Semester Requirements
Andrew Phelps, Director
(585) 475-6758, andy@mail.rit.edu
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 program 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 will be 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. This degree 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 | Game Development and Algorithmic Problem Solving I | 4 |
| IGME-110 | Introduction to Interactive Media (WI) | 3 |
| LAS Foundation 1: First-Year Seminar | 3 | |
| ENGL-150 | LAS Foundation 2: Writing Seminar | 3 |
| MATH-131 | LAS Perspective 7A: Discrete Mathematics | 4 |
| IGME-106 | Game Development and Algorithmic Problem Solving II | 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 1 | 3 | |
| IGME-330 | Rich Media Web Application Development I | 3 |
| IGM/GDD Advanced Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 1, 2 | 6 | |
| IGME-499 | Cooperative Education (summer) | co-op |
| Fourth Year | ||
| IGM/GDD Advanced Elective 2, 3, 4 | 9 | |
| Free Elective 3, 4, 5 | 9 | |
| LAS Immersion 3 | 3 | |
| LAS Elective 2, 3, 4 | 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 will satify 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 program 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.
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Click to view program requirements in the Quarter Calendar
Quarter Curriculum - For Reference Only
Effective fall 2013, RIT will convert its academic calendar from quarters to semesters. The following content has been made available as reference only. Currently matriculated students who began their academic programs in quarters should consult their academic adviser for guidance and course selection.
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 program 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 program focuses on development while meeting the industry need for developers who will be 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, edutainment, 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. This degree 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 program 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.
Semester conversion
Effective fall 2013, RIT will convert its academic calendar from quarters to semesters. Each program and its associated courses have been sent to the New York State Department of Education for approval of the semester plan. For reference, the following charts illustrate the typical course sequence for this program in both quarters and semesters. Students should consult their academic advisers with questions regarding planning and course selection.
Game design and development, BS degree, typical course sequence (quarters)
| Course | Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| 4080-221, 222, 223 | Game Software Development I, II, III | 12 |
| 4080-295 | Introduction to Interactive Media | 4 |
| 1016-230 | Pre-Calculus | 4 |
| 1016-205, 206 | Discrete Math for Technologists I, II | 8 |
| Choose one of the following physics sequences: | ||
| 1017-211, 212 | College Physics I, II | 4 |
| 1017-311, 312 | University Physics I, II | 4 |
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| Wellness Education† | 0 | |
| 1720-050, 052 | Discovery/Pathways | 2 |
| Second Year | ||
| 4080-330 | Interactive Digital Media | 4 |
| 4002-360 | Introduction to Database and Data Modeling | 4 |
| 4080-346 | 2D Animation for Interactive Media | 4 |
| 4080-347 | 3D Modeling and Animation for Interactive Media | 4 |
| 4080-309 | Introduction to Website Design | 4 |
| 4080-380, 381 | Fundamentals of Game Design and Development I, II | 8 |
| 4080-387 | Data Structures and Algorithms for Game Design and Development I | 4 |
| 4050-210 | Networking Essentials | 4 |
| 1016-228 | Analytic Geometry | 4 |
| Liberal Arts* | 8 | |
| Third and Fourth Years | ||
| Cooperative Education‡ | Co-op | |
| 4080-417 | Visual C++ for Programmers | 4 |
| 4080-434 | Programming for Digital Media | 4 |
| 4002-425 | HCI1: Human Factors | 4 |
| 4080-487 | Data Structures and Algorithms for Game Design and Development II | 4 |
| Advanced Studies§ | 20 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 16 | |
| General Education Electives | 18 | |
| Free Electives | 12 | |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 180 | |
* Please see Liberal Arts General Education Requirements for more information.
† Please see Wellness Education Requirements for more information.
‡ Three quarters of cooperative education are required after year two.
§ Five courses chosen from 16 advanced electives in areas such as computer graphics programming, multi-user interactivity, animation, artificial intelligence, writing for interactive media, and database/server programming.
Game design and development, BS degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| IGME-105 | Game Development and Algorithmic Problem Solving I | 4 |
| IGME-110 | Introduction to Interactive Media (WI) | 3 |
| LAS Foundation 1: First-Year Seminar | 3 | |
| ENGL-150 | LAS Foundation 2: Writing Seminar | 3 |
| MATH-131 | LAS Perspective 7A: Discrete Mathematics | 4 |
| IGME-106 | Game Development and Algorithmic Problem Solving II | 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 1 | 3 | |
| IGME-330 | Rich Media Web Application Development I | 3 |
| IGM/GDD Advanced Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 1, 2 | 6 | |
| IGME-499 | Cooperative Education (summer) | co-op |
| Fourth Year | ||
| IGM/GDD Advanced Elective 2, 3, 4 | 9 | |
| Free Elective 3, 4, 5 | 9 | |
| LAS Immersion 3 | 3 | |
| LAS Elective 2, 3, 4 | 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 will satify 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 three quarters 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 program 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.