| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Private, for-profit technology university; campus-based, with online and hybrid degrees |
| Campus | 1, in Tempe, Arizona (Phoenix area) |
| Credentials | Associate (AA, AS), bachelor’s (BA, BS) and master’s (MS) degrees |
| Typical length | Associate 60 credits; bachelor’s 120 credits; master’s at least 36 credits |
| Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission, since 2009; NSA/DHS Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense |
| Federal aid | Yes (Title IV); GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon approved |
| Tuition (2025-2026) | $13,200 per semester on campus; $10,300 per 12-credit semester online or hybrid; graduate $9,500 per semester |
| Students | About 933 (federal IPEDS data for 2024-25, via univstats) |
| Founded | 1983, in Tempe, as CAD Institute |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
UAT: a small technology university in Tempe, with degrees online
University of Advancing Technology (UAT) is a private, for-profit university whose degrees are mainly in technology: game design and programming, digital art and production, computer science, artificial intelligence, networking, network security and forensics, robotics and related fields. It began in Tempe in 1983 as CAD Institute, training engineers and architects in computer-aided design, and took its current name in 2002. About 933 students were enrolled in 2024-25, according to federal IPEDS data published by univstats. Students can study on the single campus in the Phoenix area, online or in a hybrid “sync flex” format, and UAT says all majors are offered online unless marked otherwise. Its current degree list has associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees and no undergraduate certificates.
UAT’s degrees, from game design to network security
Associate degrees are at least 60 credits and bachelor’s degrees 120, of which 30 are in the major, 24 in UAT’s university core, 36 in general education and 30 electives. The table lists the degrees behind the programs on this site; the full list follows further down.
| Program | Credential | Delivery | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Design | AA, BA | Online and Tempe | Level, narrative and game systems design |
| Game Programming | AS, BS | Online and Tempe | Gameplay, mobile and game-engine programming |
| Game Art and Animation | AA, BA | Online and Tempe | 3D environments, texturing, shaders, characters |
| Advertising Art | AA, BA | Online and Tempe | Graphic design, typography and ad creation |
| Digital Production | AA, BA | Tempe (degree page says on-campus only) | Editing, cinematography, motion graphics |
| Digital Marketing | AS, BS | Online and Tempe | Brand management, SEO, web production |
| Advancing Computer Science | AS, BS | Online and Tempe | Programming, databases, software development |
| Artificial Intelligence | AS, BS | Online and Tempe | Machine learning, deep learning, data mining |
| Network Engineering | AS, BS | Online and Tempe | Network design and enterprise networks; certification prep course |
| Network Security; Technology Forensics | AS, BS | Online and Tempe | Network defense and incident response; digital forensics |
| Cyber Security; Software Engineering | MS | In person, online or hybrid | Graduate degrees; no prior experience in the field required |
On-campus undergraduates must complete at least 3 internship credits, while hybrid-online students may take an internship as an elective, according to UAT’s 2025-2027 catalog. No UAT program leads to a state licence, and the catalog names no vendor certification exam, although Network Engineering includes a certification preparation course. There is no undergraduate degree called Cyber Security or Software Engineering: undergraduates take Network Security or Technology Forensics, or Advancing Computer Science, and the two names are master’s degrees. Students who enroll after February 2025 must study full time, 12 credits a semester for undergraduates.
What the main programs cover
Game Programming
The degree starts with an introduction to game programming and moves on to gameplay programming, mobile game programming, programming for game engines and a course on action games. Students write the code that makes games run rather than designing levels or art, though they share UAT’s university core with the design and art majors. The bachelor’s is 120 credits, with at least 39 at the 300 or 400 level. On campus in Tempe, students must also complete at least 3 internship credits; online students can add one as an elective.
Game Design
Game Design begins with an introduction to game design and to game tools, then covers level design, narrative design and game systems design, the work of planning how a game plays and tells its story. It is offered as a 60-credit associate of arts or a 120-credit bachelor of arts, online or on campus. Students who want the programming side take the separate Game Programming degree, and those who want to model and texture characters take Game Art and Animation, which has its own courses in 3D environments, materials and lighting.
Network Security and Technology Forensics
These are UAT’s undergraduate cybersecurity degrees. Network Security runs from security essentials to applied exploits, incident response, network defense and information security standards, and its courses lead to an NCAE-C Certification of Completion in Cyber Defense. Technology Forensics starts with forensics essentials and covers malware analysis, mobile device forensics and network forensics. Both come as an associate or a bachelor’s of science, online or on campus. Graduates can continue to the Cyber Security MS, which, the catalog says, needs no prior knowledge of networks or information systems.
Network Engineering
Network Engineering is about building and running networks rather than defending them. Courses include foundations of networking, systems administration, network infrastructure design and managing enterprise networks, plus a course titled Network Engineering Certification Preparation; the catalog does not say which certification exam it prepares for, so ask UAT before counting on one. The degree is offered as an associate or a bachelor’s of science, online or in Tempe. Students who want to defend networks rather than run them take the separate Network Security degree.
Advancing Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence
Advancing Computer Science is UAT’s name for its computer science degree. Courses include introductory programming, databases, software engineering principles, React Native, data structures and algorithms, and advanced software development. The Artificial Intelligence degree begins with an introduction to AI and continues with machine learning, deep learning and data mining. Both are offered as an associate or a bachelor’s of science, online or in person. UAT’s Software Engineering degree is a master’s that, according to the catalog, takes students with and without prior development experience.
Tuition and fees
UAT charges one rate whatever the student’s home state, with separate rates for on-campus undergraduates, online or hybrid undergraduates and graduate students, per UAT’s tuition page. The table there is headed 2025-2026; when we checked in October 2026, UAT had published no separate 2026-27 tuition, and the only announced change was the graduate rate from January 2027.
| 2025-2026 (latest published) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate, on campus | $13,200 per semester |
| Undergraduate, UAT-Online or hybrid | $10,300 per 12-credit semester |
| Graduate (master’s) | $9,500 per semester; $9,800 from 1 January 2027 |
| Resource fee (all students) | $495 per semester |
| Seat deposit (on-campus and graduate students) | $250, non-refundable; waived for students using military benefits |
| Transfer-credit evaluation | $100, one time |
| Parking | $100 per semester (car); $50 (motorcycle) |
A new student’s tuition rate is locked for as long as they stay continuously enrolled; a leave of one semester keeps it, a longer one resets it to the rate on return. Students who move from online or hybrid study to the campus pay the on-campus rate that applied when they first enrolled. Required textbooks and e-textbooks are included, though some course resources cost extra. Two semesters of on-campus tuition plus the resource fee come to $27,390, before housing, deposits and other costs. Federal data shown on Niche give a net price of $27,286 a year.
UAT takes federal student aid and is approved for the GI Bill and the Yellow Ribbon program. Its 2025-26 military tuition-assistance sheet lists $6,500 per semester for active-duty students using tuition assistance online, from September 2025. Seniors in the Tempe Union High School District who meet UAT’s admission requirements can apply for a $48,000 Hometown scholarship over eight semesters, if they study full time on campus.
Admissions and schedule
Admission is close to open: Niche gives an acceptance rate of 98%. Classes are taught on campus in Tempe, online, or in a hybrid sync-flex format, and since February 2025 new students must enroll full time, 12 credits a semester for undergraduates and 6 to 12 for graduate students. Master’s programs accept students without a background in the field. On-campus and graduate students pay a $250 seat deposit; hybrid-online students no longer do. UAT’s next Discovery Expo on the Tempe campus is on 7 November 2026.
Accreditation and results
UAT is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense designated by the NSA and DHS, per UAT’s accreditation page. Its HLC accreditation dates from 2009 and covers associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. It is licensed by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education, takes part in Title IV federal aid, and participates in SARA for online study across states.
| Measure | Result | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation within 150% of normal time | 39% (17% transferred out) | Students who started in Fall 2017, UAT consumer disclosures |
| Retention, first-time bachelor’s students | 79% full-time; 63% part-time | Fall 2022 to Fall 2023, UAT consumer disclosures |
| Job placement rate | Not calculated | UAT consumer disclosures |
| Licensure exam pass rates | None apply | No UAT program leads to a state licence |
| Degrees awarded | 93 associate, 121 bachelor’s, 29 master’s | 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024, UAT consumer disclosures |
The graduation, retention and placement entries come from UAT’s consumer disclosures, which say that “Placement data is not calculated” and that UAT does not place students in jobs. Federal data shown on Niche give median earnings of $54,365 five years after graduation.
Before you enroll
- About four in ten finish. 39% of the students who started in Fall 2017 graduated within 150% of normal time, and UAT does not calculate a job placement rate.
- Check the degree name, not the subject. There is no undergraduate Cyber Security or Software Engineering degree; those subjects are taught through Network Security, Technology Forensics and Advancing Computer Science, and the two names are master’s degrees.
- On-campus study includes an internship. On-campus undergraduates must earn at least 3 internship credits; online students may skip it.
- Confirm online availability for your state. UAT takes part in SARA, but California is not a SARA member, so students outside Arizona, for example in California, should confirm with UAT that they can enroll online. Digital Production is listed as on-campus only on UAT’s degree page.
- Full time only. Since February 2025, new students must take a full-time load (12 credits a semester for undergraduates).
The Tempe campus, housing and internships
All in-person teaching is on UAT’s campus at 2625 W. Baseline Rd., Tempe, AZ 85283, in the Phoenix area. UAT runs its own residence hall, Founder’s Hall: for 2026-27 a unit with a private bath costs $1,060 a month and one with a shared bath $905, with a $400 deposit, and resident meal plans cost $2,880 to $3,115 a semester. UAT’s Summer 2026 chancellor’s letter reports a new Manufacturing Innovation Lab with a CNC machine and a renovated Student Services office. Career help centres on the required internships; UAT says it does not guarantee employment or place students in jobs.
What students say
On Niche, University of Advancing Technology is rated 4.15 out of 5 from 330 reviews, with an overall grade of B- (checked October 2026).
- Praised: hands-on, project-based coursework close to professional work; accessible faculty who invest in students; a welcoming tech community and flexible online courses.
- Criticized: high tuition and doubts about the return on it (Niche grades value C); uneven course content and quality (professors graded C+).
The complaint themes come from Niche’s own review summary and category grades rather than from reviews we could read one by one, and review dates were not visible, so we could not tell whether reviews were invited by the school or posted in bursts. We found no Trustpilot or GradReports page for UAT.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Games
- Game Design (AA, BA)
- Game Programming (AS, BS)
- Game Art and Animation (AA, BA)
- Game Production and Management (MS)
Digital Art, Media and Marketing
- Advertising Art (AA, BA)
- Digital Production (AA, BA)
- Digital Marketing (AS, BS)
Computing and AI
- Advancing Computer Science (AS, BS)
- Artificial Intelligence (AS, BS)
- Data Science (AS, BS)
- Virtual Reality (AS, BS)
- Human Computer Interaction (AS, BS)
- Software Engineering (MS)
Networking and Security
- Network Engineering (AS, BS)
- Network Security (AS, BS)
- Technology Forensics (AS, BS)
- Cyber Security (MS)
Engineering, Making and Business Technology
- Robotics Engineering (AS, BS)
- Digital Maker and Fabrication (AS, BS)
- Business Technology (AS, BS)
- Technology Studies (AS, BS)
- Technology Innovation (MS)
- Technology Leadership (MS)
Campus Locations
Phoenix (Tempe), AZ 2625 W. Baseline Rd., Tempe, AZ 85283