UNT’s nationally ranked Laboratory for Recreational Computing has been leading the pack in game programming since 1993. For evidence, just ask any student who has taken classes there.
“That’s why I went to UNT,” says Arthur Griffith (’02), the lead game developer at Sony Online Entertainment in Tucson, Ariz.
An estimated 500 students have taken advantage of game programming courses since LARC was created by director Ian Parberry, professor and interim chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
UNT’s program stands out because of the strong collaboration between students in computer science and visual arts, Parberry says.
“It’s a truly interdisciplinary program,” he says. “This sets us apart from many others.”
In 2008, UNT added a certificate in game programming for students. In spring 2010, five students earned the first certificates.
Griffith says a career in the game industry requires “an extremely strong work ethic.”
“You need to be very creative,” he says, “and dedicated to what you’re doing.”
Read how UNT's computer gaming lab primes alumni for a growing multibillion-dollar industry. >>