The following represents a short guide to the courses in the concentration, and the paths for students to take the concentration from within the College of Computing and/or from CIAS. If none of these paths work for you, and you are still interested in pursuing the concentration, then please see your departmental academic advisor.

IT Undergraduate Students: The Game Programming Concentration for undergraduate IT majors consists of:

4002-529 Introduction to VRML or History of Electronic Games & Entertainment or 4003-570
4002-501 Foundations of 2D Graphics Programming
4002-502 Foundations of 3D Graphics Programming

Either 529 or 501 may be taken first, but both should be taken before attempting 502. NOTE: 4002-434 Programming for Digital Media is a pre-requisite for both 501 and 529. Also, see “VRML” in the FAQ section at the end of this document (other courses may be used to meet this requirement). Students in IT are more than welcome to pursue a Minor in Game Design & Development at their discretion as a compliment to their degree.

SE Undergraduate Students: Students in Software Engineering cannot count the concentration in game programming as an application domain as of fall 2007. Students in SE are welcome to pursue a Minor in Game Design & Development at their discretion.

CS Undergraduate Students: There is no formal recognition of the Game Programming Concentration for CS credit. However, some students elect to take the concentration as their “non-CS concentration” in fulfillment of their CS degree requirements. Typically, students need 4 courses for this concentration, and usually choose the following:

4002-501 Foundations of 2D Graphics Programming
4002-502 Foundations of 3D Graphics Programming
4002-590 History of Games and Electronic Entertainment

(and one of)
4002-529 Introduction to VRML
4002-434 Programming for Digital Media
any relevant Computer Modeling course from Computer Graphics Design

NOTE: all students wishing to take the Gaming Concentration from CS as a “non-CS Concentration” need to have their course plan approved by the undergraduate coordinator in the CS Dept. This cannot be approved solely by IT Faculty or IT Advisors.

ALSO NOTE: 4003-570 Computer Graphics I is considered pre-requisite to enrollment in 501 for Computer Science majors.

Students in Computer Science may also elect to pursue a Minor in Game Design & Development at their discretion.

Graduate Students of Information Technology: The Game Programming Concentration for IT Graduate Students consists of:

4004-729 Virtual Reality Modeling Language or 4004-XXX Game Engine Design & Development
4002-734 2D Graphics Programming
4002-735 3D Graphics Programming

NOTE: Many graduate students at this time also elect to take 4004-890 History of Games and Electronic Entertainment as a complimentary course to the concentration above.

Graduate Students of Multi-Disciplinary Studies: Students in this program set their own program of study, and are encouraged to make use of the 734-735 sequence in preparation for work in real-time graphics and game engine development. Students need to have extensive prior knowledge in programming and/or computer graphics, and decisions on entry into the Concentration are made on a student by student basis.

Graduate Students of Computer Science: The Computer Science Dept. currently does not recognize completion of IT courses (ie 4002-734 and 4002-735) as credit towards the MSc in Computer Science. Thus, if you elect to take these courses be aware that the do not count towards your degree.

Undergraduate or Graduate Students in CGD or FVA: Students in the Computer Graphics Design or Film, Video, and Animation programs are encouraged to explore game programming through this concentration provided that they understand (a) these courses are programming intensive and (b) they will almost assuredly be asked to take the roll of modeling and texture artists on their design team. A few technically minded students from the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences have successfully completed the concentration, by leveraging skills in low-poly modeling, texture mapping and animation with a desire to learn the programming and design principles taught in the concentration.

Graduate Students in Game Design & Development: Students in the MS in GD&D are, by the nature of their enrollment in their chosen degree, excluded from taking the concentration in game programming. This concentration is intended for majors outside of the formal gaming degrees. (NOTE: Several of the courses in the concentration are also found in the formal gaming degrees).