Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh Launches Data Science and AI Degree

Mount Saint Mary College has launched a Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, adding a 53-credit interdisciplinary STEM major to its lineup in Newburgh and signaling a significant expansion of the college's technology offerings for the Hudson Valley.

The degree, announced March 3 and housed in the School of Arts, Sciences, and Education, reflects what the college describes as a direct response to emerging technologies reshaping the global workforce. It joins an existing Interdisciplinary Applied AI minor that the Mount continues to offer alongside the new program.

Jen Bready, dean of the School of Arts, Sciences, and Education and a professor of Mathematics at the Mount, framed the expansion in blunt terms. "In today's rapidly shifting technological landscape, AI literacy is no longer just a technical skill, it's a foundational necessity for the modern professional in any discipline," Bready said. "By integrating these programs into our curriculum, we are ensuring our students don't just use these tools, but lead the conversation on how to implement them ethically and strategically within their chosen fields."

The Interdisciplinary Applied AI minor, which predates the new degree, is structured to reach students well beyond the computer science department. Unlike traditional technical minors, it is open to students in any major, including nursing, education, business, and the arts. The program provides a foundational understanding of AI tools and ethics, allowing students across disciplines to add technological proficiency to their existing degree path.

The new major continues a pattern of STEM expansion at the Mount. In Summer 2023, the college announced an articulation agreement with SUNY Orange enabling students who completed an Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity at SUNY Orange, with grades of C or better in all required courses, to transfer to the Mount with full junior status and complete a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity in four consecutive semesters. At the time, Mount president Dr. Jason N. Adsit cited "robust internship opportunities and plenty of professional connections" at the Mount as preparation for careers across the Hudson Valley.

The credit load and interdisciplinary structure of the new Data Science and AI degree, along with its start term and curriculum details, have not yet been made public beyond the 53-credit designation.