Woman walking across Commencement stage

Entertainment Engineering and Design

Our multidisciplinary program combines technical theater and pure engineering to prepare you for work in the entertainment industry.

Welcome

Entertainment Engineering Design is a joint effort among the College of Fine Arts and the College of Engineering.

As a student in our program, you get hands-on experience designing, building, installing, and maintaining the various facilities, equipment, and technologies used in today's entertainment industry. Located in Las Vegas, you will have the opportunity to work with some of the most cutting-edge companies in the entertainment business and learn how to create real, not virtual, entertainment experiences.

Entertainment Engineering and Design - Success Story

About

Las Vegas is known as the Entertainment Capital of the world due to the rapid growth of entertainment venues along the Las Vegas Strip. As the Strip has developed, the need for new and emerging technologies has increased. Entertainment Engineering Design is a nontraditional, interdisciplinary program with educational roots in theater, art, film, architecture, and the various engineering disciplines. Students who graduate from the UNLV Entertainment Engineering Design program will be developing the next generation of entertainment systems used throughout the globe.

The program offers the first alternative for students wishing to be involved in the entertainment industry rather than technical theater or pure engineering disciplines. The program positions graduates to become successful and competitive in a growing market, being well-versed in engineering principles, new materials, new and emerging technologies and traditional theatrical practices while still being able to recognize the artistic demands of the entertainment industry.

Announcements

Admissions

To become a student in the Entertainment Engineering and Design Program, you must follow the application process and be admitted to the College of Engineering.

A desire to excel in design and engineering principles, and a strong background in math and science (including calculus and physics) are also highly recommended. Prospective students are encouraged to take preparatory courses in art, design, engineering principles and Computer Aided Design (CAD).

The College of Engineering Advising Center provides information on the high school preparation course for students who aspire to receive an engineering degree, placement guidance and pre-engineering major standing.

Academic Programs

The Entertainment Engineering and Design program focuses on building a strong foundation in entertainment principles from the beginning of the students’ freshman year, emphasizing projects that involve hands-on fabrication and visual communication skills.

The first two years of the program focus on providing students with the skills needed to understand EED principles. Students take English, math, and science in addition to basic material science and artistic design principles, all of which form the foundation for the EED program. Students are engaged in projects during these first two years that help develop collaboration, analysis, planning and design skills. These skills are emphasized throughout their college career.

As students progress through the program, they have the opportunity to intern with entertainment companies such as Cirque du Soleil and Wet Design. As upper classmen, the students focus on specific areas within the entertainment industry.

Entertainment Engineering and Design Degrees Conferred by Academic Year
Degree 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024
EED B.S. 4 2 8 9 5 2 7 4 1 10 9
ETD B.S. N/A N/A N/A N/A 4 3 6 5 9 9 9
EED Program Annual Enrollment
Academic Year EED OD EED Pre Major EED Major ETD Major
2013 10 64 N/A N/A
2014 9 62 N/A N/A
2015 8 67 1 3
2016 12 74 1 2
2017 6 64 7 7
2018 3 68 8 7
2019 N/A 73 9 8
2020 N/A 75 12 9
2021 N/A 73 10 12
2022 N/A 78 20 10
2023 N/A 77 18 9

Contact

Mailing Address

College of Fine Arts

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Box 455036
4505 S. Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89154-4005

College of Fine Arts

Michael Genova

Program Director, Entertainment Engineering and Design
Office: CLB-2 room 101
Mail Code: 5013
702-895-0448
michael.genova@unlv.edu

College of Engineering

Rama Venkat, Ph.D.

Dean, College of Engineering
OfficeTBE-A 118
Mail Code: 4005
702-895-3699
rama.venkat@unlv.edu

Entertainment Engineering Design is a joint effort among the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering and the College of Fine Arts.