The major will be a part of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) if it receives state approval. Liran Ma, CSE department chair, did not respond to requests for comment in time for print.
To facilitate the new major, the College of Engineering and Computing is proposing the creation of six additional courses. The rest of the 88-credit program will consist of existing courses across other programs including mathematics, computer science and more.
“One of the things I think that is most exciting about [the new program] is its interdisciplinarity,” said Provost Elizabeth Mullenix during the Board of Trustees meeting Dec. 13. Students will be able to choose tracks within the program including AI, physics, cybersecurity, life sciences and entrepreneurship.
The new program was conceived in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic. The Clinic’s “expertise in healthcare and advanced research helped shape the program’s curriculum to ensure it aligns with industry needs,” according to the university’s program proposal.
Quantum computers rely on quantum mechanics to encode and process information significantly faster than traditional computers, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Tech companies like Google are investing heavily in the technology. Google recently announced that its quantum computer took less than five minutes to solve a mathematical problem that would have taken other supercomputers 10 septillion years to complete, according to the New York Times.
Other institutions like the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga have created certificate programs for quantum technology and incorporated other elements of the emerging field into their curriculum.
Miami’s new program comes at a time when the university is scaling back offerings in other areas. The university has eliminated 76 programs, including 37 undergraduate majors, since fall 2020, according to a presentation by Mullenix at the Board of Trustees’ Academic and Student Affairs Committee meeting Dec. 12.
Mullenix’s presentation listed 18 programs eliminated in 2024, including Bachelors of Arts in several language programs and other humanities focuses like social justice studies, critical race and ethnic studies and American studies. Other programs eliminated included Bachelors of Science in athletic training, public health and health communication, as well as masters programs in history, esports management and more.
The university “teaches out” programs that are eliminated to avoid impacting currently enrolled students. In 2025, the university will eliminate the Bachelor of Arts program in art and architectural history, as well as the geography and sustainable development major.
Public universities in Ohio require approval from the Ohio Department of Education to create new undergraduate degree programs. Now that Miami’s Board of Trustees has approved the quantum computing program, it will go to the state for final approval.
This article was originally published by the Oxford Free Press. See it online at oxfreepress.com.
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