Graduate Advising

What type of curriculum will I encounter in ATEC graduate program?

The Graduate Program in Arts and Technology focuses on the creation, application, and implications of technologically sophisticated interactive communication. Students may concentrate their studies on either Games and Interactive Narrative or Digital Arts and Design.

The program provides students with a flexible, interdisciplinary context within which to pursue their studies, built on connections among specific courses and areas of interest. Within the specific degree plans, each student plans an individual program of studies in consultation with an assigned faculty advisor.

Most courses for the MA, MFA, and PhD are offered under the rubric of Arts and Technology (ATEC), but the degree plan also include select courses in Aesthetic Studies (HUAS), History of Ideas (HUHI), and Studies in Literature (HUSL).

Master of Arts (36 semester hours)

The program leading to the MA in Arts and Technology is designed both for individuals engaged in professional practice who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills and for students intending to pursue a doctorate in a related field. It offers advanced studies in interactive media and computer-based arts that emphasize the fusion of creative with critical thinking and theory with practice. Students must complete thirty-six hours of course work and an advanced project.

Master of Fine Arts (54 semester hours)

The program leading to the MFA in Arts and Technology is designed both for students wishing to teach arts-and-technology-related courses in colleges and universities and for those intending to engage in professional studio or design practice. While maintaining a commitment to interdisciplinary education fusing critical with creative thinking, this program places greater emphasis on the creation and application of computer-based arts and narrative. Students must complete fifty-four semester hours of course work and a substantial advanced project.

PhD (60 semester hours)

The PhD degree is the first of its kind in Texas. Arts and Technology (ATEC), a partnership between the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science and the School of Arts and Humanities, encompasses and integrates into a coherent curriculum such areas as Computer Visualization/Animation; Interaction Design; Digital Sound Design; Computer Simulation and Serious Game Design; and On-line Worlds.

How many hours must I take to be considered full-time?

To be considered a full-time student, 9 hours of courses per semester are required; 3 hours of courses per semester are required to be enrolled in the program.

To have courses taken outside the School of Arts and Humanities applied to one of its degrees, students must seek prior approval from the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies. They may also petition to have appropriate transfer courses applied to their degree plan.

How do I learn more about the ATEC Graduate Program?

An open invitation is available to prospective students interested in meeting the Graduate Academic Advisor, Chip Wood, the faculty, and touring the ATEC building.