New AI Minor Designed for Non-Computer Majors

Sacred Heart program responds to the growing use of artificial intelligence in many industries

With artificial intelligence (AI) becoming a regular tool in a range of fields, Sacred Heart University is launching a new minor in AI, designed specifically for non-computer science majors.

Students will learn to use low-code methods to apply AI in solving problems or generating information for their chosen professions, and they will be introduced to policy and regulatory framework relating to AI. The 15-credit program also will focus on the social, cultural and global impacts of AI, including its ethical implications.

Brent French, associate dean for academics in Sacred Heart’s Jack Welch College of Business & Technology (WCBT), was part of the team that developed the new program of study. “We anticipate a transformational shift that will have a meaningful impact on nearly every industry,” he said. “We noticed that while there were AI-related graduate and undergraduate courses available, they were designed for computer science, cybersecurity or information technology majors. We had an opportunity to develop something that would benefit the broader undergraduate population.”

The goal is to teach undergraduate students across disciplines, from marketing or psychology to health care or education, how to best use AI. As artificial intelligence becomes a factor in almost every career, students in the minor will become fluent in using it effectively.

“We want to attract the students who say they are allergic to technology,” said French. Classes will not be merely theoretical; students will have access to the WCBT’s $250,000 AI lab for hands-on experience building their own models without coding. David Taylor, dean of the WCBT, added, “Our mission is to educate leaders and prepare them for success in an evolving and complex world, and this minor supports this mission for all Sacred Heart undergraduates.”

With the support of Sacred Heart’s provost, Robin Cautin, a cross-college team of faculty met throughout the fall to build the minor from scratch. The development team included Maureen Ruby, Isabelle Farrington endowed chair of SEA leadership, Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development (FCEHD); Stephen Burrows, chair, healthcare informatics & administration, College of Health Professions (CHP); Samah Senbel, director, School of Computer Science & Engineering, WCBT; Christine Susienka, assistant professor, philosophy, College of Arts & Sciences (CAS); Sean Heffron, assistant dean, student success, WCBT; Mike RobbGrieco, assistant professor, teacher education, FCEHD; and Michael Gorman, program director, financial technology & analytics, assistant teaching professor, WCBT. Additionally, Steven Michels, chair, political science & global affairs, CAS; Zhen “Arc” Han, assistant professor, political science, CAS; and Michael Ventimiglia, chair, philosophy, CAS served as invaluable collaborators.

With a double major of finance and accounting, Arian Berisha ’28 looks forward to the opportunity to add the minor to his schedule. “The possibility of this minor is exciting,” Berisha said. “In the world of business, firms that fail to adapt to technological changes crumble. There is no future in which AI won’t be used to forecast markets, consult in critical decision-making processes and evaluate crucial business deals.”

Ashley Hilliard ’28 is majoring in media arts with a concentration in film & television. She was recently introduced to AI in a media production class. “A minor in AI is very important to me, personally, because it’s changing the future of Hollywood,” Hilliard said. “I didn’t consider that AI could be beneficial until I was exposed to it in Adobe Photoshop. It’s fun to consider the possibilities. Storytelling has been my specialty for as long as I remember, and AI presents ideas that I may not have thought about.”

Business management and finance double major Kiah James ’28 believes knowledge of AI will be a factor when it comes to qualifying for jobs. “I’ve attended a few talks from the WCBT where successful CEOs have talked about what the new workplace will be looking for, and many of them have stated that experience with AI is high on that list,” James said.

The AI minor will launch in the fall 2025 semester. “Even if you’ve never taken a computer science class before, you will still be successful in this curriculum,” said French.