Pepperdine University announced on Apr. 20 that it will introduce a new artificial intelligence (AI) skills course for undergraduates as part of its Core curriculum, starting in the fall of 2026.
The addition aims to prepare students for a workforce increasingly shaped by AI technology and to ensure they are equipped with both practical and ethical understanding of its use. The course is open to all majors and minors at the university.
“The goal of this course is to get our students thinking critically about AI,” said Ben Postlethwaite (‘96), professor of organizational behavior and management at Seaver College and leader of the new class. “We want to help our undergraduates enhance their skills as AI practitioners, while also leading them to understand the societal implications of the new technology.”
Postlethwaite said that many industries now require employees who can work with different forms of AI, making these skills necessary for graduates. The course will cover more than just large language models like ChatGPT or Gemini; students will engage with a variety of AI tools throughout the curriculum so they can adapt across interfaces and evaluate outputs effectively.
Thomas Brunt, a Seaver College student majoring in public relations, welcomed the development: “AI is going to play a huge role in everyone’s lives going forward. To have a class that will help me understand how to use this new technology properly will be an incredible addition to my education. I want a trusted mentor who can help me sharpen that AI tool.”
Paul Begin, interim senior associate dean at Seaver College and one of the main architects behind the Core curriculum, explained: “When designing the Seaver Core curriculum, we recognized a gap between traditional academic disciplines and the skills students may need beyond graduation—financial literacy, career readiness, relationship cultivation, and more. With that in mind, the Skills portion was purpose-built for incubating classes that would be truly meaningful: a space to experiment, meet the moment, and respond to emerging needs.”