Entertainment Technology Center - Carnegie Mellon University
Entertainment Technology Center
Learn. Work. Play.
The Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is the premiere professional graduate program for interactive entertainment and emerging media.
Rooted in CMU’s legacy of excellence in the arts and sciences, the ETC blends creative exploration with technical rigor in a uniquely collaborative environment. Our students learn by doing: through project-based work, interdisciplinary collaboration, and mentorship from faculty and industry leaders.
It’s an experience designed to prepare graduates not just for their first job, but for a lifetime of innovation.
We're building the future.
Each semester, students at the ETC collaborate across disciplines to design and deliver projects that push the boundaries of interactive media. They take risks, solve problems, and build working prototypes through a process that mirrors real-world development.
Explore ETC Academics
Discover our creative legacy.
Browse every ETC project since 2000 to explore how we have shaped the development of entertainment, storytelling, and interactive technology. Or take a deeper dive through in-depth case studies of notable projects from our history.
Search Project Finder
Read Project Case Studies
30
Company Visits in 2025
Industry connections built in.
From studio visits to recruiting events, the ETC keeps students in direct conversation with leading companies across gaming, XR, robotics, and entertainment.
Learn more about Career Services
Student to Faculty Ratio
Mentorship that makes a difference.
ETC faculty are active creators, researchers, and industry pros—deeply involved in student learning, advising, and collaboration.
Meet Our Faculty
91
Employed Within a Year
Our alumni go far, and stay connected.
ETC grads work across top companies and emerging media fields around the world. Hear what they have to say about their paths after graduation.
Explore Alumni Stories
Recent ETC News
Apr 20, 2026
Through Campus and Industry Collaboration, Steelers Legend Jerome Bettis Visits ETC
Apr 15, 2026
How CMU Alumni Turn Football Into Best-Selling Video Games
Mar 24, 2026
Meet Carl Rosendahl, The ETC Faculty Member Who Built The Computer Graphics Industry
Mar 13, 2026
ETC Insights: Why Human Creativity Remains Central to Game Design
Mar 12, 2026
Schell Games Creates Fellowship to Remove Barriers for Aspiring Game Designers at Carnegie Mellon
Mar 05, 2026
ETC Spring 2026 Projects
Feb 25, 2026
How AI Is Changing Animation Jobs, Workflows, and Creative Control
Feb 13, 2026
Finding Player Two: 6 Couples That Found Love At The ETC
Feb 03, 2026
On 2026 West Coast Trip, ETC Students Explored Everything California Has To Offer
Dec 17, 2025
Carnegie Mellon Students Win National Prize for Freedom of Speech Simulation Game
Dec 10, 2025
Fall 2025 ETC Community Achievements
Dec 10, 2025
Everything You Missed At 2025’s ETC Fall Festival
Nov 20, 2025
We Made That!: Meet The ETC Team Behind The Tale of Oath
Nov 10, 2025
The ETC’s Creative Good Fund Makes Purpose-Driven Internships Possible
Oct 27, 2025
30 Years Later, Alice is Still Teaching the World to Code
Oct 23, 2025
CHI PLAY 2025 Kicks Off With A Keynote Address At The ETC
Oct 03, 2025
ETC Director of Outreach John Balash Presents Pinball Project on KDKA
Sep 23, 2025
Meet Vivian Shen, The New ETC Faculty Member Changing the Way Technology Feels
Sep 11, 2025
Fall 2025 Project Lineup
Sep 09, 2025
Achievement Unlocked, Future Loading: ETC Turns 25
Aug 27, 2025
At The ETC, Students Make The Most Of Their Summers
Aug 14, 2025
Inside CMU’s National High School Game Academy
Jul 29, 2025
ETC Alum MJ Johns Teaches Wildfire Preparedness Through Games
Jul 23, 2025
ETC’s Physical Presence Pet Redefines VR Companionship
Jul 22, 2025
ETC Year in Reflection 2024–2025
Jun 27, 2025
Teaching the Skills of Tomorrow: How CMU's ETC and IDeATe Programs Match What Employers Want
May 28, 2025
What’s Next For ETC’s Class of 2025
May 22, 2025
ETC Celebrates the Class of 2025
Apr 21, 2025
ETC–Drama Collaboration Brings Titanic to Life
Apr 16, 2025
“Revolutionizing Software and Storytelling with AI: A Conversation with Ojas Sawant” Event Recording and Photo Gallery
Apr 08, 2025
Open Faculty Position in AI for Games and Experimental Media
Apr 03, 2025
ETC Collaboration Fuels Future Careers in Space
Mar 19, 2025
Meet The 3 CMU ETC Alums Behind Global Gaming Sensation “Black Myth: Wukong”
Feb 28, 2025
Alumni Spotlight: Timothy Staton-Davis (ETC ‘16)
Feb 05, 2025
Spring 2025 ETC Community Achievements
Jan 31, 2025
On The West Coast Trip, ETC Students Take on Hollywood & Silicon Valley
Dec 19, 2024
With StepUp, ETC Students Are Transforming Global Hygiene Education
Dec 16, 2024
Peek Behind The Curtain With ETC’s 2024 Fall Festival
Nov 20, 2024
In Visual Story, ETC Students Learn To Show, Not Tell
Oct 23, 2024
ETC Professor Ruth Comley Provides a Practical Education in Horror
Oct 21, 2024
A Message from the Director
Oct 09, 2024
ETC Students Connect With Local Entertainment Technology Professionals
Jul 30, 2024
ETC Faculty Member Moshe Mahler’s Short Film Honored With Best in Show Award
Jun 02, 2022
Congratulations to the ETC Class of 2022!
May 26, 2022
Jonathan Walton joins the ETC
Apr 13, 2022
CMU Projects Sleuth Secret Printers, Teach Shakespeare in VR
Mar 28, 2022
Rethink the Rink Make A Thon
We're not your typical graduate program.
With deep ties to leading game studios and tech companies, the ETC prepares you to step into the industry by providing experience building working products, an unparalleled alumni network, and an uniquely interdisciplinary curriculum. If you’re ready to stretch your imagination and your skills, your future begins here.
Visit Admissions
The Power of Play
Celebrating 25 Years Of The ETC
Since 2000, the ETC has woven together art, technology, and play to shape the future of entertainment. Let us walk you through our history and show you what's next.
Join Us
Ready to level up?
From VR to AI, from game design to storytelling — if you’re ready to blur boundaries, the ETC is where your creative tech journey begins.
Request Information
Apply Now
Entertainment Technology Center
700 Technology Dr. Pittsburgh, PA. 15219
Project Finder
ETC Year in Reflection
The Last Lecture
ETC Wiki
Apply Now
Sign up for the ETC newsletter
US