The Louisiana Board of Regents approved the addition of an AI degree at LSU and the renaming of the College of Music & Dramatic Arts at a meeting Tuesday.
The AI degree was approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors and then submitted to the Regents for consideration.
As stated in the meeting, the degree will feature a more hands-on and industry-related learning approach. This will include internships, research programs and a capstone project.
The program will help provide technical, ethical and professional skills which will help improve LSU’s knowledge and stance in AI education.
“It aligns with state and national workforce priorities and addresses a talent gap within the state. The proposed program ‘strengthens Louisiana’s competitiveness in attracting investment, research funding, and top talent.’ It also aligns with one of the five Pentagon Priorities and responds to a pressing national security need,” according to the staff summary.
Chief Academic Officers throughout the state were in favor of this program statewide and it is now listed in LSU’s 2025–2026 Academic Plan. The proposed BS in Artificial Intelligence will allow for more experts in an already rapidly growing field.
The program will be initially in person, but they have plans to transition to a hybrid system over time. The Board expressed that the approval of this degree will allow LSU to offer more educational opportunities and improve economic development.
The Louisiana Board of Regents also approved the request to rename LSU College of Music & Dramatic Arts to the LSU School of Theatre & Film.
“The name School of Theatre and Film more accurately reflects both the depth of this partnership and its significance within the broader vision of the CMDA,” said Vanessa Uhlig, head of the Film Program in a press release.
With this, the name will honor the film concentration which was added in 2012. Currently, the Film BFA program has around 100 students. The college stated in a press release that the official change in its title, will acknowledge the school’s “dual commitment” to the stage and the screen.
Also at the meeting, Chris Herring, the associate commissioner for Facilities Planning and Emergency Management, gave an update on the Consent Agenda’s Small Capital Projects report.
In the report there were 14 projects approved by staff. Some of the LSU projects listed included, $858,000 allocated to the Dodson Hall Auditorium Renovation, $350,000 allocated to the improvement of School of Veterinary Medicine Small Animal Hospital Intensive Care Unit Modular Building and other projects around campus.
The Consent Agenda was presented by Tristan Denley, Deputy Commissioner for Academic Affairs and Innovation. Denley presented a list of routine items which was passed unanimously.
Denley stated that there was an importance in passing these items as adding more programs to the Construction Management school for the state.
Denley also presented a proposed Master’s Degree in Architecture, he noted it would be different from the already existing degree at LSU and would be, “36-hour, thesis-based degree that would build a pathway for students with a bachelor’s degree in architecture to build toward the Doctor of Design degree,” which was passed unanimously.
The next Board of Regents meeting will be held April 29 at 9 a.m. and is open to the public.
