Get your game on with Southern New Hampshire University's game design and development major.
SNHU Games Professor Featured in Story, "Computer Games That Care for You".
Follow your interests
You can become a 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. Perhaps you have an entrepreneurial spirit and hope to start your own gaming studio.
Whatever your goals, we have a degree program to meet your needs. SNHU offers both a BS degree, for those interested in business or information technology, and a BA degree, for those more interested in the creative aspects of gaming.
You also can tailor your degree program with minors in marketing, business, creative writing, graphic design and more.
Professional standards
Regardless of which track you pursue, SNHU sets high academic standards. Our curriculum was modeled after recommendations of the International Game Developers Association, the world’s largest nonprofit membership organization serving professionals who create video games.
Focus your degree
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.
Choose one or more tracks in:
- Interactive Storytelling and Supportive Arts
- Visual and Audio Design
- Game Development and Supportive Technologies
- Psychology and Marketing of Games
- Game Production and the Business of Gaming
Career outlook
Electronic gaming has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world today. But gaming is used also for education, training and other important purposes. Consequently, the industry is large, diverse and growing, offering huge opportunities for a host of careers.
Including but not limited to:
- Lead Storyteller
- Designer
- Sound Producer
- General Producer
- Programmer
The worldwide game industry is expected to reach $68 billion by 2012, with an increasing demand for university graduates with game-related skills. Our gaming major prepares students for these exciting new careers.
Required Core Courses
Game Design and Development Major Courses
IT-135: Interactive 3 D Virtual Environments
This course introduces students to the underlying concepts in manipulating a three dimensional virtual reality environment The objects in this environment are both recognizable dinosaur tree airplane and also proper objects as the term is used in computer science Students will work individually and in teams animating to specific objectives with a significant deliverable at the end of the course Implementations of interactive advertising or educational games are potential project areas Topics include virtual reality concepts objects point of view lighting object oriented concepts properties methods events and animation control concepts collision detection decision implementation iteration and parallel activities
IT-207: Information Technology and Digital Games
Introduction to digital games and information technology covers game genres and platforms interface design game implementation artificial intelligence business economics of the game industry game marketing and design e collaboration and e commerce Students learn how to use software packages to design and implement digital games and how to use the Internet to market and distribute digital games The course includes a project which will culminate in the conception design and prototype of an original digital game The course is designed for students who have an interest in IT and games including original game concepts design and implementation and executive leadership in the game industry Knowledge of computer programming is not required
IT-303: Design of Virtual Game Environments
This core topic addresses the fundamental ideas behind the design of electronic games as virtual environments It touches on relevant formal fields such as systems theory cybernetics and game theory Included are basics of interactive design including interface design information design and human computer interaction Emphasis is placed on how virtual game environments function to create experiences including rule design play mechanics game balancing social game interaction and the integration of visual audio tactile and textual elements into the total virtual game environment experience Game documentation and play testing are also covered
Prerequisites:
IT-207 o
IT-305: Digital Game Development
To provide a technically well founded introduction to game development using programming languages and various gaming editors On completing this course the student will have acquired a fundamental understanding of the Windows API the use of sprites animation and audio in an integrated game environment
Prerequisites:
IT-207 o
IT-430: 3 D Modeling and Animation
In this course students are introduced to a multitude of techniques in 3D graphics and animation as they master the many tools of 3D Studio Max This hands on computer course includes modifying primitives simple predefined geometry and modeling new geometry with splines and mesh editing Topics include creating and applying textures with ray tracing reflections and bump maps to 3D geometry In addition students learn how to animate geometry and textures Virtual lights and cameras will be created by students to increase the realism and style of the created models Students will learn how to add 3D animations and images to web pages videos and printed documents Students will also learn how to create virtual objects and figures for use in 3D games
Prerequisites:
COM-230
IT-450: Artificial Intelligence
This course explores contemporary tools and principles of artificial intelligence that focus on Web commerce applications and business intelligence in particular Topics include mining data for business intelligence and collaborative software agents that utilize resources on the Web to carry out tasks for individuals and organizations Offered as needed
Prerequisites:
IT-135 o
IT-465: Digital Multimedia Development
This course presents digital multimedia theory and develops skills that meet the design and technical requirements of professionally created multimedia for World Wide Web commercial applications on a variety of platforms and Internet applications Each student develops a professional portfolio consisting of CD ROM material Students also develop working Web sites that display their multimedia projects Topics include sound animation video interactivity and multimedia distribution Offered as needed
Prerequisites:
IT-375 o
Select one of the following concentration areas.
