Games + Simulation - Bachelor of Science

The Bachelor of Science in Games + Simulation provides students with an interdisciplinary plan of study covering all aspects of creating and interpreting games. Games are the liberal arts of the 21st century: the fusion of coding and design, writing and mechanics, usability and creativity. With a focus on making and praxis, the BS in Games + Simulation prepares students for a career or graduate study in game design, development, 3D modeling, creative development, writing or designing, esports, and games in other industries, all while encouraging students to take creative risks, to build things, and to think critically about audiences, narratives, and aesthetics.

Program Requirements

Core: Foundation
IMS 111Introduction to Game Careers1
IMS 211Introduction to Game Studies3
IMS 212Introduction to Game Design3
IMS 213Introduction to Game Development3
IMS 222Introduction to Interaction Design and Development3
IMS 254Design Thinking & Design Principles Applied3
IMS 322Intermediate Interaction Design and Development3
Core: Intermediate
CSE 251Introduction to Game Programming3
IMS 314Game Usability & Human Factors3
IMS 317Writing for Games3
IMS 319Foundations in Digital 3-D Modeling and Animation3
IMS 453Indie Game Development I3
IMS 454Indie Game Development II3
IMS 445Advanced Game Design3
IMS 465Game Engine Scripting3
Core: Capstone
IMS 487Game Prototyping, Pipeline and Production3
IMS 488Game Preproduction3
IMS 489Game Production6
Concentration (Choose One)21
Game Art Concentration
ART 102
ART 106
Observational Drawing
3D Digital Sculpting
3D Shading and Texturing
Painting I
3D Character Design
3D Character Animation
Game Development Concentration
Fundamentals of Programming and Problem Solving
Introduction to Software Engineering
Object-Oriented Programming
Data Abstraction and Data Structures
Foundations of Computer Graphics and Games
Game Design and Implementation
Advanced Graphics and Game Engine Design
Game Studies Concentration
Games and Learning
Rhetoric of Games
Research Methods in Games
Self and Place
Interdisciplinary Problems and Questions
Elective Course(s) Approved By Advisor
Total Credit Hours76

Optional Games electives for all concentrations

IMS 102Digital Experience Bootcamp1
IMS 238Narrative and Digital Technology3
IMS 253Building and Designing Interactive Devices3
IMS 285Inside the Game Developers Conference2
IMS 381Music for Games3
IMS 382The Business of Games3
IMS 461Virtual Reality3

Optional electives for Game Development concentration

CSE 212Software Engineering for User Interface and User Experience Design3
CSE 302Software Construction3
CSE 464Algorithms3
CSE 486Introduction to Artificial Intelligence3