SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University’s (SU) School of Information Studies (iSchool) will launch a new artificial intelligence (AI) graduate-degree program beginning in the fall of 2025.

Starting this fall, students can apply to earn a master’s degree in applied human-centered artificial intelligence, which SU says will prepare them to “leverage advanced generative AI models ethically and with a human-centered approach.”

“We decided to launch this new AI program to meet the growing demand from industry, where many companies, across diverse industries, need professionals capable of leveraging Generative AI. Furthermore, our students have shown significant interest in gaining expertise in AI, driven by the industry’s evolving requirements and opportunities,” Jeffrey Saltz, iSchool associate professor and program director of the school’s master’s degree in applied human-centered artificial intelligence, said in the school’s announcement.

Syracuse University cites Glassdoor.com as indicating artificial intelligence is the third fastest-growing field in the U.S., and those with expertise in AI command an average salary of $162,000. Popular jobs include GenAI developer, data scientist, AI product manager, and human-AI interaction designer.

The iSchool’s new program will include an emphasis on hands-on projects to showcase students’ practical expertise and knowledge in the field of AI.

Examples of such projects will include creating a customer-service chatbot using large language models (LLMs) that integrate with a company’s existing customer-service system and building a sentiment-analysis agent that analyzes social-media data for brand monitoring, SU said.

“The iSchool has been a pioneer in AI and data science education, and we were one of the first universities to offer an Applied Data Science program,” Saltz contended. “Recognizing the evolving landscape of technology and the increasing importance of AI, the iSchool saw a critical need to expand its offerings to include advanced AI education.”