UND will launch a bachelor's program in cybersecurity engineering and a master's program in athletic administration and coaching this summer, with a Ph.D. program in artificial intelligence set to open in fall 2025.
"The new programs help the university better serve the state by matching students' interests with the multiple job openings that many employers report," the press release read.
Both the cybersecurity engineering bachelor and the AI doctorate are housed in the College of Engineering and Mines, while the athletics master's program is in the College of Education and Human Development.
Former Grand Forks Public Schools athletic director Mark Rerick will chair the new master's program.
"There are hundreds of advanced degrees in sports management out there, but this program prepares people to be leaders in athletic departments at schools — hired to run athletic departments within the academic mission of a university or school district," read a statement attributed to Rerick.
The cybersecurity bachelor's is part of UND's National Security Initiative intended to draw federal — and particularly defense — dollars to the university.
The Ph.D. is the first UND program dedicated entirely to the study of the field of AI. Interim Engineering Dean Ryan Adams says it's the first of its kind in the region.
The cybersecurity engineering bachelor's degree will be available online and in-person. The athletic administration master's program will be entirely online, while the AI Ph.D. will only be offered on-campus.
© 2025 the Grand Forks Herald (Grand Forks, N.D.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
