Game Programmers working together on a project

Online Bachelor's Degree BS in Game Programming & Development

Master the Art of Video-Game Programming with a Game Development Degree

Mastermind the creation of games with a Bachelor of Science in Game Programming and Development online from Southern New Hampshire University. SNHU's game development degree goes far beyond traditional software development training to give you the technical expertise you'll need to succeed in this burgeoning, competitive field. You'll acquire the breadth of knowledge needed to build a career not just in game programming but in other industries that use gaming and simulation, from education to healthcare and public policy. As you chart your course through this degree, you'll:

Learn a variety of computer programming languages and scripting, including C++, C# and Java
Master game engine development and deployment using Unreal game engine
Excel at 3D modeling, digital sculpting and digital imaging using Autodesk and Adobe Creative Suite
Develop games across various platforms, including PC, console, web and mobile devices

Earn math credits for what you already know: Save time and tuition with our Pathways to Math Success assessments. Show your knowledge of the materials in your program's math courses, and you could earn up to 6 math credits - at less than $50 for each course assessment.

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See Yourself Succeed in Video-Game Programming

SNHU's online game development degree features intensely focused coursework that breaks down game programming and development into specific techniques and lets you translate your imagination into a fulfilling career. Through this program, you'll learn a variety of computer programming languages and scripting. You'll also learn how to excel at game engine development and deployment, 3D modeling, digital sculpting and digital imaging and develop games across various platforms. With this game programming and development degree, you'll be able to:

Create, execute and document clear and effective code in a variety of programming languages and game engines relevant to professional game development
Integrate methods and techniques for creating realistic, dynamic game-play experiences, including game artificial intelligence, game physics, 2D and 3D graphics and interface design
Articulate and solve complex logic problems associated with programming interactive game systems
Apply effective, industry-standard design, production and testing techniques through all phases of game development
Adhere to the standards and expectations of the professional game development community, especially regarding effective communications, respect for all people and cultures, ethical decision-making and the ability to function effectively as a member of a team
Research, develop and contribute to advances and trends within the field of game programming

View the list of technical requirements for this degree program.

As a private, nonprofit university, SNHU has one mission – to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of earning your bachelor’s in game programming and development at SNHU include:

Affordability. Take advantage of some of the most affordable tuition rates in the nation
Convenience. Attend class when it’s convenient for you – online education means 24/7 access
Efficiency and flexibility. Complete your undergraduate degree at your own pace, over six 8-week terms per year
Expert instruction. Learn from instructors with relevant, real-world experience
Networking. Tap into our nationwide network of alumni for internship and career opportunities
Simple application process. Just fill out an online undergraduate application, and we’ll retrieve U.S. transcripts from your previous institutions and automatically complete an official credit evaluation. Plus, there’s no application fee
Student support. Count on the ongoing support of dedicated academic and career advisors specialized in your area of study
Transfer-friendly enrollment. Transfer up to 90 credits toward an undergraduate degree

Career Outlook

In a field that rivals the film industry and dwarfs the music industry in size, a professional game development degree is your ticket to a lucrative, dynamic career. The programming skills you'll gain from this program can take you far, as they can also be used to develop non-game software applications and simulations. SNHU's online BS in Game Programming and Development empowers you to pursue or advance your career as a:

Game programmer
Video-game developer
Tools programmer
A.I. programmer
Simulations programmer
Software applications developer
Game engineer
Game designer

The software development field in particular will see job growth of up to 24% through 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.*

Curriculum

The curriculum is designed to help you tackle game genres and platforms, interface design, game theory and e-collaboration. You'll also learn how virtual game environments create experiences through rule design, play mechanics and social interaction.

SNHU provides cloud-based virtual environments in some courses to give you access to the technology you need for your degree – and your career. Learn more about our virtual environments.

MAT 136 - Introduction to Quantitative Analysis and MAT 140 - Precalculus are dictated courses for the General Education Program.

New students are eligible to take a free math assessment that, depending on their score, can earn them up to six math credits toward their degree, which could save you time and money. Learn more today.

