Willamette University Launches Dual AI Minors to Bridge Engineering and Ethics

Willamette University has introduced two new minors, Engineering AI and Understanding AI, to integrate artificial intelligence into its multidisciplinary curriculum. The initiative aims to equip students across all majors with the technical skills and ethical frameworks necessary to navigate an evolving professional landscape.

The Engineering AI minor focuses on the technical mechanics of the field, specifically the building, evaluation, and improvement of AI systems. Its curriculum covers neural networks, computer vision, and software design. In contrast, the Understanding AI minor examines the societal, cultural, and ethical impacts of the technology through the lenses of linguistics, psychology, and philosophy. Both programs are anchored by a shared keystone course, "AI 101: Understanding AI," a non-technical survey class that explores the history, theory, and the broader costs and benefits of AI implementation.

A Multidisciplinary Approach

These programs are the latest step in Willamette's broader strategy to blend technology with a liberal arts foundation. The university has previously pursued similar multidisciplinary efforts, including collaborative AI research for classroom chatbots and the introduction of LEGO robotics for elementary students. By offering these minors as flexible additions to any major, the university is positioning AI not as a siloed technical skill, but as a universal tool for all disciplines.

The Value of Judgment

As AI increasingly automates routine coding and technical execution, Willamette argues that traditional liberal arts strengths—such as critical thinking and ethical reasoning—have become the most valuable assets in the labor market. Jameson Watts, Dean of Willamette’s School of Computing & Information Sciences, suggests that the role of the engineer is shifting away from the act of writing code toward the application of high-level decision-making.

"Software engineers don't write code. How crazy is that?" Watts said. "So what is it that software engineers are doing? They're exercising good judgment." He noted that thinking critically about how different decisions fit together in synergistic or destructive ways represents the "premium skills" required in the age of AI.

Future Implications

By blending technical proficiency with a focus on ethics, Willamette seeks to produce graduates capable of leading and making responsible decisions in an AI-driven workforce. The university's approach suggests a future where the divide between "technical" and "non-technical" roles continues to blur, placing a higher premium on the ability to oversee and audit AI systems rather than simply operating them.