By: Dr. W. Travis McMaken, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities
Lindenwood University’s College of Arts and Humanities will launch two new bachelor’s degree programs this fall — a Bachelor of Arts in Geospatial Intelligence and Sustainability and a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Artificial Intelligence — as well as a new GeoAI Certificate developed in collaboration with the College of Science, Technology, and Health. These programs respond directly to workforce demand in the St. Louis region, home to a growing ecosystem of technology, national security, and geospatial employers anchored by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).
“We’re not only teaching geospatial and AI skills. We’re preparing Lindenwood students for every future by working with the NGA and other partners across the region to make sure that our graduates have developed the skills, engaged with the mentors, and built the Real Experience they need to succeed,” said Dr. W. Travis McMaken, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities.
The Bachelor of Arts in Geospatial Intelligence and Sustainability pairs technical proficiency in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and spatial data analysis with subject-matter concentrations in International Peace and Security, Public History, or Public Health. Students earn a stackable GIS certificate as part of their coursework, graduating equipped to apply geospatial technologies and data-driven decision-making across public policy and sustainability fields. That real-world orientation is reinforced by Lindenwood’s distinctive partnership with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
At the beginning of 2026, Lindenwood University signed an Education Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), becoming the fourth of what is now only six universities in the nation to do so. This unique relationship gives students direct access to unclassified real-world data, NGA mentorship, and applied research opportunities.
“Lindenwood has been a leader in GIS and AI for years, and the relationship with the NGA underscores that we are a player on the national level,” emphasized Dr. Kathi Vosevich, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs. “In fact, our leadership in AI goes back to 1977, when university research started paving the way for future AI development, addressing the complexities of simulating human-like behaviors in machines.”
The Bachelor of Arts in Applied Artificial Intelligence prepares students for broad, transferable AI fluency across professional contexts rather than narrow technical specialization. Students gain hands-on experience with generative and analytical AI tools — including prompt engineering, data interpretation, automation design, and multimodal content production — while learning to critically evaluate AI outputs for reliability, risk, and ethical responsibility. The program offers students the opportunity to select tracks in Ethical Decision-Making, Social Innovation, or Strategic Communication, and culminates in a capstone or internship that produces portfolio-ready work. Both new programs draw on the college’s Human-Centered AI coursework, reflecting the College of Arts and Humanities’ broader strategy of building interlocking, stackable credentials.
Lindenwood also works to build regional capability by engaging directly with employers across sectors — including municipalities, higher education, nonprofits, and financial services — on AI readiness assessment, employee training, and governance frameworks, helping regional organizations build responsible AI capability alongside the workforce Lindenwood is training.
Rounding out these expanded program offerings is Lindenwood’s new GeoAI Certificate, which focuses on bringing together skillsets in Geospatial Intelligence, AI, and Computer Science. Available to all Lindenwood undergraduate students, this 15-credit-hour certificate delivers competencies in Python programming, remote sensing, unmanned aerial systems, and AI-driven spatial data workflows. These are precisely the skills increasingly in demand across the geospatial and technology sectors in St. Louis. Students who complete the certificate leave with a credential that stacks directly onto the technical and applied training in Lindenwood’s new degree programs.
“Lindenwood’s program stands out because it treats AI as both a technical discipline and a human craft,” said Mark Munsell, Distinguished Fellow of Artificial Intelligence at Lindenwood University. “By balancing real-world applications in peace and security, public history, and health with strong metacognitive awareness, we prepare students to think critically about the technology they build and use. Paired with our new GeoAI Certificate, Lindenwood is offering a complete, career-ready toolkit for the modern AI economy.”
These new programs are open for enrollment beginning Fall 2026.