What is Entertainment Engineering?

UNLV is home to quite a few unique programs and classes. To name a few, there is PGA Golf Management, Lego Robotics, and my personal favorite, Entertainment Engineering and Design. When you think of someone being an Engineering major, you’re probably thinking Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, etc… But you’ve probably never heard of Entertainment Engineering.

As an Entertainment Engineering major myself, I am always asked what my major is or often told “I didn’t even know that was a thing.” I don’t blame them because I didn’t know what it was, either. As someone who was so heavily involved in Fine Arts throughout high school, while also excelling in STEM, I only hoped to find a path that allowed me to explore the best of both worlds. I was able to find exactly that through Entertainment Engineering. Now that I am in my second year of the program, I could not be happier with my discovery!

Let me break down what Entertainment Engineering is and how it came to be.

Entertainment Engineering and Design (EED) is a program that is shared between the College of Engineering and the College of Fine Arts, with advising housed in the engineering college. The program was founded in 2007 with the first graduating class in 2012. It was one of the first programs in the nation to weave together engineering and fine arts disciplines. Within the program, students are immersed in the world of new technological advancements while also recognizing the artistic demands. Entertainment engineers create mechanical and structural systems for scenic entertainment staging, theatrical facilities, theme parks, and all kinds of performances.

The curricula of an Entertainment Engineering student is heavily influenced by the Mechanical Engineering degree. It also offers opportunities for students to have hands-on experience within the field as early as their first year. This allows students to really find out if this is the right path for them before getting too far into the program. Many other engineering majors do not allow students to work in a shop until their second or third year in their program.

There are two different tracks that Entertainment Engineering provides. There is Entertainment Engineering and Design and then there is Entertainment Technology and Design. Entertainment Engineering is much more engineering heavy with a mixture of Mechanical and Civil engineering courses whereas Entertainment Technology is more technical theatre-based. You can start your major specific courses in your first year alongside your general education requirements.

The Entertainment Engineering program is something I am proud to be a part of and somewhere I call home. The program is still young and we continue to evolve together day by day. I hope that in years to come, more and more students become involved in this program and learn to appreciate it as much as I do!

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Lexie Ignacio

Orientation Leader

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Major: Entertainment Engineering with a minor in

Theatre