VERMILLION, S.D. (KELO) — Dakota State University has been granted approval to launch a master’s degree program in artificial intelligence in Madison. Similarly, Northern State University in Aberdeen will be introducing a master’s degree program in strategic innovation and leadership, while the University of South Dakota in Vermillion is set to offer a bachelor’s degree program in agribusiness leadership.
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The South Dakota Board of Regents officially sanctioned these academic initiatives on Thursday. In addition to the aforementioned programs, a bachelor’s degree program in digital content creation at Dakota State also received the green light.
Rebecca Hoey, the provost of DSU, elaborated on the proposal for the master’s program in artificial intelligence. She emphasized that despite the university’s focus on advanced technology, they currently do not offer a doctoral program in AI. However, many doctoral students are actively incorporating AI into their dissertation projects.
Hoey highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of their interest in AI, stating, “This is absolutely aligned with our mission.” She also pointed out the significant growth in the job market demand for AI-related skills. The plan is to launch the AI degree program in the upcoming fall semester, initially enrolling ten students with an anticipated increase to 48 students by the sixth year. The program will require an additional faculty member at the start, with a second faculty member needed by the third year.
During the voting process, Regent Jeff Partridge of Rapid City expressed concerns and ultimately voted against the proposal upon learning that none of the supporting organizations had been approached for financial assistance.
At NSU, associate vice president Erin Fouberg outlined the strategic innovation and leadership master’s program. She mentioned that the program would not necessitate hiring new faculty members. The primary objective is to equip graduates with the skills to establish new ventures. The initial enrollment forecast for this fall is eight students, with an expected growth to 20 students by the sixth year.
Fouberg cited success stories from NSU, including student Grace Kramer founding a company named eqUTI, which secured second place in the student competition of the 2023 Giant Vision awards. Additionally, two NSU students are finalists in this year’s Giant Vision competition.
The proposal for the bachelor’s program in agribusiness leadership was presented by USD’s provost, Kurt Hackemer, and business dean, Timothy O’Keefe. The program anticipates enrolling two students in the upcoming fall semester, with a projected enrollment of 36 students by the sixth year. Approximately 15 to 20 students are required to reach a break-even point. While a new faculty member will be necessary in the second year, a position is being reserved to avoid the need for additional funding.
Partridge, drawing from his financial background, expressed optimism about the program’s potential, suggesting that the projections presented were overly conservative. He emphasized, “I think this could be huge.”
