer concentrations in areas like AI ethics and bias or cybersecurity.
Jennifer Drake, GVSU’s provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, said it’s critical that students “enter the workforce equipped with advanced technological training, as well as strong skills in critical and creative thinking, collaborative teamwork, problem-solving and communication.
“Understanding how the human experience shapes and is shaped by this dynamic technology will help distinguish our graduates and position them for the future,” she said.
The degree programs will provide educational training that aligns with GVSU’s Blue Dot Initiative, a regional campaign that has aimed to “significantly grow the technology sector in West Michigan.”
The initiative has centered around the creation of the College of Computing in 2023, and includes plans to construct a new downtown tech lab, which is still in the design phase.
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GVSU President Philomena Mantella said the programs, and the Blue Dot initiative, reinforce GVSU’s commitment to cutting edge technological training and partnership with the area’s industry partners.
“The Blue Dot ecosystem helps the tech sector envision what is yet to be and will provide the expertise and training to make it happen,” she said.
According to GVSU’s Blue Dot project update, an estimated 20,000 regional tech jobs will be added across West Michigan in the next 10 years.
As part of the degree programs, GVSU will include experiential learning, like internships and laboratory experiences, said College of Computing Dean Marouane Kessentini.
“Our industry partners play a crucial role in shaping our curriculum in collaboration with our faculty experts,” Kessentini said.
“These new programs not only address immediate talent gaps but also provide students with rich experiential learning opportunities — including internships, research, and entrepreneurial experiences — so they graduate ready to innovate and lead in the evolving tech landscape.”
Natalie Kline, a GVSU master’s student getting her degree in applied computer science, said since her first days at GVSU in 2020 as an undergraduate, she’s had multiple experiential learning experiences that “expanded my skill set and provided invaluable hands-on learning opportunities.”
Kline, who’s set to graduate in April 2025, spoke about her work as an applied researcher developing mobile applications and gaining AI expertise.
“My experiences at GVSU… have also reinforced the importance of industry collaboration in shaping the future of technology,” she said.
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