Andrew Phelps, Director
(585) 475-6758, andy@mail.rit.edu
Christopher Egert, Associate Director/Graduate Program Director
(585) 475-4873, caeics@mail.rit.edu
Program overview
The master of science degree in game design and development allows students to explore the entertainment technology landscape, along with other related areas of software development. The program has its technical roots in the computing and information science disciplines, while simultaneously covering the breadth of the game development field through course work in topics such as computer graphics design, human-computer interaction, interactive narrative, and game design. The degree is specifically for students whom aspire to careers within the professional games industry or a related field such as simulation, edutainment, or visualization.
This is a two-year, on-campus, cohort-based program in which students are admitted through a portfolio review process. Upon completion of their course work, students form development teams that construct a working game engine and software title as the program capstone experience. This requirement includes both individual and group expectations. The capstone culminates in a private defense before program faculty, as well as a public exhibition. Combined, these requirements provide a unique and comprehensive educational experience for individuals who aspire to a career in the game development industry.
Curriculum
The program's curriculum consists of a seminar sequence of required courses followed by a core course sequence, a minor (selected from a list of options), and a capstone experience.
Seminar sequence
Students will complete a sequence of five required courses that provide a foundation in game design and development. The sequence is designed to bring students of various cohorts together to investigate industry issues. The required courses are: History and Critical Analysis of Computer Games and Interactive Entertainment (4085-791), Online Identity, Social and Community Behavior (4085-794), Emerging Themes in Entertainment Technology (4085-790), Development Processes in the Games Industry (4085-792), and Business and Legal Aspects of Game Development (4085-793).
Capstone experience
During the second year, students complete a 20-week, team-based capstone experience where students present and defend their work. This presentation includes a private faculty review, which constitutes the capstone defense, a public presentation, and a demonstration.
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, MS degree, typical course sequence (quarters)
| Course | Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| 4085-791 | History and Critical Analysis of Computer Games and Interactive Entertainment | 4 |
| 4085-794 | Online Identity, Social and Community Behavior | 4 |
| 4085-790 | Emerging Themes in Entertainment Technology | 4 |
| Core Sequence Course 1, 2, 3 | 12 | |
| Minor Course 1, 2, 3 | 12 | |
| Second Year | ||
| 4085-792 | Development Processes in the Games Industry | 4 |
| 4085-793 | Business and Legal Aspects of Game Development | 4 |
| Core Sequence Course 4, 5, 6 | 12 | |
| 4085-887 | Capstone Design | 4 |
| 4085-888 | Capstone Development | 2* |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 62 | |
* The number of capstone credits does not fully represent the expected level of effort and work involved (i.e. more than 6 credits of course work) in successfully completing the development of a game.
Game design and development, MS degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| IGME-601 | Game Development Processes | 3 |
| IGME-602 | Game Design | 3 |
| IGME-603 | Gameplay and Prototyping | 3 |
| IGME-695 | Colloquium in Game Design and Development | 2 |
| Advanced Elective I, 2, 3 | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| IGME-788 | Capstone Design | 3 |
| Advanced Elective 4, 5 | 6 | |
| IGME-795 | Game Industry Themes and Perspectives | 1 |
| IGME-789 | Capstone Development | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 33 | |
Core course sequence
Students choose one of the following core course sequences: game engine development or artificial intelligence. These courses provide a foundational focus for the student's study in the program.
| Course | Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| Game engine development | ||
| 4005-761 | Computer Graphics I | 4 |
| 4005-762 | Computer Graphics II | 4 |
| 4085-834 | 2D Graphics Programming | 4 |
| 4085-835 | 3D Graphics Programming | 4 |
| 4005-763 | Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques | 4 |
| 4085-836 | Game Engine Design and Development | 4 |
| Artificial intelligence and simulation | ||
| 4005-750 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 4 |
| 4085-891 | Advanced AI: Evolutionary Computing | 4 |
| 4005-752 | Artificial Intelligence for Interactive Environments | 4 |
| 4005-759 | Topics in Artificial Intelligence | 4 |
| 4005-756 | Genetic Algorithms | 4 |
| 4005-755 | Neural Networks and Machine Learning | 4 |
Minor
Students complete a minor consisting of three courses. The minor gives students an opportunity to investigate a game-related specialty track of the student's interest. Students may select one of the pre-approved minors, or they may create a minor with the approval of the program director.
| Course | Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| Asset creation and management | ||
| 2014-721 | 3DDG Modeling | 4 |
| Plus two courses from the following: | ||
| 2014-722 | 3DDG Interactive Motion | 4 |
| 2014-731 | 3DDG Lighting | 4 |
| 2014-732 | 3DDG Shading | 4 |
| 2014-733 | 3DDG Character Design | 4 |
| 2014-747 | 3DDG Rendering | 4 |
| 2014-798 | Production Pipeline | 4 |
| Content authoring for games | ||
| 4085-728 | Interactive Narrative | 4 |
| 4085-732 | Game Design | 4 |
| 4085-744 | Building Online Communities | 4 |
| Human-computer interaction | ||
| 4004-745 | Foundations of Human Computer Interaction | 4 |
| 4004-748 | Usability Engineering | 4 |
| 4004-749 | Usability Testing | 4 |
| Database architecture and design | ||
| 4002-720 | Data Object Development | 4 |
| 4002-784 | Foundations of Database Client/Server Connectivity | 4 |
| 4002-785 | Fundamentals of DBMS Architecture and Implementation | 4 |
Admission requirements
To be considered for admission to the MS in game design and development, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Hold an undergraduate degree in a relevant field, such as information technology, computer science, software engineering, or computer graphics. Students with undergraduate degrees in related disciplines such as computer animation or human computer interaction may be considered.
- Submit official transcripts (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work.
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.25 or a first-class international degree with distinction.
- Submit a portfolio that includes evidence of individual and group projects (clearly marked as such) relevant to the area that the individual wishes to study within the degree program.
- Complete a graduate application.
- International applicants, whose native language is not English, must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum score of 230 (computer-based), 570 (paper-based), or 88 (Internet-based) is required. Scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) must also be submitted.
Due to the cohort nature of the program, students are admitted in the fall quarter only. Admission to the program is highly competitive, and applicants are selected in a manner that ensures balance among the various curricular tracks and specialties. Students may use GRE scores to strengthen their application and those applicants with a GPA below 3.25 are required to submit GRE scores.
Additional information
Prerequisites
Students are expected to have at least one year of significant programming experience in a current object-oriented language—preferably C++ or Java—and a solid working knowledge of website development and interactive multimedia concepts. If students do not have these prerequisites, additional course work may be recommended to bridge any educational gaps.
Maximum time limit
All requirements for the degree program must be completed within seven years of the date of the oldest course counted toward the student's program. Prerequisite courses are excluded.