Game Development and Supporting Technologies Concentration
Select Four of the Following:
IT-201: Computer Platform Technologies
This course provides the hardware software technology background for information technology personnel Hardware topics include CPU architecture memory registers addressing modes busses instruction sets and a variety of input output devices Software topics include operating system modules process management memory and file system management Also included are basic network components and multi user operating systems Offered every year
Prerequisites:
CIS-100
IT-230: Software Development with C NET
This course is designed to introduce C an event driven fully object oriented visual programming language The course covers the Visual Studio NET integrated development environment IDE while covering the basics of the C language Topics include input output statements arithmetic and logical operations control structures program modules methods and classes and arrays Students will be involved in writing programs of increasing complexity throughout the course offered every year This is a programming course
IT-232: Software Development w C NET
This course teaches students how to design implement and test applications in the C programming language Topics include C data types operators functions classes and inheritance The course introduces students to issues associated with developing real world applications by presenting several case studies The concepts of object oriented design and programming are covered Offered as needed This is a programming course
Prerequisites:
CIS-250,
IT-315: Object Oriented Analysis and Design
This course develops software systems engineering principles combining object oriented design principles and methods augmented by computer assisted engineering CASE technology The course involves use of the unified modeling language UML and through the vehicle of a student group project applies these elements to the system development life cycle This course is writing intensive as student project teams are required to submit a comprehensive project report and a PowerPoint presentation Specialized Systems Development Computer Laboratory intensive and open laboratory intensive Offered every year Writing Intensive Course
Prerequisites:
CIS-200
IT-330: Database Design and Management
This course covers the design and implementation of information systems within a database management system environment Students will demonstrate their mastery of the design process acquired in earlier courses by designing and constructing a physical system using database software to implement logical design Topics include data models and modeling tools and techniques approaches to structural and object design models for databases relational hierarchical networked and object oriented designs CASE tools data dictionaries repositories and warehouses Windows GUI coding and or implementation code and application generation client server planning testing and installation system conversion end user training and integration and post implementation review Offered every year
IT-340: Network and Telecommunication Management
This course provides an in depth knowledge of data communications and networking theory concepts and requirements relative to telecommunications and networking technologies structures hardware and software Emphasis is on the concepts of communications theory and practices terminology and the analysis and design of networking applications Management of telecommunications networks cost benefit analysis and evaluation of connectivity options are covered Students can design build and maintain a local area network LAN Offered as needed
Prerequisites:
CIS-201
Interactive Storytelling and Supporting Arts Concentration
Select Four of the Following:
COM-327: Screenwriting for Media Arts
This course is designed to teach students the fundamentals of screenwriting for short narrative and commercial projects Students will analyze screenplays and scripts and then learn basic screenwriting concepts and tools Students will be attending lectures and film screenings completing in class writing exercises and proposals providing valuable critique to their colleagues and completing at least one treatment pitch and screenplay
Prerequisites:
ENG-121
ENG-327: Play Writing Workshop
This course is a roundtable forum in which 10 to 15 students will write stage plays of various lengths using traditional and experimental methods and forms Members of the class will produce at intervals to be established by the instructor and will take turns presenting their works to the group for comment and discussion The class will produce some student plays during the term May not be used as a literature elective Not available every semester Writing Intensive Course
Prerequisites:
ENG-120
ENG-329: Fiction Writing Workshop
This course is a roundtable forum in which 10 to 15 students will write short or long fiction using the techniques of 19th century realism as well as modernist and experimental techniques Members of the class will produce on a weekly basis and take turns presenting their manuscripts to the group for commentary and discussion May not be used as a literature elective Not available every semester
Prerequisites:
ENG-120
LIT-229: World Mythology
This course introduces students to the study of mythology We will read and discuss myths from both western and non western cultures Students will also choose one cultures myth to concentrate on for a final project
Prerequisites:
ENG-10,
