UT DALLAS:
COMBINATION ART AND TECHNOLOGY DEGREES
What is this new field of "Digital Content Development" or A-Tech?

Currently being used in the entertainment industry but will become used in education and training, news and information, marketing and retail, as well.

What does this new form of “writing”or Digital Content Development involve?

Components are multimedia, multimodal (voice, pointing, keyboard commands), mobile and international appeal. By being written and published on the Internet, it is as easily accessed in Tokyo as in Dallas!

Students study drawing, programming, storytelling, history, project management and interaction design. This will provide Dallas with access to a talent pool of writers who are prepared for a new world of publication and communication. Foremost is the high degree of flexibility in job choices after graduation.

Most exciting is the interaction with Technology training. Recently, the Schools of Engineering and Computer Science and Arts and Humanities have built a new 16-camera Motion Capture Laboratory. Thereby, researchers and students can capture the performance of up to five actors at a time. Movement interactions are recorded in 3-D and these motion paths can then drive the actions of animated characters.

The lab was built with consultation of professionals at Industrial Light and Magic in California. Students have seen this technology widely used in Hollywood Productions. Now, they can learn this process for themselves and their careers at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Dr. Dennis Kratz, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, blended these fields at UTD and brought Dr. Thomas Linehan to serve as Director, for the new Institute of Arts and Technology. Dr. Linehan brings great experience in developing premiere degree programs in media arts technology which combine advanced computing environment in support of an industry-relevant education.

Success is demonstrated by the rapid enrollment of over 500 students since opening in January 2004. UTD has welcomed involvement of premier faculty as well as adjunct faculty from industry to share in this unique melding of courses for the new joint degrees and potential careers.

If you have an interest in these programs, call Dr. Linehan at 972-883-4379 or Dr. Kratz at 972-883-2984.

About IIAE
UTD’s Institute for Interactive Arts and Engineering was established to provide students with an opportunity to learn about interactive advancements in the fields of communication, entertainment, digital arts, education and training, as well as in scientific and medical applications. As part of their studies, students, along with faculty, are charged with inventing new pathways for the converging disciplines and fields. The institute is a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort by two of UTD’s seven schools — the School of Arts and Humanities and the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.

About UTD
The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor®, enrolls more than 14,000 students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university’s web site at www.utdallas.edu.