AI Ethics, Minor
This interdisciplinary minor in AI Ethics is jointly administered by the Computer Science and Philosophy Departments. It combines technical computing skills with the ability to critically reflect on the nature, significance, and ethical implications of artificial intelligence. No course can satisfy more than one requirement in the minor. No more than two classes can count toward both this minor and a major. When combining this minor with a B.A. or B.S. in Computer Science or Data Science, the Philosophy Recommendation becomes a requirement. When combining this minor with a B.A. in Philosophy, students must take a second Computing Elective.
Required Credit Hours:
22-23 credits; when the minor is combined with a major in Computer Science, Data Science, or Philosophy: 18-22 credits
Computing Component:
The computing component is four classes of at least three credits, for a total of 13 credits. This component consists of the foundational computing courses that AI is based upon.
Computing Requirements:
Take all three
CSCI 141 Modern Programming Fundamentals covers the foundational principles of programming on which AI is based and is a prerequisite to any computing-related course. CSCI 243 Logic and Discrete Structures provides the mathematical foundations needed for AI, most importantly logic. CSCI 356 Large Language Models and DATA 305 Designing AI Agents provide background in the basic interface or applied design of AI-based systems, respectively.
Computing Electives:
Take at least one.
These courses provide depth in various areas of computing that are affected by or interact heavily with AI.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CSCI 241 | Data Structures | 3 |
| CSCI 303 | Algorithms | 3 |
| CSCI 356 | Large Language Models | 3 |
| CSCI 416 | Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning | 3 |
| CSCI 417 | Computer Animation | 3 |
| CSCI 447 | Human-Computer Interaction | 3 |
| DATA 201 | Introduction to Data Science & AI | 3 |
| DATA 305 | Designing AI Agents | 3 |
| Special topics courses—such as CSCI 220, 320, 420 and DATA 440— may count toward the elective when the topic is appropriate, e.g., has an explicit focus on cybersecurity or AI. Please consult with the Computer Science department to determine whether a given CSCI special topic is suitable as an elective. Please consult with the Data Science department whether a given DATA special topic is suitable as an elective. | ||
Note: when combining this minor with a B.A. in Philosophy, students must take a second
Computing Elective.
Philosophy Component:
The philosophy component is three classes of at least three credits, for a total of 9 or 10 credits
Data/AI Ethics Requirement
Take at least one
These courses concern the ethical, political, and/or legal implications of AI and/or data.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 330 | Ethics and Data Science | 3 |
| PHIL 333 | Philosophy of AI: Capabilities, Risks and Governance | 3 |
Normative Theory Requirement
Take at least one
These courses provide a deeper philosophical grounding in ethical, political, and/or legal
theorizing.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 215 | Right and Wrong in the Contemporary World | 3 |
| PHIL 303 | Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL 305 | Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 310 | Philosophy of Law | 3 |
| PHIL 315 | Biomedical Ethics | 3 |
Philosophy Elective
Take at least one
Discussions of artificial intelligence often go beyond its ethical implications. These courses
provide philosophical background that reinforce reflection on, e.g., whether AI can be
conscious or intelligent, the nature of its programming or its linguistic outputs, what science
can or does know about AI, etc.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 150 | First-Year Seminar (Philosophy of Technology) | 4 |
| PHIL 313 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| PHIL 335 | Philosophy of Language | 3 |
| PHIL 345 | Philosophy of Mind | 3 |
| PHIL 460 | Advanced Logic | 3 |
Philosophy Recommendation (optional):
While the minor does not require a fourth philosophy class, we generally recommend that AI
Ethics minors take a fourth PHIL class to improve their ability to write and think more
precisely about philosophical, including ethical, content. Almost any philosophy course will
contribute to this end, except 210, 301, and 460. We especially recommend:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 220 | Philosophy of Race: Identity, Racism, and Justice | 3 |
| PHIL 303 | Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL 305 | Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 310 | Philosophy of Law | 3 |
| PHIL 313 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| PHIL 325 | Neuroscience and Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL 335 | Philosophy of Language | 3 |
| PHIL 345 | Philosophy of Mind | 3 |
| PHIL 350 | Theory of Knowledge | 3 |
| PHIL 360 | Feminist Metaphysics | 3 |
Note: when combining this minor with a B.A. or a B.S. in Computer Science or Data Science,
the Philosophy Recommendation becomes a requirement.