LIT-322: Popular and Contemporary Fiction
This course will analyze today s popular and contemporary fiction What makes a book a best seller What makes literature sell in the millions of copies Writers who strike it rich generally write books that are fast paced and easy to read following a set of conventions that readers recognize and touch a nerve within their society Writers who win the hearts of the literati and schoolmarms generally try to touch that nerve also but they do so with language and plots that are inventive artistic and memorable With a focus on current and past best sellers this course will introduce you to a variety of literary sub genres true crime memoir road novel extreme adventure western roots quest The books we will read often return to themes of individualism race and violence in American culture prominent elements in our psyches popular culture and pulp fiction though we will certainly discuss other themes as well
Prerequisites:
ENG-120
Production and the Business of Gaming (BS) Concentration Only
Select Four of the Following:
ECO-402: Intermediate Macroeconometrics
This course develops models of short to medium run fluctuations in overall economic activity as well as long run models of economic growth of a nation The former category of models includes the Keynesian New Classical and New Keynesian frameworks Particular emphasis will be placed on the New Keynesian model Empirical testing of the models using computer software will involve the statistical analysis of macroeconomic data The primary econometric tools for analyzing this data will be regression and its extensions and modern time series analysis Long run models of economic growth including the Solow model and the Romer model will also be examined
Prerequisites:
ECO-301
IT-467: Digital Commerce and eBusiness
This course is a comprehensive survey of the principles techniques and implications of digital commerce and e business It covers the entire spectrum of Wed centric forms of communication and trade amongst commercial industrial institutional governmental employee and consumer participants and partners Topics include e business models security privacy ethics major Internet tools and architectures behind digital commerce Students use a Web development tool to build and post a site Offered as needed
OL-320: Entrepreneurship
This course focuses on the factors that contribute to the personal success of entrepreneurs and affect successful entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is also studied Case studies contemporary readings and simulations are used International considerations are included Offered every year
OL-342: Organizational Behavior
This course focuses on the primary factors that influence behavior in organizations Emphasis is placed on leadership group dynamics inter group dynamics organizational structure and design change culture power and politics environment and technology and organizational behavior in an international context Offered every year Writing and Team Intensive Course Junior standing or permission of instructor
Prerequisites:
ADB-125
QSO-340: Introduction to Project Management
As modern organizations have become more complex they have also become more project driven This course uses a basic project management framework in which the project life cycle is broken into organizing planning monitoring and controlling the project You will learn the methodologies and tools necessary at each stage for managing the projects effectively in terms of time cost quality risk and resources
Prerequisites:
MAT-240
Psychology and Marketing of Games Concentration
Select Four of the Following
ADV-428: Promotional Research Media Management
This course applies marketing research techniques to the field of promotion Topics covered include research for promotional campaigns and a survey of the research companies and reports used in evaluating the success of the promotional effort
MKT-229: Principles of Integrated Marketing Communications
This course is designed to give students an understanding of advertising public relations corporate communications and sales promotions and the role that the media plays in integrated marketing communications strategies This course focuses on the planning research and creative skills needed to reach IMC objectives Writing intensive course
Prerequisites:
MKT-113
MKT-345: Consumer Behavior
This course explores the behavior that consumers display in searching purchasing using evaluating and disposing of products Offered every semester
Prerequisites:
MKT-113
PSY-216: Psychology of Personality
Personality is studied using theories applications and individual and group patterns of behavior formation Offered every year
Prerequisites:
PSY-108
PSY-257: Social Psychology
Social psychology is an interesting dynamic study of how people s thoughts feelings and actions are affected by others Issues discussed include prejudice conformity interpersonal attraction and violence The scientific methods of studying such phenomena are emphasized Offered as needed
Prerequisites:
PSY-108
PSY-305: Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive psychology focuses on mental processes we explore research and theory relating to memory thinking problem solving and language Applied topics will include learning skills to help improve memory accommodating memory language disorders such as Alzheimer s disease and dyslexia and understanding how brain scanning techniques can be used to understand memory
Prerequisites:
PSY-108
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