Canada’s first artificial intelligence Bachelor of Arts program, which aims to educate students ‘beyond the code’ by developing critical thinking about machine learning applications, will launch this fall in Oshawa.
Trent University Durham GTA campus in Oshawa has launched two new degree pathways in artificial intelligence: a Bachelor of Arts in AI, the first of its kind in Canada, and a Bachelor of Science in AI, each offering a distinct approach to studying, understanding, and applying machine learning, complete with paid co-op options for added career experience
“Understanding the ethics, like how we regulate the use of AI, how to mitigate bias, how to navigate its influence on industries and governance, is just as important as knowing how to build it,” explained Trent Durham GTA Dean Dr. Wenying Feng, who is also the NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering (Ontario Region).
As artificial intelligence reshapes how we work, create, communicate, and live, it raises important questions around authenticity, authorship, ethics, job disruption, and the future of humanity, Feng added.
The demand for AI-educated and literate professionals is expanding across every sector of society and the unique B.A. degree is for students who want to understand how intelligent systems work in relation to human activities.
While it includes foundational technical training in programming and analytics, the program places equal emphasis on the philosophical, social, and ethical concerns that surround its use, such as how it will affect learning and education or its environmental footprint. Students gain an interdisciplinary perspective that spans communication, governance, philosophy, and user experience, enabling them to critically assess how AI is used and how it should be guided. Graduates will be equipped for careers in policy, AI ethics, user experience design and other roles in the tech and innovation space.
“The transformative impact of artificial intelligence on our society and across the globe raises many urgent and significant challenges. These include deep and compelling problems in the areas of ethics, governance, natural language, formal and informal logic, epistemology, and philosophy of mind,” said Dr. James Connelly, associate professor and associate chair with Trent’s Department of Philosophy. “We are looking forward to working to delivering a high-quality, interdisciplinary, vitally important academic program to Durham GTA students.”.
The B.Sc. program in AI is designed for students who want to build the tools and systems that drive artificial intelligence. With a comprehensive foundation in mathematics, programming, machine learning, algorithms, data science, and statistics, students will gain the technical expertise to understand how AI systems are developed and optimized. The program investigates the science behind AI, how to structure data, train models, minimize errors and create efficient systems.
Trent Durham GTA Dean Dr. Wenying Feng
It’s a degree for those who want to focus on the technical development of AI systems, preparing for advanced tolls in knowledge engineering, data analysis and computations research, Feng said.
“Our goal was to design two complementary degrees that reflect the full spectrum of artificial intelligence, one that builds the systems, and one that guides their use. Together, they prepare students to be both the architects and the stewards of AI in an increasingly digital world.”
Both programs offer a paid co-op option, allowing students to apply their knowledge and skill in government, industry, and research settings with various organizations. While B.Sc. students may gain experience developing AI systems and algorithms, B.A. students will explore AI’s role in policymaking, ethics, media, sustainability, and human-computer interaction.
“We’re already seeing organizations looking for professionals who can bridge the gap between AI developers and policymakers, in addition to those who can build and develop ethically,” noted Feng. “These new degree programs give students a strong interdisciplinary background that prepares them to be the AI custodians of the future.”
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