DEGREES BY DESIGN While cross-disciplinary academic experiences occur in each of UNT’s 14 colleges and schools, they are the key focus for more than 1,400 integrative studies undergraduates in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. They design their own degrees by selecting three academic areas of study. A unique version of this degree also is being offered to the first cohort of freshmen next fall at the UNT campus at Frisco, which will create hands-on experiences for students through corporate partnerships. “Employers tell us that they aren’t hiring graduates with a specific major but those who can think critically and work well with others,” says Susan McCutcheon, assistant dean for advising in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and director of integrative studies.“This degree provides students with a firm foundation to support their unique career goals.”
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Integrative studies has grown in popularity the last five years. Alison Chapman (’14) credits the degree for providing her with a diversified background that helped her to become a commissioned officer with the U.S. Air Force. “The program was an opportunity to explore a broad array of interests — history, women’s studies and human development,” Chapman says. “It perfectly prepared me for military service, an honor I am proud of every day.”
RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGHS Research at UNT also takes an interdisciplinary approach, especially in the xREZ Art + Science Lab directed by Ruth West, an associate professor of design and new media. Through Max Parola’s (’16) work in the lab — a creative studio and research lab with a focus on new discoveries at the intersection of arts, sciences and humanities — he became interested in human computer interaction research and saw how it translated into the growing industry of interaction design. Parola joined the lab in 2014 as an undergraduate studying psychology, and he developed research skills working on projects focused on virtual reality, human computer interaction and 3D segmentation. He says his lab time inspired him to enroll in UNT’s new master’s in design program, with a concentration in interaction design, which involves designing interactive digital products, environments, systems and services. “I’ve always been interested in technology, psychology and design, and interaction design requires elements of each. As an interaction designer, I have to be able to pivot, adapt and re-evaluate things on a continual basis,” says Parola, on track to become the first graduate of the program in December.“Working in a research setting complements what I’ve learned through coursework and enables me to draw from both.” Ahna Hubnik
college-age students to coordinate and host online Overwatch tournaments in the U.S. Players in tournaments facilitated by Delgado were awarded more than $100,000 in scholarship funds last year. Delgado, a Terry Scholar, credits her academic experiences and work with Tespa for helping her land an internship this past summer in Irvine, California, within the esports division at Blizzard Entertainment, one of the world’s premier game developers and publishers. “I wanted a major that could be applicable to all my passions — gaming, music or anything else I might find myself doing. I chose marketing and added a concentration in professional selling because esports is a new field and I knew it was important that I be able to explain and promote the industry,” she says. This fall, Delgado is focusing on esports commercialization as a patent intern with UNT Libraries. Following graduation in December, she plans to return to California to continue working in esports before pursuing a graduate business degree. Studies show that, like Delgado — who is known online by the gamer tag ‘bee’ — 60 to 70 percent of college students play video games. UNT has taken note. In August 2017, UNT Libraries opened esports and game design spaces known as The Nest in the Media Library, where students can compete in games on computers built specifically for that purpose. And, in January, UNT Esports was established within UNT Recreational Sports to support four varsity teams — Hearthstone, League of Legends, Heroes of the Storm and Overwatch — competing this fall. “It’s wonderful to see UNT’s support,” Delgado says,“because this not only provides an opportunity to compete for significant scholarships but also will draw students to the university.”