3285 Game Design and Development
Programs Offered:
- Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Concentration in Game Design and Development
- Interdisciplinary Minor in Game Design and Development
Creative Media Industries Institute
David Cheshier, director
404-413-5649
dcheshier@gsu.edu
The interdisciplinary Game Design and Development major concentration and the minor explore the interactive entertainment landscape, along with other related areas of software development and interactive storytelling. The program has its technical roots in computer and information science, while simultaneously covering the breadth of courses in many academic disciplines, including writing, film, graphic design, music, and psychology. The programs are for students who aspire to gain the background and technical skill necessary for a career in gaming or related areas in interactive media.
Program Admission
A 2.0 Georgia State University GPA is required in order to apply to the program. Application materials can be obtained from the Office of Academic Assistance, 418 Langdale Hall, 404-413-5000. Students should apply to the program by the time they have earned 42 credit hours to avoid a delay in graduation.
Program Degree Requirements
Please refer to the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies section 3030.30 of this catalog for academic regulations for this program.
In addition to the Program Degree Requirements, students must fulfill the College of Arts and Sciences Degree Requirements (see section 3030) and the University Degree Requirements (see section 1400).
Courses used to fulfill the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses for each B.I.S. program will not count towards the rules of Area G (i.e., no more than three to four 3-4 credit hour courses from a single discipline) nor of Area H (i.e., no more than two 3-4 credit hour courses can be taken within a single discipline).
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Concentration in Game Design and Development
Recommended Courses for Area F:
Students should enter the Game Design and Development major having taken course prerequisites needed for entrance into their planned program of study. Below is a list of courses that are prerequisites for courses included as options in Game Design and Development. Students should plan their desired program of study and identify which prerequisites they need to fulfill.
- World language at 1002 level or above (3)
- Select additional elective courses from the following to complete 18 hours in Area F:
- CSC 1301 Principles of Computer Science I (4)*
- CSC 1302 Principles of Computer Science II (4)*
- CSC 2301 Programming for Non-Majors (3)*
- CSC 2302 Programming II for Non-Majors (3)*
- CSC 2510 Theoretical Foundations of Computer Science
- ENGL 2130 American Literature (3)
- ENGL 2160 Studies in Popular Culture (3)
- FLME 1010 Film Aesthetics and Analysis (3)
- ART 1010 Drawing I (3)
- ART 1020 Two-Dimensional Design (3)
- PSYC 1101 Introduction to General Psychology (3)
- MATH 1070 Elementary Statistics (3)
Many of the courses listed above are required prerequisites for Game Design and Development BIS courses in Area G and H. Students should select Area F courses in consultation with a BIS advisor.
Additionally, any student planning to take 3000- or 4000-level courses in CSC in Area G or Area H should determine which programming sequence (indicated with * above) best meets their academic needs, as many CSC classes require CSC and/or Math prerequisites.
Area G: Area of Concentration (27-33 hours)
No more than four (4) three-hour courses (i.e. 12 hours) can come from the same course prefix in a student’s program study. CTW courses do not count toward the four course limit. Some film and sound production courses require departmental authorization.
- CTW requirement (6 hours).Choose two of the following:
- Required courses (9-12 hours) Choose three of the following:
- CSC 4820 Interactive Computer Graphics (4)
- CSC 4821 Fundamentals of Game Design (4)
- CSC 4840/GRD 4840/[FILM 4840] Computer Graphics Imaging (3)
- DPP 3000 Life Drawing (3)
- ENGL 3150B Introduction to Creative Writing- Fiction (3)
- ENGL 4204/[FILM 4780] Special Topics – Introduction to Writing Interactive Fiction (3-4)
- ENGL 4204/[FILM 4780] Special Topics – Game Studies (3-4)
- FLME 4110 Sound Design (4) (previously FILM 4361)
- FLME 3155 Digital Cinematography (4)
- GRD 4310 Multimedia Design (3)
- GRD 3000 Introduction to Graphic Design (3)
- MUS 4730 Computer Applications in Music (3)
- MUS 4981 Computer Music (3)
- Program focus area (12-15) Select courses as directed from either the Game Development or the Game Design areas below:
- Game Development (12-15 hours) Choose 3-5 courses from the following:
- CSC 3320 System-Level Programming (3)
- CSC 3410 Data Structure (CTW) (3)
- CSC 4220 Computer Networks (4)
- CSC 4330 Programming Language Concepts (4)
- CSC 4350 Software Engineering (CTW) (4)
- CSC 4370 Web Programming (4)
