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For students at the University of Cincinnati, you don’t have to guess from the outside. Through co‑ops, internships and industry connections, UC lets you see how AI actually shows up in real workplaces while you’re still in college.

This guide is about choosing and shaping a major in the age of AI — not just chasing lists of “AI‑proof” degrees.

Before you worry about robots taking over, get clear about your own direction.

Ask yourself:

• What do I genuinely like working on? People problems? Systems? Stories? Data? Physical things?
• What comes easier (or feels more energizing) for me than for most people I know?
• What kind of day sounds better? Talking to people, building things, designing, analyzing, writing, caring for patients, leading teams?

Write down themes, not necessarily job titles. You might see patterns like,` “I like solving messy problems and explaining things,” or “I like layout, visuals and how things feel.”

You can also use UC resources: Take a personality assessment or career quiz offered through UC’s Career and Co-op Support.

Use BearcatGPT — UC’s private AI platform for students, faculty and staff — to brainstorm majors that align with your interests, then cross‑check those suggestions with real UC programs and advisors.

Explore UC blogs on choosing a major to dive in deeper.

AI doesn’t affect all fields the same way — but it touches almost all of them somewhere.

Instead of “Is this major doomed?” ask: “What tasks in this area might AI handle, and what tasks will still need humans?”

A few quick examples:

• Engineering: AI may help with simulations and optimizations, but humans still design systems, weigh trade‑offs and sign off on safety‑critical decisions.
• Business & marketing: AI may draft content or run A/B tests; humans decide strategy, ethics and how to connect with real customers.
• Healthcare: AI may flag patterns in images or data; humans still provide care, build trust and make complex calls.
• Design & UX: AI may generate quick mockups; humans still understand users, context and what “good” actually means.
• Humanities & social sciences: AI can summarize, but humans interpret culture, power, history and behavior — and shape how AI should be used.

You don’t need a PhD in AI to choose a major. You just need to know: In this field, what will I likely do that AI can’t easily copy?

Some majors are close to AI itself:

• Computer science/computer engineering: algorithms, software, sometimes machine learning
• Data science/analytics/statistics: patterns and insights in large data sets
• Information technology/cybersecurity: securing systems, managing networks, guarding against AI‑enabled threats
• Information systems/business analytics: using data and tech to drive business decisions

If you’re genuinely interested in these areas, AI can make these majors even more exciting and in‑demand.

Other majors are AI‑adjacent, where AI is a tool inside the field:

• Engineering disciplines (mechanical, electrical, biomedical, civil)
• Business (finance, accounting, marketing, management)
• Health disciplines (nursing, allied health, health informatics)
• Design, UX, digital media
• Communications, journalism, PR

You don’t have to move into a “pure AI” major to be ready. Often, the sweet spot is:

1. Major in something you care about
2. Layer in AI + data + digital skills
3. Test it in co‑ops

At UC, that might look like:

• An operations management major who learns analytics tools and co‑ops with a logistics company using AI forecasting.
• A DAAP industrial design major who uses AI tools for ideation but still leads user research and prototyping.
• A nursing student who co‑ops in a hospital exploring AI decision‑support tools and then helps patients understand what those tools mean.

Lists of “future‑proof majors” are guesses. Co‑ops are reality checks.

Through UC’s paid co‑op program, you can try different roles within your major and see which ones feel most “human.” Co-ops allow you to see how AI and automation show up in actual workplaces (or how they don’t, yet). You’ll notice which skills your supervisors value most — often communication, judgment and learning quickly.

If you’re on the fence between majors, co‑ops and internships are one of the best ways to answer:

• “Do I actually like this work?”
• “Do I feel energized or drained after a co‑op day?”
• “How does AI change what this team does, and do I like my part in it?”

Those answers are far more useful than any generic “safest majors” list.

Whatever you major in, you can make it more AI‑ready by intentionally building:

Borrowing the strongest ideas from your other draft:

• Critical thinking and judgment
• Clear writing and speaking
• Creativity and original problem‑solving
• Collaboration and leadership
• Empathy and cultural awareness
• Adaptability and continuous learning

You can build these in: Classes that push you to analyze, argue, design or present; group projects and labs; student organizations and leadership roles; co‑ops, internships and part‑time jobs where you work with real people

• Understand what AI can and can’t do in your field.
• Practice using tools like BearcatGPT as learning partners, not answer machines.
• Take at least one class that touches data analysis, coding or information systems if it fits your plan.

• Co‑ops/internships that show you can learn new systems and tools
• Projects where you tried something new and reflected on it
• A genuine habit of keeping up with changes in your field

These are the things that make your career more future‑proof, regardless of your major title.

Don’t make big decisions in your head only.

At UC, you can meet with your academic adviser to see how a major or minor change affects your timeline.

Tap into UC’s co-op and career support resources to learn about careers connected to each major — and how AI shows up in those paths.

Use BearcatGPT to draft questions for advisers, then refine them yourself so the conversation stays focused.

Good questions to bring:

• “In this major, where do you see AI changing the work the most?”
• “What co‑op partners are experimenting with AI or automation?”
• “What minors, certificates or electives could help me bring AI or data skills into this major?”