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Artificial Intelligence (AI) + X Major

Major in Artificial Intelligence (AI) + Your Discipline 

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What happens when AI meets nursing? Or business? Or ministry? At SBU, you don't have to choose between your calling and the future of technology — you can pursue both. 

AI+X is SBU's interdisciplinary major that pairs a rigorous foundation in artificial intelligence with a second field of your choosing. Whether your "X" is healthcare, education, criminal justice, communication, or biblical studies, AI+X equips you to lead at the intersection where technology meets real human need. 

What you'll study:

You'll build genuine competency in AI concepts, data literacy, and machine learning — no prior coding experience required — while going deep in a partner discipline. Woven throughout every course is the question that sets SBU apart: What does it mean to use this technology faithfully, justly, and wisely? 

What makes it different:

Most AI programs train technologists. AI+X trains servant leaders who happen to understand AI — people who can walk into a hospital, a classroom, a nonprofit, or a boardroom and ask better questions, make more ethical decisions, and build things that actually serve people. 

Where it takes you:

Graduates are prepared for careers in healthcare informatics, educational technology, AI ethics consulting, data-informed ministry, business analytics, policy work, and more — fields where the demand for people who are both technically fluent and deeply human is growing fast. 

 

SBU students

The SBU Advantage

  • SBU CIS graduates have achieved 100% job placement within six months of graduation 5 out of the last 6 years.
  • SBU is home to a dedicated cybersecurity lab.
  • All division faculty have or are pursuing a Ph.D.; together they have more than 100 combined years of teaching and industry experience.
  • Technology leaders and SBU CIS alumni help shape the future direction of the program by serving on the CIS Advisory Board.
  • Graduates from the SBU CIS programs typically earn starting salaries ranging from $50,000-$75,000.

Faith Integration

SBU's computer science program is dedicated to the intentional integration of Christian faith and academic discipline. For example, each year at least one senior project is chosen that has an intentional spiritual focus. In the past, these senior projects have benefited companies and organizations such as Global Media Outreach, New Tribes Mission and IMB missionaries in Thailand.

Psalm 15 — SBU's College of Professional Programs and the Robert W. Plaster College of Business have a Psalm 15 initiative, which provides intentional integration of faith and academic discipline. Using Psalm 15 as a basis, the Colleges have identified eight character traits that should be the hallmark of the students and graduates. The highlighted character traits are: Integrity, Service, Respect, Charity, Faithfulness, Truthfulness, Humility and Perseverance.

Ethics and Professional Development — As part of an intentionally Christian education, students in the Robert W. Plaster College of Business take senior-level courses in ethics and professional development. These courses teach personal and professional Christian ethics and equip students with life skills, such as career development, etiquette, and servant leadership, with the goal of producing ethical business leaders who will be servant leaders in the workplace.

Built on SBU's mission.

AI+X isn't just a career move. It's a calling. At SBU, technology is never just a tool — it's a responsibility. You'll graduate ready to shape how AI is used, not just use it. 

Accreditation

Select programs within the College of Professional Programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). The Computer Science and Cybersecurity programs are accredited by ABET's Computer Accrediting Commission.

SBU's computer science program is the only ABET-accredited program at an evangelical Christian college within a 500-mile radius of Bolivar, and is one of just six evangelical Christian institutions nationwide to receive this accreditation. SBU's cybersecurity program is the only ABET-accredited program at an evangelical Christian college within a 800-mile radius of Bolivar, and is one of only two evangelical Christian institutions nationwide to receive this accreditation. SBU's Division of Computing & Mathematics is the only department at any evangelical Christian institution in the U.S. to house programs accredited by both ABET and ACBSP.

Competitive programming

SBU is home to one of Missouri's top competitive programming teams with more than 20 top-10 national awards in the past five years.

  • CCSC Central Plains Regional Champion seven times in past 10 years
  • AITP National Collegiate Conference national top three or higher 13 times in past 10 years
  • Top-20 team in the Mid-Central United States region at the International Collegiate Programming Contest each year since 2005

Research Lab

SBU CIS students benefit from the CIS Research Lab, a Windows 7 100 base TX Ethernet networked lab housing three parallel processing platforms, including a multi-hundred NVidia system. Lab is primarily used for senior projects, work study and research projects.

Scholarships

You will have the opportunity to apply for several privately funded scholarships. Select incoming freshmen receive a CIS award for their first year.

Taylor Center

The College of Professional Programs is housed in the Gene Taylor National Free Enterprise Center. The Taylor Center was expanded and renovated to provide the following benefits for our students:

  • Increased number of dedicated study areas and presentation rooms that can be reserved in advance
  • Keycard access for certain majors increases building security while allowing you to access space and equipment after hours to effectively study and work on group projects
  • Student lounge and open spaces to study, relax and hang out

Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Four Year Plan

Discover Core Curriculum