- CSC 4710 Database Systems (4)
- CSC 4720 Human-Computer Interaction (4)
- CSC 4810 Artificial Intelligence (4)
- CSC 4820 Interactive Computer Graphics (4)
- CSC 4821 Fundamentals of Game Design (3)
- CSC 4840/GRD 4840/[FILM 4840] Computer Graphics Imaging (3)
- CSC 4841/GRD 4841/[FILM 4841] Computer Animation (4)
- ENGL 3150B Introduction to Creative Writing- Fiction (3)
- ENGL 4204/[FILM 4780] Special Topics: Game Studies (3-4)
- FLME 3155 Digital Cinematography (4)
- FLME 4110 Sound Design (4)
- GRD 3000 Introduction to Graphic Design (3)
- MUS 4730 Computer Applications in Music (3)
- MUS 4981 Computer Music (3)
- Game Design (12-15 hours) Choose 3-5 courses from the following:
- CSC 4821 Fundamentals of Game Design (3)
- CSC 4840/GRD 4840/[FILM 4840] Computer Graphics Imaging (3)
- CSC 4841/GRD 4841/[FILM 4841] Computer Animation (4)
- DPP 3000 Life Drawing (3)
- ENGL 3150B Introduction to Creative Writing- Fiction (3)
- ENGL 3160 Narrative Techniques (3)
- ENGL 4204/[FILM 4780] Special Topics: Game Studies (3/3-4)
- FLME 3115 Screenwriting & Visualization for the Short Film/Video (4)
- FLME 3155 Digital Cinematography (4)
- FLME 3300 Dramatic Writing for the Stage and Screen (3)
- FLME 4000 Acting for the Camera and Directing (4)
- FLME 4110 Sound Design (4)
- FLME 4120 Production I (4)
- FLME 4800 Media Industries (3)
- GRD 3000 Introduction to Graphic Design (3)
- GRD 3150 Introduction to Typography (3)
- GRD 3200 Intermediate Graphic Design (3)
- GRD 4250 Graphic Design in Pop Culture (3)
- GRD 4400 Design for Film and Television (3)
- ID 3000 Drafting (3)
- ID 3300 Interior Design: Theory (3)
- ID 3350 Interior Design: Materials (3)
- ID 3500 Interior Design: Spatial Organization (3)
- ID 4100 Lighting Design (2)
- ID 3250 Computer Aided Drafting and Design I (2)
- ID 4350 Computer-Aided Drafting and Design II (2)
- ID 4400 Computer Aided Drafting and Design III (2)
- ID 3100 Architectural Drawing II
- MUS 4730 Computer Applications in Music (2)
- MUS 4981 Computer Music (3)
- MUS 4982 Advanced Topics in Computer Music (3)
- PHOT 3000 Photography I (3)
- PHOT 3010 Photography II (3)
- PHOT 3500 Digital Photography (4)
- PHOT 3600 Digital Video for Artists (4)
- THEA 3300 Dramatic Writing for the Stage and Screen (3)
Area H: Allied Field (15 – 21 hours)
No more than two courses can come from the same course prefix in a student’s program in Area H. Students who chose to focus on Game Development in Area G should choose their minor area from courses listed in the Game Design list from Area G. Students who chose to focus on Game Design in Area G should choose their minor area from courses listed in the Game Development list in Area G.
BIS students without backgrounds in statistics should consider taking MATH 1070; while students without backgrounds in writing take ENGL 3150B, [FILM 3115], or ENGL 4204 and students without backgrounds in programming should take CSC 2301.
- Game Development (12-15 hours) Choose 3-5 courses from the following:
Interdisciplinary Minor in Game Design and Development
Recommended Courses for Area A-F
Students should enter the Game Design and Development minor having taken course prerequisites needed for entrance into their planned program of study. Below is a list of courses that are prerequisites for courses included as options in Game Design and Development minor. Students should plan their desired program of study and identify which prerequisites they need to fulfill.
- CSC 2310 Principles of Computer Programming
- FLME 1010 Film Aesthetics and Analysis
- FLME 2700 History of the Motion Picture
- ID 3000 Drafting
- ART 1010 Drawing I
- ART 1020 Two Dimensional Design
- ART 1030 Three Dimensional Design
- ART 1050 Introductory Studio
Required Courses for the Interdisciplinary Minor (15-18 hours)
Students pursuing the interdisciplinary minor in Game Design and Development must take five courses. No more than two of the courses counting towards the minor can have the same course prefix. Additionally, no more than two of the five courses counting toward the minor may also count toward the major.
- Choose two of the following:
- Choose three of the following:
- CSC 4820 Interactive Computer Graphics (4)
- CSC 4821 Fundamentals of Game Design (4)
- CSC 4840/GRD 4840/[Film 4840] Computer Graphics Imaging (3-4)
- CSC 4841 Computer Animation (4)
- DPP 3000 Life Drawing (3)
- ENGL 4204/[FILM 4800] Game Studies (3)
- ENGL 3150B Introduction to Creative Writing- Fiction (3)
- ENGL 4204/[FILM 4780] Special Topics: Introduction to Writing Interactive Fiction (3)
- FLME 3115 Screenwriting & Visualization for the Short Film/Video (4)
- FLME 3155 Digital Cinematography (4)
- FLME 4000 Acting for the Camera and Directing (4)
- FLME 4110 Sound Design (4)
- FLME 4120 Production I (4)
- GRD 4310 Multimedia Design (3)
- ID 3000 Drafting (3)
- ID 3300 Interior Design: Theory (3)
- ID 4100 Lighting Design (2)
- ID 3250 Computer Aided Drafting and Design I (2)
- MUS 4730 Computer Applications in Music (3)