Courses To Prepare You For Your Career

SNHU's bachelor's in game programming and development program includes:

General education
Degree-specific courses

General Education Program

Our programs are designed to equip you with the skills and insights you need to move forward. In recent years, employers have stressed the need for graduates with higher order skills - the skills that go beyond technical knowledge - such as:

Writing
Communication
Analysis
Problem solving

All bachelor's students are required to take general education classes. Through foundation, exploration and integration courses, students learn to think critically, creatively and collaboratively, giving you the edge employers are looking for.

View Full Curriculum in the Catalog

BS in Game Programming & Development

Courses May Include

COM 230 Graphics and Layout in Print Media

This course is an introduction to the principles and practices of graphic design. Students are introduced through lecture, demonstration and hands-on computer work to the basic elements of graphic visual communication. Adobe Illustrator is used as a primary tool in exploring visual perception through a variety of creative exercises that familiarize the student with basic visual principles such as figure/ground manipulation, shape grouping, letterform shape creation, and grid and system creation. Formal elements of graphic design such as line, shape, color, texture, pattern, balance, symmetry, rhythm, space and unity are thoroughly explored by example and hands-on computer exercises; special topics included are: designing with type, layout strategies, logo design, symbol and pictogram development and stationery systems.

GAM 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.

GAM 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.

GAM 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. This course is cross-listed with IT 305.

GAM 312 Scripting for Games

This course is going to be covering scripting fundamentals as well as how to script in a game engine. Students will learn how to create basic script files and get an understanding for variables, functions, events, loops, conditional statements, and classes. This course will also cover scripting solutions in multiple game engines.

GAM 415 Graphics Game Engine

Students get an introduction to advanced graphics topics including skeletal animation, ray tracing, particle integration, lighting, shaders and materials. Projects are introduced to implement these important visual effects. The knowledge obtained will be assimilated and applied to a wide range of usages and application. Linear Algebra algorithms will be refreshed and/or introduced specific to the topic at hand. Students will learn the basics of Direct X, Open GL, and Rendering solutions (forward and deferred).

GAM 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.

GAM 495 Game Programming Capstone

This course integrates previous coursework and practical experience with a focus on authentic demonstration of competencies outlined by the program. Rather than introducing new concepts, students will synthesize and integrate prior learning to develop a capstone project. The course will be structured around this critical task so that students have the appropriate support and resources required to be successful.

GRA 202 3-D Modeling and Animation

In this course students will be introduced to 3DS max. It will give them an overview of what max does specifically for games. This course will be focused on modeling. Students will learn the basics of modeling low poly and high poly models. How they are unwrapped and used in conjunction with textures. It will also show a wide range of techniques used in the industry for modeling for mobile, PC and current generation consoles.

GRA 211 Interactive Animation

This course focuses on programming capabilities to enhance graphic animations and user interfaces to provide spectacular interactive results. Those benefiting from this course include students in game development, advertising, marketing, education, web development, art and other fields that can benefit from interactive animated graphics helping to convey concepts. The course is intended for those with no programming experience as well as those with some programming background. The use and creation of animations will be covered at a level of interest to both those new as well as experienced. The results can be displayed by a browser from the internet or as standalone results displayable on a range of operating systems. This is a hands on computer based course in which the students create a number of individual projects based on their interests and capabilities, focusing on creativity and programming aspects of interactive animation. The course utilizes emerging technologies in interactive animation.

GRA 220 Introduction to Digital Imaging

Using industry standard image editing software software, this course is an introduction to professional computer graphics creation and to the software and hardware typically used in the graphic design, video, photography and interactive Web/multimedia industries. Image editing and color management systems will be discussed and demonstrated. The important differences between vector and bitmap graphics will be defined, as will the significant differences in preparing images for print, broadcast and Web distribution. Students will be encouraged to experiment with their own and preexisting images using sophisticated digital editing techniques such as layering, channel masking, filtering, cloning and montaging. Special attention will be paid to copyright awareness in the age of the digital image.

GRA 310 Digital Graphic Design for the Web

This course focuses on digital graphic design theory and its application to web design. Students learn about the technical requirements of professionally created digital web documents. Students will be focused on designing communication and marketing applications for the World Wide Web all the while considering user experience and functionality. Differences in designing for the desktop computer and mobile internet appliances will be a topic for discussion and incorporated in hands-on exercises and projects. Each student will develop several minisites and by the end of the semester will have produced at least one deployable site. Topics include design strategies, web authoring/editing environments, color calibration and aesthetics, web typography, style sheets, template use, graphics format selecting and optimization, and HTML coding and debugging.

