The Viterbi school of engineering at USC is offering a four-year program to prepare students for such fields as drug discovery, robotics and agriculture. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
LA Times original story by Jaweed Kaleem, Staff Writer
Aug. 27, 2026 3 AM PM
USC and UCLA are joining the rush to embed artificial intelligence and new digital technologies into college coursework as the academic year begins, announcing new AI majors and initiatives, betting that degrees built partly or entirely around AI will launch careers and pay off after graduation.
Bridging AI and humanities at UCLA
At UCLA, the new department is an outgrowth of a longstanding minor. The digital humanities minor launched in 2011, built to handle about 25 students a year. It has since grown into one of the most popular minors at the university with more than 200 students.
Launching a new department is a bigger commitment than the earlier program. Professors are shifting a share of their appointments — not just time but funding — into the major.
Alexandra Minna Stern, dean of the UCLA Humanities Division, said growing demand justified the new department especially in Los Angeles, a hub where media, tech and the arts meet. She expects the major to eventually enroll 150 to 300 students.