TOLEDO – In an era defined by artificial intelligence, Bowling Green State University is launching an AI + X degree, preparing students for careers by integrating AI knowledge with a secondary discipline.
Dr. Cheryl Bracken, BGSU director of media and communication, said that there are many jobs within the field of AI that students will be able to pursue.
“Since AI is still kind of new, we are thinking about traditional or existing entry level jobs, and for the journalism and PR side, there is a widespread number of jobs available,” Bracken said.
She said there will be jobs where students can go into fact checking, copywriting, and ensuring that the AI system has not made any mistakes.
“Students who choose a journalism-based discipline must complete 15–18 credit hours in that area,” Bracken said.
The program also includes an internship opportunity.
As an educator, Bracken said she has a lot of ethical concerns about AI.
“One of my biggest concerns about AI is that some students are using it in their classes, and if they lean on only that, they won’t be able to get the understanding and viewpoint of what makes people ‘human.’”
She said we are allowing AI to make choices for us and not making those choices ourselves.
“We might lose our individuality,” Bracken said. “My philosophy is to always try and have a sense of not hiding from something, and to understand it and position yourself and work within the system,” she added.
Environmental impact and data centers
There are also many environmental costs that people have to consider when using AI.
“Meta is actually building a data center five miles down the road from here [campus], so that reality is really going to impact the community,” Bracken said.
According to a CNN article, data centers are projected to consume approximately 6.7 to 12 percent of U.S. electricity in 2028, up from 4.4 percent in 2023. AI tools are also growing increasingly sophisticated, evolving beyond text-based queries to handle complex tasks like generating realistic video clips in a matter of seconds and coding websites from scratch. This means they also require more resources than ever.
Disciplines within the program
Dr. Ellen Schendel, BGSU dean of arts and sciences, said that there are many different disciplines within the degree program that a student can focus on.
“AI is practiced across so many disciplines, and we wanted to make sure that we were bringing the understanding of the technology and the ethical considerations because these things shift across different industries,” Schendel said.
The “X” in AI + X represents a customizable add-on in six fields, including computer science, mathematics, physics, history, journalism or public relations that allows students to apply AI to their field of choice, according to the BGSU News website.
The program is open to anyone who is interested in applying.
“Students can apply through the regular admissions process,” Schendel said.
There is also a minor available for students: AI and Society.
“It’s a small set of courses that are in the major, but it gives students background in coding and computer science technology behind AI,” Schendel said.
The program will begin in the fall 2026 semester.
