2019-20 Catalogs

Minor in Game Design Studies

The minor in Game Design Studies offers a core education in game design and development, along with a number of interdisciplinary options for specialized tracks that allow students to further their development in one of the areas crucial to development of a successful game. In game design, the theoretical and practical exist side by side. This program reflects that by challenging students to develop an academic understanding of games while also focusing on the applied skills needed to be part of a game design team. Programmers, writers, artists, designers, and managers all come together in Game Design Studies, building teams and—more importantly—building games.

General Track (9 credits)
     GS 100 Gaming & Simulation 1: Introduction to Game and Simulation Development
     GS 200 Gaming & Simulation 2: Collaborative Concepts, Tools and Processes
     GS 300 Gaming & Simulation 3: Practicum in Theory & Application

*All students complete the General Track and one other track listed below

Programming Track (9 credits)
*The three required courses in the General Track plus:

     COS 160 Structured Problem Solving: Java
     COS 199 Unity 101 (Prerequisite COS 160)
     COS 299 Unity 201

Other courses which could be added/substituted with advisor approval include:

     COS 161 Algorithms in Programming                           
     COS 246 Programming Handheld Devices
     COS 285 Data Structures
     COS 430 Software Engineering

Art & Animation Track (9 credits)
*The three required courses in the General Track and three of the following:

     ART 141 Surface, Space, Time
     ART 221 Digital Art and Design I
     ART 222 Digital Art and Design II
     ART 252 Drawing the Figure
     ITT 181 Computer Applications and Concepts
     ITT 231 Technical Visualization
     ITT 282 Computer-Aided Design
     ITT 344 Digital Video and Animation Technologies

Sound Design Track  (9 credits)
*The three required courses in the General Track plus:

     CMS 222 Digital Radio and Audio Production
     MUS 271 Principles of Digital Audio and Music Production
     MUS 371 Advanced Principles of Digital Audio Music Production

Writing and Narrative Design Track (9 credits)
*The three required courses in the General Track plus:

     CMS 225 Screenwriting
     ENG 300 Fiction Writing
     ENG 399 Visual and Interactive Storytelling 

Business and Production Track (9 credits)
*The three required courses in the General Track and three of the following:

     BUS 341 New Product Development
     BUS 356 Digital Marketing
     BUS 385 Entrepreneurship and Venture Creation
     BUS 386 Creative Strategies for Entrepreneurs
     BUS 389 Self-Directed Innovation Project
     BUS 485 Managing the Growing Entrepreneurial Venture
     CMS 220 Topics in Media Production I
     CMS 360 Ethical Dilemmas in the Digital Age
     ITP 210 Technical Writing
     ITP 230 Project Management
     PHI 221 Media Ethics