Undergraduate Minor

The Minor in Game Design and Development complements the depth of knowledge students acquire in their majors with a multidisciplinary understanding of game design and development. Students learn the foundations and develop core competencies in their primary area of study and broaden their horizons as interdisciplinary team members, learning game design theories and principles, collaborating on the design and development of game projects, and engaging in active learning and authentic, situated creative problem-solving.

The minor, which is administered by the Department of Media and Information, is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in the Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science , the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Studio Art, the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design, or the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Media Arts and Information at Michigan State University.

Students from the above named majors are eligible to apply for the minor if they have completed or are currently enrolled in the prerequisites as listed below. 

To apply, students must submit an application stating their interest in the minor and a portfolio demonstrating their expertise in media design, computer science, or art. Applications are due by the tenth week of the spring semester. Depending on the number of students applying, oral interviews may be requested. Academic performance will also be considered.

Students accepted into the minor may begin the minor in the subsequent fall semester. The advisor for the game design and development minor must approve the student's program of study.

Prerequisites

1.	The following course (3 credits):
	CAS	117	Games and Interactivity						3
2.	Two of the following courses (6 credits):
	CSE	232	Introduction to Programming II						4
	CSE	331	Algorithms and Data Structures						3
	CSE	335	Object-oriented Software Design						4
	GD	360	Graphic Design I: Graphic Form						3
	MI	227	Concept Design for Games, Film, and TV						3
	MI	230	Game Design						3
	MI	231	Game and Interactive Media Development						3
	MI	247	Three-Dimensional Graphics and Design						3
	STA	201	Fundamentals of Comic Art and Graphic Novels						3
	STA	380	Electronic Art						3

Requirements for the Minor in Game Design and Development

Complete the following (15 credits):

1.	All of the following courses (12 credits):
	MI	445	Game Design and Development I						3
	MI	455	Game Design and Development II						3
	MI	497	Game Design Studio						3
	MI	498	Collaborative Game Design (W)						3
2.	Complete one of the following courses (3 credits):
	CSE	422	Computer Networks						3
	CSE	435	Software Engineering						3
	CSE	440	Introduction to Artificial Intelligence						3
	CSE	471	Media Processing and Multimedia Computing						3
	CSE	472	Computer Graphics						3
	CSE	476	Mobile Application Development						3
	CSE	477	Web Application Architecture and Development						3
	CSE	480	Database Systems						3
	GD	460	Graphic Design II: Visual Communication						3
	GD	462	Spatial Design						3
	GD	468	Interaction Design						3
	MI	327	Advanced Concept Design for Games, Film, and TV						3
	MI	337	Compositing and Special Effects						3
	MI	431	Advanced Game Development						3
	MI	344	Sound Design for Cinema, Television, and Games						3
	MI	347	Advanced Three-Dimensional Computer Animation						3
	MI	349	Web Design and Development						3
	MI	377	Advanced 3D Modeling						3
	MI	447	Three-Dimensional Graphics and Animation Portfolio (W)						3
	MI	449	Advanced Web Development and Database Management						3
	MI	482	Building Virtual Worlds						3
	MI	484	Building Innovative Interfaces						3
	STA	301	Advanced Comic Art and Graphic Novels						3
	STA	350	Figure Modeling						3
	STA	351	Mixed Media and Installation						3
	STA	380	Electronic Art						3
	STA	384	Experiments in Digital Video						3
	STA	385	Interactive Environments and Digital Fabrication						3