De Anza College announced on May 21 that it’s launching an associate in science degree in applied artificial intelligence, the first of its kind in Silicon Valley, according to the school.

“We believe that we need to actively provide our students with the knowledge and training to make informed choices about engaging with AI,” De Anza College Vice President of Instruction Ram Subramaniam said. “These programs are directly aligned with our institutional core competencies of information literacy, personal responsibility, and critical thinking.”

De Anza is a public community college in Cupertino, California, ranked as the 17th best community college in the state and 40th in the nation, according to school review website Niche.

The school said the degree, along with six new AI-focused credentials, will be launched this fall with registration beginning July 27.

De Anza said that through the degree, students with no background in coding or data science can earn a foundational certificate that covers basic AI concepts and methodologies.

From there, they’ll be able to focus on earning one of the credentials through technical certificates focused on machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, prompt engineering, and AI agents.

The school also said it’s launching noncredit programs tailored to working professionals, including the Applying AI at Work certificate, a program focused on strategic thinking and AI use in the workplace, and the AI in Business certificate, which focuses on providing generative AI skills for applications in areas including marketing, accounting, human resources, and analytics.

Subramaniam said these new AI offerings reflect the school’s recognition of AI’s importance as a defining technology of our time.

California already has over 35 graduate degree programs in AI, machine learning, and related fields, according to AI degree guide Master’s in AI.

Notable institutes and programs include the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, which was established in 2019 to advance AI research and education, according to its website, and UC Berkeley’s Artificial Intelligence Research Lab.

De Anza said the curriculum of its new AI degree is designed to be transferable to four-year colleges, a common route for students at a community college, including University of California and California State University-transferable courses and a strong emphasis on responsible AI development and practice.

Of the more than 2,800 De Anza students who transferred in the 2024–2025 school year, nearly 1,300 transferred to CSU schools and more than 1,000 transferred to UC schools, including 214 to UC Berkeley and 208 to UC San Diego.

The total number of transfers was nearly 2,000 higher than neighboring community colleges, the next highest being San Mateo Community College’s 976 transfers, 249 of whom were UC transfers.