Game Design and Development (B.A.)
Electronic gaming has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world today. It is used also for education, training and other important purposes. The U.S. video game industry generated nearly $18 billion in sales in 2007, up 43 percent from 2006, according to The NPD Group, a consumer and retail information provider. The industry is expected to continue to grow in 2008.
Southern New Hampshire University’s game design and development degree program lets you decide whether you want to be the master storyteller who dreams up the mission, theme, plot, visuals and rules of a game, or the mastermind who focuses on game production and the business of gaming. You choose between a liberal arts focus, which emphasizes School of Liberal Arts courses, or a business focus, which incorporates School of Business courses.
The game design and development major emphasizes the creative, interactive storylines and environments of games and will give you a competitive edge in the technologies of game development. You’ll be prepared to seek entry-level employment as generalists able to multitask in modeling, storyboard, animation, broadcast graphics design, video post-production and 3-D illustration.
B.A./B.S. Core
Liberal Arts Core
- SNHU 101 First Year Seminar: Fundamentals of Critical Thinking
or - Free Elective (transfer students with 15 or more credits and CE students only)
- IT/GAM 135 - Interactive 3-D Virtual Environments
- IT/GAM 207 - Information Technology and Digital Games
- IT/GAM 303 - Design of Virtual Game Environments
- IT/GAM 305 - Digital Game Development
- IT/GAM 430 - 3D Modeling and Animation
- IT/GAM 450 - Artificial Intelligence for eBusiness
- IT/GAM 465 - Digital Multimedia Development
Interactive Storytelling and Supporting Arts
- ENG 327 - Play Writing Workshop
- ENG 329 - Fiction Writing Workshop
- LIT 301 - World Mythology
- LIT 305 - Popular Fiction
- COM 327 - Screenwriting for Media Arts
Visual and Audio Design
- COM 230 - Graphics and Layout in Print Media
- FAS 310 - Illustration
- GRA 320 - Introduction to Digital Imaging
- COM 345 - Animation and Visual Effects
- GRA 410 - Advanced Digital Graphic Design
- GRA 420 - Advanced Digital Imaging
- IT 205 - Digital Music
Game Development and Supporting Technologies
- IT 201 - Computer Platform Technologies
- IT 230 - Software Development With C#.Net
- IT 232 - Software Development w/C++.NET
- IT 315 - Object Oriented Analysis and Design
- IT 330 - Database Design and Management
- IT 340 - Network and Telecommunication Management
Psychology and Marketing of Games
Southern New Hampshire University programs are accredited by:
- Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration
- American Culinary Federation Educational Institute
- Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
- European Council for Business Education
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission
- New Hampshire State Department of Education for Teacher Certification
- North American Society for Sport Management