This program is an interdisciplinary study of the visual creations for electronic games and other interactive media systems. The program builds strong foundation to compete for positions in the game industry—such as game-play tester, 2D conceptual artist, 3D character builder, 3D object modeler, interactivity designer, background artist, and game programmer.

The program requires 126 credit hours for completion of the Bachelor of Science degree. It consists of four core courses and two sets of elective courses for the concentrations in Video Game Programming and Video Game Design. The core courses will be taken by all students majoring in IMGD. In the senior year, the students enrolled in CMPSC F345 and IMGD 480, will work together on the same project.

Director: Stefanescu, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

Coordinators: Fuchel, NESAD; Huntemann, Department of Communication and Journalism; Zinoviev, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

 Major Core Requirements (4 courses; 14 credits)

All IMGD majors must take the following core courses:
ADF S101  Foundation Drawing I (3 cr)
CMPSC F124*  Introduction to Game Programming (4 cr)
ADG S219  Computer Applications in Design (3 cr)
CJN 421   Digital Games Culture (4 cr; prereq.: CJN 255*)

*Course satisfies one CAS Core course requirement.

 Major Concentrations:

All IMGD majors must complete the requirements of one of the concentrations: in Video Game Programming (VGP) or Video Game Design (VGD).
 

Concentration in Video Game Programming (VGP)

Concentration Requirements (5 courses; 20 credits)

CMPSC F131**  Introduction to Computer Programming (4 cr)
CMPSC F132**  Intermediate Computer Programming (4 cr)
CMPSC F265** Data Structures and Algorithms (4 cr)
CMPSC F365 Introduction to Modeling & Simulation (4 cr)
CMPSC F376 Computer Graphics for Games (4 cr)

Complementary Requirements (3 courses; 12 credits)

MATH 165*  Calculus I (4 cr)
MATH 220 Math for Scientists & Engineering (4 cr)
PHYS 151* University Physics I (4 cr)
 Project (2 courses; 8 credits)
CMPSC F345**  Software Engineering/Project in Game Specification   (4 cr)
IMGD 490 Project in Game Implementation and Integration (4 cr)

*Course satisfies one CAS Core course requirements.

**Course satisfies one of the Major in Computer Science Core course requirements

 

Concentration in Video Game Design (VGD)

Concentration Requirements (5 courses; 17– 19 credits)

IMGD 201 Intermediate Game Programming (4 cr)
CJN 288  Film Language (4 cr)
ADG S330 Motion Design (3 cr)
Two VGD elective courses (3 cr or 4 cr each)
VGD elective can be fulfilled by taking any of the following courses:
ADG S320 Drawing for Animation
ADFA S325 Video Containers
TBA  Storyboarding for Animation (future course)
TBA  Illustration in 3D (future course)
TBA  The Graphic Novel (future course)
TBA  Character Development (future course)
TBA  Computer Music (future course)
Any other approved course

Complementary Requirements (1 course, 4 credits)

Any Art History course
Project (2 courses; 8 credits)
IMGD 480 Project in Game Specification (4cr)
IMGD 490 Project in Game Implementation and Integration   (4 cr)

 
Minor in Interactive Media and Game Development

The minor in Video Game Design (21—22 credits) is intended primarily for CJN and NESAD students who want to familiarize themselves with the subject but do not plan to become professional game developers. The program consists of the four core courses followed by IMGD 201 Intermediate Game Design and any other elective course from the Video Game Design concentration list.

The minor in Video Game Design (21—22 credits) is intended primarily for CJN and NESAD students who want to familiarize themselves with the subject but do not plan to become professional game developers. The program consists of the four core courses followed by IMGD 201 Intermediate Game Design and any other elective course from the Video Game Design concentration list.

VGD Core Courses (4 courses; 14 credits)
ADF S101 Foundation Drawing I (3 cr)
CMPSC F124* Introduction to Game Programming (4 cr)
ADG S219** Computer Applications in Design (3 cr)
CJN 421  Digital Games Culture (4 cr; Prerequisite: CJN    255)
Beyond the Core (2 courses; 7– 8 credits)
IMGD 201  Intermediate Game Programming (4 cr)
One minor elective course (3 cr or 4 cr)
Minor elective can be fulfilled by taking any of the following courses:
CJN 288  Film Language (4 cr)
ADG S330  Motion Design (3 cr)
ADFA S325 Video Containers (3 cr)
ADG S320 Drawing for Animation (3 cr)
TBA  Storyboarding for Animation (future course)
TBA  Illustrating in 3D (future course)
TBA  The Graphic Novel (future course)
TBA  Character Development (future course)
TBA  Computer Music (future course)
Any other approved course

*  Course satisfies the CAS Quantitative Reasoning requirements

** Courses that apply to the BFA Graphic Design degree
 

Courses:

CMPSC F124 Intro to Game Programming
IMGD 201 (tentative number) Intermediate Game Programming
CMPSC F131 Intro to Computer Programming
CMPSC F132 Intermediate Computer Programming
CMPSC F265 Data Structures and Algorithms
CMPSC F345 Software Engineering
CMPSC F365 Introduction to Modeling and Simulation
CMPSC F376 Computer Graphics for Games
ADF S101 Foundation Drawing I
ADG S219 Computer Applications in Design
ADFA S325 Video Containers
ADG S330 Motion Design
CJN 288 Film Language
CJN 421 Digital Games Culture
IMGD 480 Project in Game Specification
IMGD 490 Project In Game Implementation and Integration

 

You can download the Interactive Media and Game Development requirement information in PDF.