[1] Founded in 1983, the University of Advancing Technology was first known as CAD Institute, a small school focused on training engineers and architects in the then new field of computer-aided design.

The center primarily performed research for the computer graphics industry, with specific emphasis on the field of virtual reality.

[3] Associated with a growth in programs and the student body, the institution designed and built a technology-oriented 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m2) campus in 1998 in Tempe, Arizona.

[3] The institution made another incremental change in its name in 2002, when it became the University of Advancing Technology (UAT) to recognize that computer technology had evolved beyond the personal computer to encompass all devices that communicate, manage information, and provide connections through all media, including the Internet.

[4] That same year, UAT became a candidate with The Higher Learning Commission and an affiliate of the North Central Association.

There are 20 different undergraduate majors and 5 areas of study at the graduate level, with focus on technology innovation, video game design and programming, digital media, robotics, cyber security, and computer science.

[6] In 2009, UAT became accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.