Building AI Fundamentals Through a Systemwide Course Supporting 16 Campuses

One way for faculty to incorporate an emerging and fast-evolving technology like AI into their courses is for each of them, individually, to develop lessons and activities. Another is to use prepared modules faculty can “plug in” to their courses. That approach is helping instructors teach AI fundamentals in over 100 sections with more than 3,300 students across North Carolina as part of a pilot initiative this spring.

The set of six new modules on AI was developed and made available through The University of North Carolina (UNC) System, which supports 16 universities and one residential high school for science and math across the state. A committee of faculty, instructional designers, and librarians from 10 institutions in the UNC System created the series of modules that cover how GenAI works, its benefits and risks, responsible use, applications in academic disciplines, and an introduction to workforce approaches with tools.

Crucially, the modules making up the AI Fundamentals course can be adapted in multiple ways: packaged as a complete one-credit course, offered across an entire campus, or used by individual faculty selecting the most relevant element for their students. “We wanted to give students and faculty an opportunity to address questions about the responsible use of AI together,” says Heather McCullough, UNC System Senior Director of Academic Programs.

“The course was developed to be flexible to help students develop their critical understanding of the tools, academic integrity, and responsible use.”

From science to social work

Faculty deliver the AI Fundamentals modules through their own institution’s learning management system (LMS), but they get guidance about incorporating the digital lessons into courses offered in any modality. The modules list AI tools that faculty and students might use as part of the lessons, but it doesn’t focus on any specific AI platforms.

The range of disciplines represented in the spring 2026 pilot includes career studies, computer science, economics, government studies, kinesiology, law, math, social work, and special education. The modules are appearing in a range from introductory general education courses to senior courses in the majors.

Related reading — What a System-Wide Faculty Learning Community On Generative AI Looks Like in Action

Education and careers

In addition to content about using AI in an academic setting, the course includes lessons on using it in professional careers. “We looked at what industry and businesses were asking for from graduates, and we looked at what our faculty were asking for in terms of support for incorporating AI literacy and foundational skills into the curriculum,” McCullough says.

The UNC System partners with Amazon Web Services (AWS) on other programs, so the AI Fundamentals course creators reviewed training materials from the cloud computing provider already available at no cost. UNC System selected materials related to responsible AI practices and using AI for business and technical decision makers. Each can be part of a path to a certification through AWS.

Related reading — 10 Best Practices for Generative AI Faculty Development: Insights from the Field 

Sustaining the AI Fundamentals course as the technology evolves

The AI Fundamentals course is scheduled to be made available throughout the state’s universities and high school starting in fall 2026, and McCullough says a group of faculty and staff will continue reviewing the modules and their content, adjusting them to stay current with AI’s frequent updates.

Like with the group that designed the pilot version, those charged with updating the materials will represent a variety of disciplines and include staff with expertise in instructional design. Industry partners also will provide feedback about the materials.

“It’s too big and complex of a transformation for one person or a small group of people to be able to wrap their arms around,” McCullough says. “The value is being able to sustain a systemwide group of experts who will inform the content and the revision of the course.”

Updates will be informed by feedback from faculty and staff who used the modules in the pilot, as well as LMS administrators and others who support the AI Fundamentals course on campuses. McCullough hopes that insight also provides examples of how institutions and faculty can use the modules in class activities.

One possible use case the UNC System hasn’t implemented yet is a “self-serve” option where individual students can access the modules on their own. Another is making them accessible to other organizations outside the state’s colleges and universities.

“The UNC System intends to continue to scale support for AI,” McCullough says, “because we all know it’s transforming higher education and the world.”