Design skills and technical literacies that are common to creative arts and design professions are now relevant beyond them, as AI-driven, immersive and interactive expressions, media, interfaces, and simulations are increasingly appearing in many different kinds of organizations and industries, and for more purposes, including research, and training. The same design and technical skills necessary to create games for the multi-billion dollar game industries and are key to a wide array of emerging professions in sectors ranging from area and culture studies to education to medicine, to the social sciences and across public works and services and commercial industries. GSD certificate programs provide the training that their students need in order to be competitive in emerging fields and rapidly transforming professions.
If students pursuing GSD certificates wish later to declare the Game Studies & Design Minor, all the courses they take for the certificate will count towards the minor degree. Students also have the option of adding a second GSD certificate in a secondary area, whether they declare the GSD minor or not, however courses that are electives for more than one certificate may only be counted towards the fulfillment of one of them.
Certificate in Immersive & Interactive Storytelling
The Certificate in Immersive & Interactive Storytelling is a stand-alone, interdisciplinary program offered by Games Studies & Design (GSD) in collaboration with its participating units across campus. The certificate is meant for students whose academic and professional ambitions include writing, storytelling, and narrative design. The quality of the writing and the narrative content of games is crucial to the success of interactive and immersive experiences.
Program Overview
Completion of the Certificate requires a minimum of 13 credits hours. These include one required GSD 3-credit course, and three elective courseschosen from the approved courses (listed below). Two of the three electives must be at the 300-400 level.
The final credit hour is earned through enrollment in an 8 week , 1 credit hour (credit-no credit) completion course, to be taken after students have completed their certificate coursework. (However, graduating seniors may enroll in the Certificate Completion course during their final semester in the program, while still taking certificate electives, if necessary). Certificate Completion is an asynchronous course, meant to help certificate students integrate what they have learned into their current and future academic and professional paths. It encourages (but doesn’t require) student to share/exhibit their work in the GSD Student Showcase which happens at the end of each spring semester. An alternative assignment is available.
| program requirements | credit hours |
|---|---|
| GSD 103 The Basics of Game Design | 3 |
| GSD xxx Certificate Completion Course | 1 |
| Three Electives from the approved list (see below) | 9 |
| total hours | 13 |
List of Approved Elective Courses
(Note: Two of these three courses must be at the 300 or 400 level)
- ART 350: Writing with Video – Art
Note: Additional fees may apply. See Class Schedule.
- GSD 333: Table-Top Roleplaying Game Design – Game Studies and Design
- GSD 364: Literature Lab: Books as Games – Game Studies and Design
Note: Same a CW 463 Literature Lab: Books as Games
- GSD 365: Improv for Games Designers – Game Studies and Design
- GSD 409: Design & Programming of Narrative Games & Simulations – Game Studies and Design
Note: Same as CW 463 1U Design & Programming of Narrative Games & Simulations. Credit is not given for GSD 409and INFO 490 JP, JPU or JPG “Design & Prog Text Based Games” sections.
- GSD 411: Interactive Fiction with Twine – Game Studies and Design
Note: No prior programming experience is assumed. Same as CW 463AL Interactive Fiction with Twine
- INFO 303: Writing Across Media – Informatics
Note: Same as WRIT 303 Writing Across Media. This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Advanced Composition.
- JOUR 430: Augmented and Virtual Reality – Journalism
Note: Credit is not given for JOUR 430 if credit for JOUR 460 (section – Ext Reality and Immersive Tech) or JOUR 460 (section – Immersive Technologies) has been given.
- MACS 485: Making Video Essays – Media & Cinema Studies
Note: Credit is not given for MACS 485 if credit for MACS 496: Making Video Essays has been given.
- MACS 496: Advanced Media/Cinema Topics: Collaboration in Interactive and Immersive Media – Media & Cinema Studies
- THEA 284: Introduction to Immersive and Interactive Theatre – Theater
- THEA 402: Designing Immersive Adventures: Escape Rooms – Theater
Certificate in Game Design & Development
Program Summary
The Certificate in Game Design & Development is a stand-alone, interdisciplinary program offered by Games Studies & Design (GSD) in collaboration with its participating units across campus. The certificate is meant for students whose academic and professional ambitions include careers in the game or game-adjacent industries as a designer, programmer, or an game developer.
Program Overview
Completion of the Certificate requires a minimum of 13 credits hours. These include one required GSD 3-credit course, and three elective courses chosen from the approved courses (listed below). Two of the three electives must be at the 300-400 level.
The final credit hour is earned through enrollment in an 8 week , 1 credit hour (credit-no credit) completion course, to be taken after students have completed their certificate coursework. (However, graduating seniors may enroll in the Certificate Completion course during their final semester in the program, while still taking certificate electives, if necessary). Certificate Completion is an asynchronous course, meant to help certificate students integrate what they have learned into their current and future academic and professional paths. It encourages (but doesn’t require) student to share/exhibit their work in the GSD Student Showcase which happens at the end of each spring semester. An alternative assignment is available.
| program requirements | credit hours |
|---|---|
| GSD 103 The Basics of Game Design | 3 |
| GSD 491 Certificate Completion Course | 1 |
| Three Electives from the approved list (see below) | 9 |
| total hours | 13 |
List of Approved Elective Courses
(Note: Two of these three courses must be at the 300 or 400 level)
- GSD 335: 2D Game Design with RPG Maker – Game Studies and Design
- GSD 341: Introduction to Unreal Engine – Game Studies and Design
- GSD 342: Introduction to Unity – Game Studies and Design
- GSD 343: Unreal Engine: 2D Deep Dive – Game Studies and Design
- GSD 371: AI Systems in Games – Game Studies and Design
- GSD 403: An Introduction to Top Down Video Game Design – Game Studies and Design
Note: formerly taught as INFO 403
- GSD 405: Introduction to the Video Game Development Process – Game Studies and Design
Note: Credit is not given for GSD 405 and INFO 490 DC “The Video Game Dev Process” sections.
- GSD 409: Design & Programming of Narrative Games & Simulations – Game Studies and Design
Note: Same as CW 463 1U Design & Programming of Narrative Games & Simulations. Credit is not given for GSD 409and INFO 490 JP, JPU or JPG “Design & Prog Text Based Games” sections.
- GSD 411: Interactive Fiction with Twine – Game Studies and Design
Note: No prior programming experience is assumed. Same as CW 463AL Interactive Fiction with Twine
- JOUR 430: Augmented and Virtual Reality – Journalism
Note: Credit is not given for JOUR 430 if credit for JOUR 460 (section – Ext Reality and Immersive Tech) or JOUR 460 (section – Immersive Technologies) has been given.
- THEA 402: Designing Immersive Adventures: Escape Rooms – Theater