University of North Texas Launches Undergraduate AI Degree to Meet Workforce Demand

The University of North Texas (UNT) will launch a new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence starting next fall. The move signals an effort to align academic credentials with the rapid integration of AI tools across the regional economy.

According to the Dallas Observer, the program is designed to address a growing talent shortage in the Dallas-Fort Worth tech corridor. While UNT has offered AI-related elective courses for years and has maintained a graduate degree in AI since 2021, this marks the university's first dedicated undergraduate major in the field. The curriculum will include a course on the ethical considerations of AI and an introductory "Applied AI" course that is open to students who are not majoring in the subject.

A Growing Trend in Texas

UNT is not alone in this shift. The university joins other Texas institutions, including Angelo State University and Tarleton State University, which both launched AI degree programs in 2025. This trend reflects a broader systemic shift in higher education as universities attempt to keep pace with the speed of the private sector. David Keathly, associate chair of Undergraduate Studies for UNT’s College of Engineering, noted that while higher education typically moves slower than industry, he expects to see a surge in these types of programs.

Future-Proofing the Workforce

The expansion into undergraduate AI education is driven by the widespread adoption of Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI tools across various industries, extending far beyond the traditional technology sector. By integrating ethics and cross-industry networking into the degree, UNT aims to prepare students for a landscape where AI-driven disruption is becoming a baseline reality for most professional roles.

Industry Implications

For the North Texas region, the launch of these programs is a strategic attempt to fill a critical local labor shortage. By providing a pipeline of specialized graduates, the university is attempting to future-proof the local workforce against displacement while ensuring that companies in the DFW corridor have access to the technical expertise required to implement AI at scale.

What's Next

As the program prepares for its fall debut, the focus will remain on how these specialized degrees translate into immediate employment. While the university points to high demand in the local market, the long-term impact of these accelerated degree launches on regional employment rates remains to be seen.