AI Reshapes Campuses: Computer Science Enrollment Plummets, Interdisciplinary Studies Rise
fortune · reddit · 2026-08-07
Fortune reports that as AI reshapes how students learn and work, the once-popular computer science major is facing declining enrollment. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, undergraduate enrollment in computer and information sciences at four-year institutions dropped 8.4% in spring 2026 year-over-year. This follows a 3.6% decline in fall 2025, with graduate enrollment also plunging 14%.
The decline doesn't mean students are losing interest in technology; rather, they are looking to combine tech knowledge with other fields. Colby College, for example, is incorporating AI education outside its CS department through the Davis Institute for AI, encouraging an interdisciplinary approach to tackle challenges that go beyond AI itself.
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