University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Information Sciences 79 courses 18 total credits
The Game Studies & Design Minor is intended to foster critical skills in academic game studies, and technical skills in game design. The minor will serve undergraduates who are interested in the study and design of games, gaming, game design and the digital, extended and virtual reality (XR/VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies involved with the crafting of interactive systems and interfaces relevant to the game, film, education, and media industries, as well as a range of other emerging professions. Through this minor, students will learn to think critically about the history, cultural meaning, social impact, ethics, and increasingly significant role of games, gaming, and interactive media in a diverse society; they will develop the logical, algorithmic, narrative, and design capacities needed to make games, interactive narratives, and simulations; and they will become prepared for graduate work, if desired, on a path to pursuing a career in the game industry or in academic game studies research.
| Total Hours | 18 credits |
Core Required Foundational Courses
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GSD 101 | Introduction to Game Studies and Design | 3 |
A minimum of one 100-200 level historical/social perspectives course.
Choose from the following:
A minimum of one 100-200 level introductory game design course.
Choose from the following:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GSD 103 | The Basics of Game Design | 3 |
| CI 210 | Introduction to Digital Learning Environments | 3 |
RECREATION, SPORT AND TOURISM
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| RST 199 | Undergraduate Open Seminar | 1-5 |
CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION
CI 439 (3-4 hours)
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CI 210 | Introduction to Digital Learning Environments | 3 |
| CI 437 | Educational Game Design | 3-4 |
| CI 483 | Computer Systems for CS Teachers | 2 |
| CI 499 | Issues and Development in Education | 2-4 |
FINE & APPLIED ARTS
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| FAA 499 | Special Topics | 0-4 |
ART
DANCE
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DANC 256 | Choreographic Laboratory I | 1 |
| DANC 330 | Dance Documentation | 1 |
| DANC 405 | Social Impact through Motion/Media Arts + Technology | 3 |
| DANC 465 | Screendance | 3 |
MUSIC
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUS 209 | Musical Acoustics | 3 |
| MUS 407 | Elect Music Techniques I | 3 |
| MUS 409 | Elec Music Techniques II | 2 |
| MUS 499 | Proseminar in Music | 0-4 |
THEATRE
COMPUTER SCIENCE
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CS 415 | Game Development | 3-4 |
| CS 418 | Interactive Computer Graphics | 3-4 |
| CS 419 | Production Computer Graphics | 3-4 |
GAME STUDIES & DESIGN
INFORMATICS
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| INFO 303 | Writing Across Media | 3 |
| INFO 416 | Makerspace: Game Studies | 3-4 |
| INFO 418 | Makerspace: Escape Rooms | 3-4 |
| INFO 424 | Musical Informatics | 3-4 |
| INFO 448 | Computer Music | 3-4 |
INFORMATION SCIENCES
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| IS 142 | Social History of Games and Gaming | 3 |
| IS 145 | Mapping Inequalities | 3 |
| IS 357 | Introduction to Data Storytelling | 3 |
| IS 410 | Storytelling | 2-4 |
| IS 426 | Museum Informatics | 4 |
| IS 436 | Playful Design Methods | 3-4 |
ENGLISH
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 253 | New Media, Literature, and the Arts | 3 |
| ENGL 277 | Gender in Gaming | 3 |
| ENGL 396 | English Honors Seminar | 3 |
ADVERTISING
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ADV 390 | Content Creation | 3 |
JOURNALISM
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| JOUR 101 | Interactive Media & You | 3 |
| JOUR 430 | Augmented and Virtual Reality | 3-4 |
| JOUR 460 | Special Topics | 1-4 |
MEDIA AND CINEMA STUDIES
Click a course code or title to read the full course description.
Our subject experts help with essays, research papers, case studies, discussion posts, and capstone projects for these programs β written from scratch to your course requirements.
Program and course information is reproduced from each university's published academic catalog for informational purposes and may change. Always confirm current requirements with your university. We are an independent academic support service and are not affiliated with or endorsed by the universities listed.
Expert guides on essay writing, citation styles, study skills, and academic success.
View All Articles
Learn how to write a good research question for a paper. Narrow your topic, identify a research problem, and create a focused question with practical examples.
Learn how to choose a research topic you can actually research. Discover how to narrow broad ideas, find reliable sources, and develop a focused research question.
Learn how to cite sources in a research paper using APA, MLA, and Chicago styles, with in-text citation examples and reference-list tips.