I am an entering freshman in SCS. How do I become an AI major?

All incoming SCS students start their first year as undeclared majors and take roughly the same curriculum during their first year. In the spring of your first year, you will declare one of the SCS majors — computer science (CS), artificial intelligence,computational biology (CB) or human-computer interaction (HCI). Note that while technically not everyone is guaranteed acceptance into the AI major, to date we have not turned anyone down. We will provide more information once you arrive at CMU.

What are the enrollment limits in the AI major?

In the past, we have admitted anywhere from 35 to 50 new AI majors. We do reserve the right to cap the number of AI majors, due to capacity limits.

What will my degree say if I do the AI major?

While your degree comes from the School of Computer Science, it will show "Artificial Intelligence" as your major, not "Computer Science." You will need to make sure it is clear on your resume and social accounts which degree you're getting from SCS, since this is a new degree. The degrees are different and have different overall requirements.

What are the significant curricular differences between CS and AI?

The CS and AI majors start with the same core computing background, but the AI major has an additional statistics course instead of algorithm design and analysis. The AI major has three core courses in artificial intelligence, while the CS major has a minor or concentration. Both programs have four electives in their respective subject areas and two SCS-wide electives. The AI major requires a course in ethics, while the CS major requires a technical communications course, which includes a choice covering ethics. Note that all majors within SCS will have equal priority for enrollment in all courses offered by the School of Computer Science.

I am an SCS sophomore or junior. Can I transfer to become an AI major?

Yes, but transfer will be on a case-by-case basis, and there is no guarantee a transfer will be approved. See the Transfer Guidelines page for more information.

When and how do I apply for transfer?

If you are interested in a transfer, you should review the posted curriculum on the website and map out a four-year plan to see if you can complete the degree given your currently completed semesters. Please remember that not all courses are offered each semester and some courses have enrollment caps due to limited classroom space, TA availability and course structure. To transfer, you need to complete a transfer application and an essay. See the Transfer Guidelines page for more information. 

As a current AI major, can I do an additional major in CS, CB or HCI?

Yes, but there are significant double-counting rules. Specifically, AI students doing an additional major in computer science can double count at most five of the 12 CS requirements, which amounts to seven additional courses. Since CS and AI both require 15-122/-150/-210/-213/-251, this means that AI primary majors with a CS additional major need to complete the remaining seven CS requirements with completely different courses than those used for AI. Math and technical communication requirements can double count without restriction. Check with a computational biology or human-computer interaction advisor for double counting issues for those majors. Due to the high threshold for doing a double major, we suggest instead thinking about adding a concentration to specialize in some other aspect of computer science.

As a current SCS major, can I do an additional major in AI?

Yes. As of spring 2022, the AI program supports an additional major. See our Additional Major page for more information. As stated above, note that there are significant double-counting rules that make it a high threshold to double major. 

I am a CMU student not in SCS. Can I do an additional major in AI?

Yes. As of spring 2022, the AI program supports an additional major in artificial intelligence. Learn more on our Additional Major page.

Is there an AI minor?

Yes. As of spring 2022, the AI program supports a minor in artificial intelligence. Visit the AI Minor page for more information about the program and how to apply. We also have minors in specialized areas of artificial intelligence, such as machine learning, language technologies, robotics and human-computer interaction.

Can I transfer to the AI major from outside SCS?

Yes. As of spring 2022, the AI program supports transfers from outside SCS. Visit the Transfer Guidelines page for more information.

Can I transfer from another university into the AI program?

While it is possible, the number of students who can be accepted each year is extremely low since the AI program is already near, or at, capacity.

I am a high school student. How do I apply for the AI major?

All students must first be accepted into the School of Computer Science. Then, at the end of your freshman year, you can declare the AI major. Check out CMU's Office of Undergraduate Admission for information on how to apply.

I am a high school student. What can I do to increase my chances to become an AI major?

Admission to SCS involves many factors and is highly competitive due to our desired class size. If you're interested in the AI major, you should include descriptions of your interest in AI and any current experience in AI or AI-related areas in your personal essay when you apply to SCS.

I already have a bachelor’s degree in another discipline. Can I apply to SCS for the AI program?

If you have an undergraduate degree already, we recommend considering our master's programs in specific areas of AI.

Can I take the AI major online?

No, it is only available to SCS students currently attending Carnegie Mellon. There are online universities that do offer AI and AI-related courses. You should check those out.