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In one of the first programs of its kind at a Texas college, the University of North Texas will offer a major in artificial intelligence starting next fall.
The university’s Board of Regents approved the new undergraduate program last week, citing workforce demand and student interest in existing AI courses as reasons for the launch. Currently, only Angelo State University, Tarleton State University and the University of Texas at El Paso offer degrees in artificial intelligence in the Lone Star State. Each of those programs launched in 2025.
“Everything in higher education moves a little slower than it does in industry,” David Keathly, associate chair of Undergraduate Studies for UNT’s College of Engineering, told the Observer. “But I do think we’ll see a surge [in AI programs].”
The engineering school has offered elective courses that explore elements of AI for years, said Keathly, and student interest has grown “across the spectrum.” The university already offers a graduate degree in artificial intelligence, which has become more popular since the program started in 2021, as national attention on AI has grown.
According to UNT briefing materials, the Dallas-Fort Worth region sees 2,000 job postings a month that require a background in AI. The median first year salary across the North Texas-based AI market is $68,208, a UNT analysis found, and the median fifth-year salary is $105,335, signaling “good earnings potential” for graduates of the degree program.
“Over this last year as so many different companies jumped onto the bandwagon of having their own large language models and tools available … that it was time that we offer students a pathway to really focus on this area,” said Keathly. “This has become a major focal area nationwide. People are listing these things in job titles.”
Something that stood out to UNT officials when considering an AI degree program was the number of companies not rooted in the technology sector that have begun integrating AI into their processes. Some have relied on AI to write code or manage Q&A chatbots on their websites, Keathly said. According to a 2025 McKinsey Global Survey, two-thirds of the nearly 2,000 companies polled reported using AI in at least one function.
Because of the broadening scope of artificial intelligence, some of UNT’s courses will be open to non-majors. An introductory course titled “Applied AI” will be open to all majors, Keathly said, and students will learn how to use the tools becoming more ubiquitous with the AI boom. Not only will that help familiarize students in alternative industries with artificial intelligence, but it will also allow AI majors to network with students from those industries that are seeking AI expertise, said Keathly.
Another course he believes will be popular is titled “AI in Games.” UNT already offers a video game programming certification through the computer science department, and Keathly said the new course will explore the overlap between artificial intelligence and video games. AI majors will also be required to take a course that focuses on the ethical considerations of artificial intelligence. The department also sponsors a research group that is publishing findings on ethical consumption of AI and social responsibility when using the technology.
“We have that [mindset] embedded in our department,” Keathly said.
