Two new programs are coming to John Brown University.
Beginning in the fall of 2023, JBU will be offering two new undergraduate degrees in game design as well as robotics and mechatronics engineering.
The game design major comes on the heels of the university's announcement of an Esports athletics program just a few months ago.
"The gaming industry, which includes tabletop, mobile, roleplaying and video games, continues to grow, with a projected market volume of $387 billion by 2026," reported a press release from JBU.
"Esports has become a spectator sport with a growing fanbase, amassing 532 million global viewers of professional tournaments and competitive play," noted the release.
The major will combine a variety of studies, including literature, creative writing and psychology.
JBU says that its Bachelor of Science in Game Design will prepare students to design games that integrate faith covertly or overtly and portray people and situations in their games.
"A game design major is an additional avenue to fulfill JBU's mission as we can prepare students to honor God and serve others in the gaming industry," said Ted Song, chair of the engineering, computer science and cybersecurity department.
"Adding the major will allow JBU to attract a new student population interested in exploring the gaming field with a Christian worldview," noted Song.
The other new program, robotics and mechatronics engineering, will incorporate content from electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and computer science.
Song says that this new interdisciplinary major will offer students real-world experience in collaborative engineering design and production.
"The engineering industry is more interdisciplinary than ever and the global robotics market continues to grow at a high rate," Song said. "The robotics and mechatronics engineering major will equip students to thrive in a new era of the industry that encompasses both hardware and software."
Both of the programs fit in well at JBU, with a majority of the classes required for both being pulled from preexisting programs and taught by current faculty.