Northwestern in Evanston: an AI major for builders who still ask why
Northwestern University straddles Evanston’s lakefront and Chicago’s professional economy. McCormick School of Engineering’s Department of Computer Science is launching an undergraduate AI major in fall 2026—the first offering of a new BSE pathway—while the Network for Collaborative Intelligence organizes AI/data programs across schools. For KFN, Northwestern is the North Shore campus treating AI as a degree you can declare, not only a lab you visit.
- Campus
- Northwestern University
- City / metro
- Evanston · Chicago
- Future hooks
- AI major · collaborative intelligence · engineering
AI as a first-class undergraduate major
Administered by Computer Science and directed by Sara Owsley Sood, the major trains students to build, deploy, and use intelligent systems responsibly—machine learning, NLP, AI systems, algorithms, and a required societal-impact component covering privacy, sustainability, and ethics. McCormick students earn a BSE with an AI major; students in other Northwestern schools can add AI as a second major. Faculty emphasize that industry skill needs now diverge from a classic CS core—vision, knowledge representation, robotics, and ML deserve curricular room of their own.
Collaborative intelligence across campus
The Network for Collaborative Intelligence catalogs undergraduate and graduate AI/data pathways—from the AI minor launched in 2024 to MS and certificate programs—signaling Northwestern’s push to integrate AI across research and education, not silo it in one building. As a Third Coast Foundry partner alongside UChicago and UIUC, Northwestern also sits in the Midwest startup bridge to coastal venture networks.
Evanston–Chicago bargain
CTA Purple Line access and Chicago internships define student life as much as lakefront dorms. Housing pressure in Evanston and Rogers Park is real. Northwestern’s private scale competes with UChicago for Chicago mindshare while feeding the same Loop employers.
What to watch next
Watch first AI-major cohorts declare and place; whether societal-impact requirements shape graduate ethics practice; and how McCormick’s new engineering core (Engineering Foundations) interacts with AI breadth areas.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Northwestern University located?
Northwestern University is based in Evanston · Chicago, in the United States. KFN’s Campus Future guide covers how the campus connects to its city and region.
What is Northwestern University known for in the future of work and research?
Northwestern University straddles Evanston’s lakefront and Chicago’s professional economy. McCormick School of Engineering’s Department of Computer Science is launching an undergraduate AI major in fall 2026—the first offering of a new BSE pathway—
Why does KFN cover Northwestern University?
KFN’s Colleges / Campus Future series tracks how universities and cities shape talent, research, and public life. Northwestern University in Evanston matters for themes such as AI major · collaborative intelligence · engineering—and for how those themes play out beyond campus walls.
What should people watch next at Northwestern University?
Follow research and teaching tied to AI major · collaborative intelligence · engineering; how Evanston absorbs students, jobs, and infrastructure pressure; and how Northwestern University partners with industry, government, and neighboring campuses. See the full guide on KFN for context and campus sources.
Where can I find official information about Northwestern University?
Use the university’s official site at https://www.northwestern.edu/, and the “From the campus” links in KFN’s guide for primary sources.