Masters of Science in Game Design and Development

Starting in the Fall of 2006, RIT will offer a Masters of Science in Game Design and Development.

The Masters of Science in Game Design and Development defines a program of study that allows students to explore the entertainment technology landscape as well as other related areas. The program focuses its technical roots in the Computing and Information Sciences disciplines, while simultaneously covering the breadth of the development landscape through involvement in topics such as computer graphics design, human-computer interaction, interactive narrative, and game world design. The program is characterized by a clear focus on development, but meets the industry need to graduate developers that will be involved in the design process from the beginning, just as they are in the professional field. The degree is intended specifically for students that aspire to hold careers within the professional games industry or a related field such as simulation, edutainment or visualization, and focuses on producing graduates that understand the technical roots of their medium, the possibilities that creative application of software development affords, and the way in which their industry operates.

The program is a 2-year, cohort-based program in which students are admitted through a portfolio review process and subsequently pursue a "major" sequence of six courses to guarantee depth within a specialization area relative to game development, and a "minor" of three courses specifically outside their major area of study. In addition, all students will complete a seminar track of five courses within the program that ties students specializing in various majors together, and explores the overlap and interconnection of their work as well as providing a framework of understanding for the professional industry as a whole. The experience concludes with a game design and development team-based capstone experience.

Currently, the major tracks include graphics programming and game engine development as well as artificial intelligence and simulation. The minor tracks include asset creation and animation, content authoring for games, human-computer interaction, and database systems.

Undergraduate Concentration in Game Design and Development

For undergraduates, there is a concentration in Game Development consisting of three courses: Foundations of 2D Graphics Programming, Foundations of 3D Graphics Programming, and Introduction to VRML. Students opt for this concentration and often supplement this offering with content authoring courses as well as game-related courses from other departments.

games@RIT Website

A new website promoting the Game Design and Develop program and related options will soon be available. games@RIT will be the place to find out about the Game Design and Development degree program, related coursework, faculty profiles, as well as research and scholarship in game design and development. The site will also promote the work of our students and will provide updates regarding our alumni and their careers. Furthermore, the site will provide updated information regarding the industry and career opportunities. The games@RIT website will be online sometime in late September. Please stay tuned to this web page for more details!