Game Development: Narrative, MS
for the degree of Master of Science in Game Development: Narrative Concentration
The Narrative Concentration of the Master of Science in in Game Development (MS in Game Development) degree provides technical training and practical experience for students interested in working in professional game studios, game-adjacent industries or other businesses where game-related programming skills are increasingly in demand. The program fosters critical skills in collaboration, communication, integration and professional business practices, along with technical skills in game programming. After the first year of coursework, students will shift the balance of their course work towards in-studio experiences within a professional game-development environment. The Narrative concentration will serve traditional graduate students as well as industry professionals who are interested in attaining a post-graduate degree while diversifying their professional skills.
for the degree of Master of Science in Game Development: Narrative Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Required Courses | ||
| GSD 511 | Game Development I | 4 |
| GSD 512 | Game Development II | 4 |
| Choose one or both of the following for a total of 16 credit hours: | 16 | |
| Practicum in Game Development I (Internal Studio) | ||
| Practicum in Game Development II (External Studio) | ||
| Narrative Concentration Required Courses | ||
| Choose 12 credit hours from the following: | 12 | |
| Tools & Techniques of Game Narrative (may be repeated if topic varies) | ||
| Tools & Techniques of Game Narrative: Contemporary Techniques in Writing for Games | ||
| Adv Topics in Creative Writing | ||
| Narrative Concentration Electives | ||
| Choose 12 credit hours from the following: | 12 | |
| Professionalization Seminar: Portfolio Production & Personal Branding | ||
| Tools & Techniques: Contemporary Techniques for 2D Art for Games | ||
| Tools & Techniques: Contemporary Techniques of 3D Art for Games | ||
| Tools & Techniques: Contemporary Techniques of 3D Animation for Games | ||
| Tools & Techniques of Game Design (may be repeated if topic varies) | ||
| Tools & Techniques: Contemporary Techniques in Game Design | ||
| Tools & Techniques of Game Production (may be repeated if topic varies) | ||
| Tools & Techniques: Contemporary Techniques of Game Production | ||
| Tools & Techniques: Contemporary Techniques for Programming of Games | ||
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Other Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum GPA | 2.75 | |
| Minimum Hours at 500 Level | 12 | |
for the degree of Master of Science in Game Development: Narrative Concentration
The goal of the MS in Game Development program is to provide practical, technical, critical, and ethical training, awareness, and experiences to students who are interested in working in professional game studios, game-adjacent industries, or in other work places where game-related skills are required. To this end, the program includes four shared objectives for students across all concentrations:
- Practical Training: Understand the roles and specifications involved in the professional development of games and interactive media, using industry-standard practices for communication, collaboration, and process flow at every stage in the development process.
- Technical Training: Demonstrate polished game development skills in a chosen specialization sufficient to create or significantly contribute to a publishable interactive experience.
- Critical Training: Be knowledgeable about and conversant with social, psychological, economic, and technological contexts and impacts of games and simulations in society.
- Ethical Training: Develop the ethical, relational, and collaborative skills necessary for working on a diverse and inclusive research or design team.
Learning objectives for the Narrative concentration include:
- Mastery of storytelling components such as plot, character development, worldbuilding.
- Proficiency in the process of working with Design to turn a high level narrative into gameplay segments/missions that deliver the storytelling effectively.
- Integrating narrative into interactive experiences through narrative design.
- Mastery of at least 2 narrative engines.
- Proficiency with a narrative engine that integrates with a major game engine such as Unity or Unreal.
- Proficiency with studio processes such as design, organization, naming conventions.