Why Choose Game Design and Production?
Videogames have become a multi-billion-dollar industry, surpassing all other forms of entertainment. From consoles to PCs, mobile devices and immersive media, gaming has launched several new career paths, and companies are actively seeking graduates with skills in these areas. Digital games have provided new forms of socialization, political organization, and economic power, and they are at the forefront of the organization of a virtual society.
Internships
As a Game Design & Production major, you are well-positioned for internships at:
- Avalanche Studios
- Defiant Studios
- Epic Games
- E-Sports League
- Mobile Games
- Quytech
- Riot Games
- Rockstar Games
- Unity Technologies
- Virtual Production
Jobs for Game Design & Production Graduates
Careers of interest for graduates of Game Design & Production may include the following. See each link for more details about job outlook and salaries:
What Will You Learn
As a Game Design & Production student, you will have the opportunity to study:
- The history and cultures of videogame producers and consumers
- Tools and workflows for videogame design, gaming engines, and immersive media
- Interactive narrative construction and production
- The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in gaming
- Organizing workflows with collaborative groups
Major
Majors in this program must complete 30 credits and follow one of three concentrations as outlined below. Students who follow the Coding concentration are matriculated in the Kakos School of Science and will earn a B.S. degree upon graduation; students following the Design or Narrative concentration are matriculated in the School of Liberal Arts and will earn a B.A. degree upon graduation.
Upon completion of a major in Game Design & Production, students are expected to:
- complete the planning, design, and building of digital games
- describe the history, structure, and issues of the videogame industry
- work collaboratively to apply their knowledge and skills
- analyze the ethical issues they may encounter while creating an interactive game.
All majors will complete:
ART 134 The Culture of Games
CMPT 101 Computer Science I
COMM 365 Game Design & Development
ART 407 Senior Game Seminar
In addition, students will complete one of the following three 18-credit concentrations:
CODING (B.S. Kakos School of Science)
CMPT 102 Computer Science II (Object oriented design in C++)
CMPT 238 Data Structures and Algorithms I
CMPT 335 Discrete Structures
CMPT 360 Object Oriented Design with Java
CMPT 420 Artificial Intelligence
3 credits of an elective course as described below
DESIGN (B.A. School of Liberal Arts)
ART 213 Digital Drawing
ART 307 3D Design, Modeling, and Visualization
ART 309 Animation
9 credits of elective courses as described below
NARRATIVE (B.A. School of Liberal Arts)
COMM 304 Digital Storytelling
COMM 359 Interactive Narratives
DASH 310 VR: Perception & Production
9 credits of elective courses as described below
Elective Courses
Elective courses that satisfy major and minor requirements are approved by the program director and are related to gaming, digital production, coding, and the culture, marketing, and effects of videogames. Majors may apply 3 credits from an internship in the gaming industry.
Suggested elective courses:
Courses required in other GAME concentrations, including:
ART 213 Digital Drawing
ART 307 3D Design, Modeling, and Visualization
ART 309 Animation
CMPT 102 Computer Science II (Object oriented design in C++)
CMPT 238 Data Structures and Algorithms I
COMM 304 Digital Storytelling
COMM 359 Interactive Narratives
DASH 310 VR: Perception & Production
Other suggested elective courses:
ART 214 Graphic Design
ART 380 Digital Video Art: Editing and Production.
COMM 222 Introduction to Story and Post-Production
COMM 306 Web Design
COMM 316 Scriptwriting
DASH 200 Introduction to Digital Arts & Humanities
MUSC 390 Digital Audio Recording and Editing
In addition, students may enroll in specific special topics courses and other elective courses as approved by the Program Director.
A minimum grade of C is required for courses to satisfy all major and minor requirements. Minors must have a contract signed and approved by the program director.