This course focuses on Maps, Mapping, and Geographic Experience. Students will gain hands-on experience with technologies such as Global Positioning Systems (GPSs), Geographic Information Science and Technology (GIS & T), remote sensing, mobile device mapping applications and map-based games. Through active, hands on, experiential learning, students will learn how to use GIS & T to create geographical experiences. GIS & T is a support mechanism for spatially-oriented thinking, reasoning, literacy, and problem-solving. Such problems include international disaster management, climate change, and sustainable development. This honors seminar is a foundational course that examines how our social worlds are linked to our physical, technological and material worlds. The corresponding emphasis on inquiry, analysis, and interpretation facilitates student-engaged learning. In exploring pertinent issues/topics through an experiential, active, and site-specific curricular focused learning, various aspects of the human condition are discovered. The honors seminar integrates the required Year One curriculum.

This course examines the core process of game design, from ideation and structured brainstorming in an entertainment technology context through the examination of industry standard processes and techniques for documenting and managing the design process. This course specifically examines techniques for assessing and quantifying the validity of a given design, for managing innovation and creativity in a game development-specific context, and for world and character design. Specific emphasis is placed on both the examination and deconstruction of historical successes and failures, along with presentation of ethical and cultural issues related to the design and development of interactive software and the role of individuals in a team-oriented design methodology. Students in this class are expected to actively participate and engage in the culture of design and critique as it relates to the field.

This course continues to examine the core theories of game design as they relate to the professional field. Beginning with a formalized pitch process, this course examines the design and development paradigm from story-boarding and pre-visualization through rapid iteration, refinement, and structured prototyping exercises to further examine the validity of a given design. Specific emphasis is placed on iterative prototyping models, and on methodologies for both informal and formal critique. This course also explores production techniques and life-cycle in the professional industry.

This course will allow students to work as domain specialists on teams completing one or more faculty research projects over the course of the semester. The faculty member teaching the class will provide the research topic(s). Students will learn about research methodology to implement, test, and evaluate results of projects. Students will complete research reports and final assessments of themselves and their teammates in addition to completing their assigned responsibilities on the main projects.

This course will allow students to work as domain specialists on teams completing one or more faculty-led research projects over the course of the semester. The faculty member teaching the class will provide the research topic(s). Students will learn about research methodology to implement, test, and evaluate results of projects. Students will complete research reports and final assessments of themselves and their teammates in addition to completing their assigned responsibilities on the main projects.

This is intended to allow for special one-time offerings of graduate topics. Specific course details (such as the course topics, format, resource needs, and credit hours) will be determined by the faculty member(s) who propose a given seminar offering. (Varies)