IT 140 Introduction to Scripting

Learn the fundamentals of programming concepts including data types, variables, decision statements, loops, input and output. Develop simple scripts using common scripting language constructs including lists, literals, and regular expressions. Gain an introduction to programming through hands-on activities that are beginner-friendly.

IT 145 Foundation in Application Development

This course is an introduction to the design, implementation, and understanding of computer programs. The course emphasizes programming as a problem-solving technique in business and engineering applications. Students will write computer code in a logical, structured, and organized manner. The course also covers the key concepts of object orientation, including inheritance, encapsulation, polymorphism and communication with messages. Other topics include classes and objects, base classes and class hierarchies, abstract and concrete classes. Students will learn to write, review and document interactive applications and working with Software Development Kits and Integrated Development Environment tools. This is a programming course and lab intense.

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. This is a programming course.

IT 312 Software Development with 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. This is a programming course.

IT 328 Project Management in Information Technology

Employ project management strategies specific to IT projects. Examine responsibilities of key stakeholders. Explain project planning with key considerations related to risk management and project tracking.

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.

MAT 225 Calculus I: Single-Variable Calculus

Calculus is the mathematical study of change that has widespread applications in science, engineering, economics and business. This course provides a rigorous introduction to single-variable calculus. Topics include limits, continuity, differentiation and integration of algebraic, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions, applications of derivatives, and integration, including the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. This course will encourage students to think beyond memorizing formulas and to work towards understanding concepts.

MAT 350 Applied Linear Algebra

This is a first course in linear algebra and matrices. Topics include systems of linear equations, linear independence, matrices of linear transformations, matrix algebra, determinants, vector spaces, eigenvalues and eigenvectors. After mastering the basic concepts and skills, students will use their knowledge of linear algebra to model a selection of applied mathematics problems in business, science, computer science and economics.

Total Credits: 120

Program Outcomes

Game Programming and Development Minimum Hardware and Software Required Specifications

Minimum	Recommended
Windows 7 64-bit Mac OS X 10.9.2	Windows 7/8.1/10 64-bit Mac OS X 10.9.2 or later
Quad-core Intel i7-2600k or AMD equivalent processor	Quad-core Intel i7-2600k or AMD equivalent processor or faster
8 GB RAM	16 GB DDR3 RAM or better
5400 RPM hard drive	7200 RPM hard drive and/or solid state
DirectX11 compatible video card, 1 GB	Desktop Video Card: NVidia GeForce GTX 560Ti or AMD Radeon 6950 HD or higher Laptop Video Card: NVidia GeForce GTX 780m or AMD Radeon R9 m290x or higher

Software:

Unreal Game Engine 4 (FREE for students)
3DS Max (FREE for students)
Microsoft (through Dreamspark - FREE for students) & available on SNHU hosted virtual desktop
- Microsoft C++.net
- Microsoft C#.net
- MS Project

Adobe Creative ($19.99 per month)
- Illustrator
- Photoshop
- Dreamweaver

Optional Accessories

Drawing Tablet
- A drawing tablet is consists of a stylus and pad that connects to your computer via USB. Tablets are used to draw in graphics applications like Photoshop or zBrush. . If you are a game art major, the head of the department recommends purchasing a Wacom tablet. A great tablet is the Wacom Intuos. We recommend a medium size since the large is better suited for a stationary setup. A smaller tablet is more portable.
32 GB Flash Drive or Hard Drive
USB Mouse

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates for SNHU's online degree programs are among the lowest in the nation. We offer financial aid packages to those who qualify, plus a 30% tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.

Online Undergraduate Programs	Per Course*	Per Credit Hour*
Degree/Certificates	$960	$320
Degree/Certificates (U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty)	$675	$225

*Tuition Rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually.

Additional Costs
No Application Fee, $150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)

University Accreditation

Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education as well as several other accrediting bodies. More...

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the Internet, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm (viewed online November 6, 2017). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.