Grand Valley launches Computing+X

Grand Valley State University will introduce five bachelor’s degrees in fall 2027 that prepare students for integrating computing and emerging technologies with the fields of health care, mathematics, business and the liberal arts.

The GVSU Board of Trustees approved the five degrees, part of an inter-collegiate initiative dubbed Computing+X, during its October 23 meeting in Detroit.  The initiative, launched by the College of Computing, works in partnership with the College of Health Professions, College of Liberal Arts & Science, and Seidman College of Business.

“Michigan’s employers require a workforce capable of working with emerging technologies, like AI, with forethought and vision,” said GVSU President Philomena V. Mantella. “With these degrees, GVSU students will have the necessary digital skills to make an immediate impact in their respective field.”

The five bachelor’s degrees are: 

• Computing and Allied Health Sciences
• Computing and Anthropology
• Computing and Business
• Computing and Mathematics
• Computing and Modern Languages

Unlike a major paired with a minor or certificate, each Computing+X degree is a single, integrated program that builds deep expertise in both fields. Students complete the degree in 120 credits — the same as a traditional bachelor’s degree — including integration courses that bring the two disciplines together around real-world problems.

The programs are designed to give students the digital fluency   to solve problems , drive innovation and lead responsibly in their fields, said Marouane Kessentini, dean of the College of Computing.

“The College of Computing views computing as shared infrastructure that can accelerate discovery, innovation and impact across disciplines,” said Kessentini. “Computing+X brings computing expertise together with deep knowledge of another field to address problems that neither discipline can solve as effectively alone. And this is just the beginning: the model is designed so that any discipline at Grand Valley can pair with computing.”

For example, students who earn a bachelor’s degree in computing and business can combine their technical expertise with business concepts to develop products, services, organizations and strategies that create economic and societal value.

Or, students who earn a bachelor’s degree in computing and allied health sciences can translate their digital and technical abilities into developing responsible technologies that improve research, clinical practice, health care delivery and human well-being.

Graduates in computing and anthropology or modern languages bring a deep understanding of people, cultures and language to the design of AI and other technologies that increasingly shape how the world communicates and connects.

“Through the Computing+X initiative, GVSU students will learn ethical and responsible ways to engage with emerging technologies, including AI,” said Jennifer Drake, provost and executive vice president of Academic Affairs. “These degrees will empower our students to think creatively in solving everyday problems they will face.”