• Home
  • Majors, minors + certificates

Majors, minors + certificates

Bachelor of Science in Game Design (GAMEDSGNBS)The Media School

Students on Summer 2020, Fall 2020, or Spring 2021 requirements.

Description

The B.S. in Game Design takes a social systems approach to game design, emphasizing the creative symbiosis that develops when game designers combine the age-old arts of storytelling and illustration with powerful new media platforms and state-of-the-art animation to translate their vision into compelling virtual realities. The degree shares its structure with the other undergraduate degrees offered in The Media School, including The Media Core (Managing, Making, Thinking Media) and all College degree requirements, but does not require a concentration or specialization.

Major requirements

The major requires at least 54 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.

  1. Media School Core.
    1. Introduction to Media. One (1) course:
    2. Managing Media. One (1) course:
      • (recommended)
    3. Thinking Media. One (1) course:
    4. Making Media. One (1) course:
  2. Game Design Developmental Skills.
    1. Game Production I. One (1) course:
    2. Game Design I. One (1) course:
    3. Game Art and Sound. One (1) course:
  3. Game Design Portfolio. Prior to enrolling in MSCH-G 400 Game Production II and MSCH-G 410 Game Design II, students must submit a Game Design Portfolio for review. Details about the submission process can be found on the Media School website .
  4. Advanced Game Design.
    1. Game Production II. One (1) course:
    2. Game Design II. One (1) course:
    3. Game Workshop I. One (1) course:
    4. Game Workshop II. One (1) course:
    5. Game Workshop III. One (1) course:
  5. Focal Area Courses. Three (3) courses from one (1) of the following focal areas:
    • Art
      • (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
    • Design: Game Design Theory
      • (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • One of the following:
      • INFO-I 368 Introduction to Network Science
      • INFO-I 468 Network Science Applications
    • Design: Games and Mind
      • (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
    • Management, Advertising and Public Relations
    • Programming
      • (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • CSCI-A 201 Introduction to Programming I
      • CSCI-A 202 Introduction to Programming II
      • CSCI-A 216 Digital Multimedia Concepts and Technologies
      • CSCI-B 351 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
      • CSCI-B 453 Game Development
      • CSCI-C 292 Introduction to Game Programming
    • Sound
      1. Sound Design. One (1) course:
        • (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
        • MUS-Z 361 Introduction to Midi and Computer Music
      2. Advanced Sound Design. Two (2) courses:
        • (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
        • (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
        • (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
        • (Approved by Concentration Coordinator)
        • MUS-Z 362 Computer Music: Design/perform
  6. Electives. Two (2) courses:
    • Any Media School course
    • INFO-H 300 Human-computer Interaction Design and Programming, Honors
    • INFO-I 300 Human-computer Interaction Design and Programming
    • INFO-I 310 Multimedia Arts and Technology
    • Another course approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies
  7. GPA and Hours Requirements.
    1. Major Residency. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
    2. Major Upper Division Courses. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    3. Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
    4. Major GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.

Bachelor of Science requirements

The Bachelor of Science degree requires at least 120 credit hours, to include the following:

  1. College of Arts and Sciences Credit Hours. At least 100 credit hours must come from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines.
  2. Upper Division Courses. At least 36 credit hours (of the 120) must be at the 300–499 level.
  3. College Residency. Following completion of the 60th credit hour toward degree, at least 36 credit hours of College of Arts and Sciences coursework must be completed through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
  4. College GPA. A College grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.000 is required.
  5. CASE Requirements. The following College of Arts and Sciences Education (CASE) requirements must be completed:
    1. CASE Foundations
      1. English Composition: 1 course
      2. Mathematical Modeling: 1 course
    2. CASE Breadth of Inquiry
      1. Arts and Humanities: 4 courses
      2. Natural and Mathematical Sciences: 4 courses
      3. Social and Historical Studies: 4 courses
    3. CASE Culture Studies
      1. Diversity in the United States: 1 course
      2. Global Civilizations and Cultures: 1 course
    4. CASE Critical Approaches: 1 course
    5. CASE Foreign Language: Proficiency in a single foreign language through the first semester of the second year of college-level coursework
    6. CASE Intensive Writing: 1 course
    7. CASE Public Oral Communication: 1 course
  6. Major. Completion of the major as outlined in the Major Requirements section above.

Most students must also successfully complete the Indiana University Bloomington General Education program.