Undergraduate Degree

Games and Interactive Media

Program:
Games and Interactive Media
Plan Code:
GAMEIM_BA1
Program Level:
Undergraduate
Award Type:
Bachelor of Arts
College:
College of Communication Arts and Sciences
Department:
Media and Information


Excerpt from the official Academic Programs Catalog:

Listed below are the approved requirements for the program from the official Academic Programs Catalog.
Students must consult their advisors to learn which specific requirements apply to their degree programs.


College of Communication Arts and Sciences

Department of Media and Information

Undergraduate Programs
Games and Interactive Media

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Games and Interactive Media create and examine the design process, production, management, artistry, and effects of video games, board games, AR/VR, and emerging interactive media. Faculty will mentor students in the learning process to think critically about and design innovative games that serve to entertain, educate, and address societal concerns.

Students will be prepared for careers within industry that include an ever-evolving array of project managers, programmers, 3D artists and animators, concept artists, storytelling/narrative writers, and designers of characters, virtual/augmented reality, and immersive content.

Admission

To be admitted to the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Games and Interactive Media, students must have:
  1. Completed 28 credits.
  2. Completed the following courses with a combined minimum grade-point average of 2.5:
    CAS    117    Games and Interactivity                            3
    MI        101    Understanding Media and Information        3
    MI        103    Practical Computing for Interactive Media  3
  3. MTH    103    College Algebra                                           3
    Or
    MTH    116    College Algebra and Trigonometry              5
  4. A cumulative grade-point average of 2.0.
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Games and Interactive Media
  1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of the catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Games and Interactive Media.
    The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Games and Interactive Media major is met by completing one of the following courses: Media and Information 402, 430, 447, 477, 482, 486, 495, or 498 .  Those courses are referenced in item 3. below.
  2. The requirements of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
  3. The following requirements for the major (36 credits):
    a. All of the following courses (12 credits):
    CAS 117 Games and Interactivity 3
    MI 101 Understanding Media and Information 3
    MI 103 Practical Computing for Interactive Media 3
    MI 339 Games and Society 3
    b. Two of the following courses (6 credits):
    MI 111 Game Literacy 3
    MI 201 Introduction to Information Science 3
    MI 220 Methods for Understanding Users 3
    MI 301 Bringing Media to Market 3
    MI 305 Media and Information Policy 3
    MI 320 Reasoning with Data 3
    MI 355 Media and Information Research 3
    c. Six courses with four courses from the same focus area and at least one course from a different focus area (18 credits):
    Game Design
    DS 344 Sound Design for Storytelling 3
    MI 230 Game Design 3
    MI 330 Game Level Design 3
    MI 332 Game Interface Design 3
    MI 334 eSports and Online Broadcasting 3
    MI 402 Topics in Game Studies (W) 3
    MI 430 Game Writing (W) 3
    MI 445 Game Design and Development I 3
    MI 455 Game Design and Development II 3
    MI 482 Building Virtual Worlds (W) 3
    MI 486 Serious Game Design (W) 3
    MI 495 Game and Interactive Media Projects (W) 3
    MI 497 Game Design Studio 3
    MI 498 Collaborative Game Design (W) 3
    Games Graphics and Animation
    MI 227 Concept Design for Games, Film, and TV 3
    MI 247 Three-Dimensional Graphics and Design 3
    MI 327 Advanced Concept Design for Games, Film, and TV 3
    MI 337 Compositing and Special Effects 3
    MI 347 Advanced Three-Dimensional Computer Animation 3
    MI 377 Advanced 3D Modeling 3
    MI 447 Graphics and Animation Portfolio (W) 3
    MI 477 Advanced 3D Character Modeling (W) 3
    MI 495 Game and Interactive Media Projects (W) 3
    Game Development
    CSE 231 Introduction to Programming I 4
    CSE 232 Introduction to Programming II 4
    MI 231 Game and Interactive Media Development 3
    MI 349 Web Design and Development 3
    MI 431 Advanced Game Development 3
    MI 449 Advanced Web Development and Database Management 3
    MI 482 Building Virtual Worlds (W) 3
    MI 495 Game and Interactive Media Projects (W) 3
    MTH 314 Matrix Algebra with Computational Applications 3
    d. Media and Information (MI) Electives.
    Additional credits in department courses can be taken as electives. Special topics (MI 491) and Internships (MI 493) are encouraged for experiential learning opportunities. Students interested in pursuing a minor should contact the Academic and Student Affairs Office in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences.