New Bachelor’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence Prepares Students for the Future of AI Innovation – University of New Haven

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how industries operate, from healthcare and finance to manufacturing and cybersecurity. Recognizing this growing transformation, the University of New Haven is launching a new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence, designed to prepare students with the skills needed to build and manage the next generation of AI technologies.

The new program combines foundational technical knowledge with real-world applications and ethical considerations.

Div Pithadia, BE, MS, MBA, assistant professor of practice and coordinator of the B.S. in Artificial Intelligence, says the program reflects the growing demand for professionals who understand not only how to build AI systems but also how to apply them responsibly.

“The program was created with the goal of providing education in the engineering and applications of AI systems while emphasizing ethical considerations and societal impact,” said Prof. Pithadia, a distinguished technology and product leader with more than two decades of experience driving innovation across global enterprises and startups.

Artificial intelligence, he explained, is inherently multidisciplinary. Students in the program will explore both the technical foundations of AI and the broader human and societal implications of the ever-evolving technology.

“Students will learn key concepts such as math, statistics, computing, data engineering, machine learning, and deep learning,” Prof. Pithadia said.

As artificial intelligence tools and systems become more widespread, the demand for professionals with specialized expertise continues to grow. Many organizations are already integrating AI into their operations, creating new opportunities and challenges across the workforce.

According to Prof. Pithadia, the rapid adoption of AI has created a skills gap that universities must help address.

“As AI systems and their applications become more widespread, it has left a large portion of the existing workforce unprepared for the technologies and skills now in demand,” he said.

The new program aims to ensure students graduate ready to meet those demands. In addition to technical training, the curriculum emphasizes engineering processes for building scalable AI systems and using advanced tools such as large-language models, natural-language processing, computer vision, and agentic computing.

Prof. Pithadia said the timing of the program is especially significant as industries transition toward AI-driven systems.

“Right now, is the perfect time to develop programs that help students master the skills needed to design and deliver the systems of the new era,” he said. “It’s similar to training engineers to work with automobiles rather than crafting horse carriages.”

The impact of artificial intelligence is expected to extend across nearly every sector of the economy. From automating complex tasks to enabling entirely new technologies, AI is already changing how organizations operate and innovate.

“AI will have as big an impact as electricity or automobiles,” Prof. Pithadia said.

Because of that reach, the University of New Haven designed the program to connect technical skills with practical applications across industries.

“Our program focuses not only on tools and techniques but also on real-world applications across multiple domains,” Prof. Pithadia explained.

Industry collaboration also plays a key role in shaping the curriculum. Faculty members work with industry partners and colleagues across the University to develop hands-on learning opportunities and applied projects.

“We collaborate with industry partners and other schools to ideate and develop project-based approaches to our program,” he said.

The new artificial intelligence program builds on the University of New Haven’s existing strengths. “The University’s M.S. in Data Science degree program has been around for several years, and we have a team of more than eight stellar faculty members with strong research expertise and decades of real-world experience,” said Prof. Pithadia, who is the coordinator of the University’s M.S. in Data Science.

Graduates of the AI program will be prepared for a variety of career paths, including roles such as AI engineer, machine-learning engineer, data scientist, data engineer, AI product manager, cloud engineer, and AI DevOps engineer.

Equally important, the curriculum emphasizes responsible innovation. Students will take courses focused on ethical, legal, regulatory, and privacy issues surrounding AI and data-driven systems, as well as human-centered design approaches.

“Our objective stays laser-focused not only on providing technical skills but also on developing a deep understanding of the ethical and social implications of AI,” Prof. Pithadia said. “We are truly excited to bring this program forward with a sense of purpose. It reflects our commitment to preparing students to be future-ready with the key skills that are in demand.”