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Game Design and Development BS
Program overview
The BS in game design and development allows students to explore the entertainment technology landscape, as well as related areas, while pursuing a broad-based university education. The major has its technical roots in computing and information sciences. Simultaneously, students explore the breadth of development processes through involvement in topics such as game design, design process, and animation.
The major focuses on development while meeting the industry need for developers who are involved in the design process from inception through completion. The degree is for students who aspire to careers within the professional games industry or a related field such as simulation, edu-tainment, or visualization. It focuses on producing graduates who understand the technical roots of their medium, the possibilities that creative application of software development affords, and the way in which their industry operates. The major also provides students with a core computing education that prepares them for graduate study in a number of computing fields and for employment in more general computing professions.
Curriculum
Students complete a core of required course work and then pursue advanced studies that can be customized to individual interests and career goals. In addition, all students complete general education requirements in the liberal arts, social sciences, mathematics, and physics. Students can further customize their experience through both general education electives and free electives.
In particular, the major integrates strong programming skills, which are mandatory in the game development field, with game design and collaborative skills essential to success in the games industry, where multifaceted professionals are in high demand to work on game development teams.
Game design and development, BS degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| IGME-105, 106 | Game Development and Algorithmic Problem Solving I, II | 8 |
| IGME-110 | Introduction to Interactive Media (WI) | 3 |
| LAS Foundation 1: First Year Seminar† | 3 | |
| LAS Foundation 2: First Year Writing | 3 | |
| MATH-131 | LAS Perspective 7A: Discrete Mathematics | 4 |
| IGME-119 | 2D and 3D Animation and Asset Production | 3 |
| LAS Perspective 1 | 3 | |
| PHYS-111 | LAS Perspective 6: College Physics I | 4 |
| MATH-185 | LAS Perspective 7B: Mathematics of Graphical Simulation I | 3 |
| Wellness Education* | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| IGME-202 | Interactive Media Development | 3 |
| IGME-219 | Advanced Animation and Asset Production | 3 |
| IGME-236 | Interaction, Immersion, and the Media Interface | 3 |
| LAS Perspective 2, 3, 4 | 9 | |
| MATH-186 | Mathematics of Graphical Simulation II | 3 |
| IGME-220 | Game Design and Development I | 3 |
| IGME-209 | Data Structures and Algorithms for Games and Simulation I | 3 |
| IGME-230 | Website Design and Implementation | 3 |
| IGME-499 | Cooperative Education (summer) | co-op |
| Third Year | ||
| IGME-320 | Game Design and Development II | 3 |
| IGME-309 | Data Structures and Algorithms for Games and Simulation II | 3 |
| LAS Perspective 5‡ | 3 | |
| LAS Immersion 1, 2 | 6 | |
| LAS Elective | 3 | |
| IGME-330 | Rich Media Web Application Development I | 3 |
| Advanced Elective | 3 | |
| Free Electives | 6 | |
| IGME-499 | Cooperative Education (summer) | co-op |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Advanced Electives | 9 | |
| Free Electives | 9 | |
| LAS Immersion 3 | 3 | |
| LAS Electives | 9 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 124 | |
Please see New General Education Curriculum–Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) for more information.
(WI) Refers to a writing intensive course within the major.
* Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information. Students completing bachelor's degrees are required to complete two Wellness courses.
† The First Year Seminar requirement is replaced by an LAS Elective for the 2013-14 academic year.
‡ Students will satisfy this requirement by taking either a 3 or 4 credit hour lab science course. If a science course consists of separate lecture and laboratory sections, students must take both the lecture and the lab portions to fulfill the requirement.
Cooperative education
Students are required to complete two blocks of cooperative education. Co-op students have found work in the games industry and related domains, both regionally and nationally, at companies both large and small. Co-op gives students real-world experience, a definite edge when applying for jobs after graduation. The design of this major had considerable input from leaders in the games industry. Companies want employees who can work in interdisciplinary teams, and they actively recruit our graduates into the games industry.