The Entertainment Engineering specialization is a hands-on engineering degree that focuses on learning through doing while preparing students for a career in or near the entertainment industry.
Entertainment Engineering focuses on traditional engineering principles which are then applied to various aspects of the entertainment industry. For example, students can expect to design and develop safe, creative, and functional systems including theatrical scenery, automation systems, rigging systems, lighting equipment, audio equipment, structural design, and more. To do this the entertainment engineering specialization combines skills and knowledge from multiple engineering disciplines such as mechanical, civil, electrical, and computer science engineering.
Students will take what they learn in their engineering classes and apply that knowledge to theatrical and puppetry productions in association with the drama department. Additional coursework in the School of Fine Arts will focus on building students' abilities in creativity, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, leadership, planning, and management. Students will also be assigned to participate in projects that will be actualized in on-stage productions. Summer internships are strongly encouraged and supported by industry partnerships. Internship examples include working with companies like Disney Parks, Universal Destinations & Experiences, LEGO, Creative Conners, ETC lighting, JR Clancy, and many more.
After graduating students in this specialization will be prepared to work in industries such as theme parks, theater and the performing arts, concert tours, adventure parks, film, television, entertainment venue design, automation systems design, and many more. Their work may include developing artistic and innovative set designs or devices for live entertainment, building the next generation amusement park ride environment, designing Taylor Swifts next concert tour, or even the halftime show for the Super Bowl.
The Entertainment Engineering Specialization is a pathway for creative engineers looking to network their way toward a career that combines their passion for creating entertainment experiences and engineering problem solving.