UIC Engineering launches AI curriculum initiatives

To give students tools to harness the transformative power of generative AI in computing, the University of Illinois Chicago College of Engineering will launch new AI courses and specialization tracks this fall.

For students across the university, the UIC Department of Computer Science will offer a new course in AI literacy. For computer science students, the department will evolve its foundational curriculum into two AI tracks. Advanced students will be able to choose from three different levels of AI engagement.

These new efforts will allow both computer science students and students from across the university to tailor their AI education to their interests and career goals.

"As the foundations of computer science evolve, we want to balance responsiveness with a commitment to careful, evidence-based progress," said Shanon Reckinger, director of undergraduate studies for computer science. "This initiative will ensure that students across disciplines are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively use AI in their fields while also ensuring our core curricula reflects the realities of an evolving computing workforce."

Increasing AI and computing literacy for all students is one of the goals of UIC Engineering's Strategic Plan, and this new initiative builds on the wide array of AI-focused technical electives already taught by more than 25 AI-specialized faculty within the department.

AI literacy for all

To ensure students across the university understand the foundations of AI, a new course titled AI Literacy will be offered in fall 2026 for students outside of computer science. The course will explore how AI systems work, their applications in everyday contexts, and their broader social and ethical implications.

The course builds on the computer science department's efforts to provide broad access to AI literacy for students across campus. This past academic year, a new two-course sequence, Data + AI, was offered through the Chicago Tech Circle initiative. The sequence introduced students from across disciplines to data and AI skills and included an experiential, team-based project course, where students collaborated with industry partners to address real problems.

AI within the foundations of computer science

The department will also evolve its foundational computer science curriculum into two distinct tracks.

The first, called Early AI Integration, introduces core computer science concepts and programming through the use of generative AI tools from the outset. This track involves a single course and is meant for students who will not major in computer science but who want some experience with programming.

The second track, called Progressive AI Integration, is part of a five-year curriculum redesign effort supported by a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. This track focuses on building strong foundational knowledge in computer science while gradually integrating generative AI across a four-course programming sequence. It is intended for students pursuing computing-focused majors, including computer science, data science, computer science and design, and computer science and linguistics.

AI expertise for computer science students

Students who major in computer science will now be able to choose from three levels of AI engagement: foundational, specialization and advanced.

The foundational level will serve as the baseline for all computer science majors. Students will be required to complete technical electives and will be encouraged to take AI courses. This track offers maximum flexibility, allowing students to explore AI as much or as little as they wish.

The specialization level introduces a formal AI concentration. Students in this track will select four of the six technical electives in AI. This concentration provides targeted expertise, enhancing students' marketability in a rapidly evolving job market.

The advanced level enables students to pursue a five-year bachelor's and master's degree program. Building on the concentration, this track develops advanced AI skills and prepares students for careers beyond entry-level positions.

All three tracks will be available to incoming computer science students in fall 2026.

"What we are building at UIC is shaped not only by national trends but also by our own unique context," said Baoxin Li, head of computer science department. "By offering different levels of engagement, we are using our strengths at UIC to prepare students to excel after graduation."

- Emily Ayshford, College of Engineering