The Entertainment Technology program offers a unique laboratory and professional focus that is only possible in New York City. Until now, most people working backstage either learned on the job or trained in conservatory-based theatre programs, where the technical students work to support an intensive production schedule built around the needs of actors and directors. In recent years, however, the world of entertainment technology has dramatically increased in complexity, and the need for specialized and high-tech entertainment technology training has never been greater. The City Tech Entertainment Technology program is at the forefront of this educational revolution. Our students are introduced to the rigors of backstage work in a controlled, protected environment, and then use our faculty's connections to intern (often for pay) with professionals throughout New York City.
Entertainment as an industry has grown tremendously in the last twenty years. The increase in prominence of the theme park, the arena concert, the marriage of mall development and amusement, the expansion of cable and independent television has created an entirely new job market for technicians, managers and designers. City Tech's entertainment technology program, the only one of its kind in the Northeast, is designed to address these changes and provide students with the specialized technical coursework that is required to work in a variety of professional environments.
The program seeks to provide well-trained graduates for careers as scenery, lighting and sound technicians, technical managers, equipment marketing representatives and personnel for distributors and rental houses in the entertainment industry. The program offers additional career options for technicians in the allied fields of film and television production, architectural lighting, display design and construction, trade show exhibition, club, casino and theme park operations, and all related performing arts production.
The curriculum recognizes the need for specialized technical coursework as part of the necessary education for modern entertainment technicians and managers. By allowing applied science to enhance applied art, students receive a solid foundation of technical principles on which to build their careers.
Recent high school graduates and people with some background in the industry are equally suited to enter the program. Designed as a four-year baccalaureate degree, the program admits entry-level students in the freshman year who meet the general college criteria for baccalaureate admissions (see page 10). Students must be CUNY-certified in mathematics to take the first level of entertainment technology courses and, as per college policy, must be CUNY-certified in reading, writing and mathematics by completion of 12 college credits.
Through a cooperative agreement with Brooklyn College, City Tech's entertainment technology students will have the opportunity to enrich their studies by taking design courses at Brooklyn College. The agreement also permits Brooklyn's design students to take specialized technology courses at City Tech.
Approximate additional costs other than tuition, fees and materials fees will range from $600 to $1200 for textbooks and tools over the four years of the program.