Bachelor of Arts in Arts and Technology

“I believe this country stands at a crossroads...and the potential for technology innovation to improve lives has never been greater.”

— Bill Gates

The digital revolution has changed many aspects of daily life: how we learn, communicate, store information and conduct business. The people behind this technological transformation have combined sophisticated computer programming skills with artistic influences and design sensibilities to bring mobile gaming systems, 3D animation and social networking to the mass markets.

At first it seems an odd fit: an artist working alongside a gamer, programmer, journalist, designer or sound engineer. But it is this combination of students, faculty and their ideas that allow arts and technology (ATEC) students to solve the problems of today and create tomorrow’s innovations.

Careers in Arts and Technology

The merging of arts and technology has created a competitive field with high growth potential. Graduates with degrees in arts and technology work in the entertainment, business, education, medical and science industries and more.

The University’s Career Center is an important resource for students pursuing postgraduate employment. Licensed counselors are available to provide strategies for mastering job interviews, writing professional cover letters and resumes and connecting with campus recruiters, among other services.

High School Preparation

Students who wish to major in arts and technology should complete:

  • Four units of language arts, including at least one unit of writing skills
  • Three units of a single foreign language
  • Four units of math
  • Three units of science
  • Four units of social science
  • One unit of fine arts
  • Two and a half units of general education electives

Arts and Technology at UT Dallas

In just five years, the ATEC program has grown to more than 850 students and has received awards for the quality of its curriculum and for the achievements of its faculty and students. The University of Texas System has recognized ATEC’s pioneering work by making it the lead on its Serious Games Initiative, which promotes innovation in teaching, learning and training through serious games; by naming Program Director Dr. Thomas Linehan one of the inaugural recipients of the Innovations in Education Award; and by awarding faculty more than $625,000 in research grants under the Transforming Undergraduate Education initiative.

The BA in arts and technology degree plan allows students to personalize programs to their interests. They may choose from animation, interactive narrative and games, virtual environments and sound design, or combine these areas to meet a specific career goal.

The ATEC program offers students networking, research and collaboration opportunities, preparing them for the fast-paced environment they will find when they join the work force. Research and production teams work on projects for clients including UT Southwestern, the Dallas Museum of Art and the U.S. Army.

Honors Program and Fast-Track

The School of Arts and Humanities (A&H) honors program offers the opportunity for advanced creative and scholarly work and recognition. To earn A&H honors, students must graduate with:

  • A minimum of 30 graded, upper-division semester credit hours at UT Dallas
  • at least 12 hours of upper-division courses in the student’s major with a GPA of 3.80 in those courses
  • The completion of an honors thesis or project evaluated by two faculty members with a grade of at least B+

Exceptionally well-qualified Arts and Humanities undergraduates who meet the requirements for admission to graduate school should consider the Fast-Track program, which allows them to begin work on an A&H master’s degree before graduation. Qualified seniors may take up to 12 credit hours of approved A&H graduate courses during their senior year, which will apply to their undergraduate degree plans.

Visit ah.utdallas.edu/students/advising/fasttrack.html for details.

The University of Texas at Dallas www.utdallas.edu/enroll

School of Arts and Humanities

The School of Arts and Humanities prepares students for the changes they will face in a media-rich 21st century. By connecting the visual and performing arts with the humanities (philosophy, literature, history), students learn how to think creatively as well as critically. More than 100 full-time faculty members, many of whom are internationally recognized scholars and performers, provide quality instruction on topics ranging from the history of the Middle East to emerging media.

Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Arts: Arts and humanities, art and performance, historical studies, literary studies, arts and technology, emerging media and communication

Master of Arts: Arts and technology, emerging media and communication, history, humanities, aesthetic studies, history of ideas, studies in literature, Latin American studies

Master of Arts in Teaching: Aesthetic studies, history of ideas, studies in literature, humanities

Master of Fine Arts: Arts and technology

Doctor of Philosophy: Arts and technology, humanities

Minors Offered

If your academic focus leads you elsewhere at UT Dallas, but you would still like to pursue studies in the School of Arts and Humanities, the following minors are available:

  • Art history
  • Asian studies
  • Creative writing
  • Drama/dance
  • Gender studies
  • Global communication and leadership
  • History
  • Literature
  • Medical and scientific humanities
  • Music
  • Performing arts
  • Philosophy
  • Spanish/Hispanic area studies
  • Visual arts

Additional Facts

  • Twenty-two faculty members have been awarded prestigious fellowships, including those from the Guggenheim, Fulbright, Alexander S. Onassis and Woodrow Wilson foundations. Others are recipients of the Füst Literary Award, as well as awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
  • The school’s nine centers further enhance students’ educational experience by bringing the concept of globalism to campus, by bringing world events into focus through research and by encouraging technological innovation and creativity.
  • The school boasts an aggressive arts outreach program, with more than 75 events per year. Students benefit from master classes with touring artists and performance opportunities that augment classroom learning.

Contact Information

Dr. Shelley Lane
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies
School of Arts and Humanities
800 West Campbell Road, JO31
Richardson, TX 75080-3021
Phone: 972-883-2931
E-mail: shelley.lane@utdallas.edu
Website: ah.utdallas.edu

Office of Admission and Enrollment Services
800 West Campbell Road
Richardson, TX 75080-3021
Phone: 972-883-2270 or 1-800-889-2443
E-mail: interest@utdallas.edu
Website: utdallas.edu/enroll