Game Programming
Learn from game development pioneers
DePaul’s Game Programming program will teach you the fundamentals and details of programming, with a focus on the interdisciplinary aspects of game development.
Throughout your game development degree coursework, you’ll collaborate on teams with other programmers, artists, game designers, producers, writers and audio designers. Upon completion of the program, you’ll be prepared to work in computer gaming and programming, as well as interactive media fields.
You’ll have four different gaming labs to take advantage of: development and research labs, the game play lab, the augmented reality lab and the playtest and usability lab.
Classes
Coursework
- 3-D Design and Modeling
- Computer Graphics Development
- Computer Systems
- Discrete Mathematics
- Game Engine Programming
- Practical Scripting for Games
Resources
Career Options
Common Career Areas
- Animation
- Commercial production
- Computer graphics
- Film production
- Game development
- Software engineering
- Television production
86%
of Computing and Digital Media graduates were employed, continuing their education or not seeking employment after graduation.
Major Requirements
Course Requirements
Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
---|---|---|
ANI 230 | 3D DESIGN & MODELING | 4 |
CSC 241 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE I 1 | 4 |
CSC 242 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE II 1 | 4 |
CSC 300 | DATA STRUCTURES I | 4 |
CSC 301 | DATA STRUCTURES II | 4 |
CSC 361 | OPTIMIZED C++ | 4 |
CSC 373 | COMPUTER SYSTEMS I | 4 |
GAM 226 | FUNDAMENTALS OF GAME DESIGN | 4 |
GAM 245 | GAME DEVELOPMENT II | 4 |
GAM 325 | APPLIED 3D GEOMETRY | 4 |
GAM 340 | PRACTICAL SCRIPTING FOR GAMES | 4 |
GAM 341 | INTRODUCTION TO LEVEL DESIGN | 4 |
GAM 372 | OBJECT-ORIENTED GAME DEVELOPMENT | 4 |
GAM 374 | GAME ENGINE PROGRAMMING I | 4 |
GAM 377 | GAME ENGINE PROGRAMMING II | 4 |
GAM 392 | GAME MODIFICATION WORKSHOP | 4 |
GPH 329 | COMPUTER GRAPHICS DEVELOPMENT II | 4 |
or GAM 370 | RENDERING AND GRAPHICS PROGRAMMING | |
MAT 140 | DISCRETE MATHEMATICS I | 4 |
Select one of the following capstone options: | 8 | |
GAME DEVELOPMENT PROJECT I and GAME DEVELOPMENT PROJECT II (Capstone) |
||
REAL-TIME NETWORKING (FORMERLY GAM 390) and SOFTWARE PROJECTS (Capstone) |
||
Select 20 Credit Hours of Major Electives from the lists below | 20 |
1
Students may take CSC 243 and one (1) additional Major Elective in lieu of CSC 241 and CSC 242.
Major Electives
Computer Science Electives
Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
---|---|---|
DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF ALGORITHMS | ||
DATABASE SYSTEMS | ||
EXPERT SYSTEMS | ||
DISCRETE MATHEMATICS II |
Computer Systems Electives
Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
---|---|---|
INTRODUCTION TO OPERATING SYSTEMS | ||
INTRODUCTION TO COMPILER DESIGN | ||
ADVANCED DATABASE CONCEPTS | ||
OPTIMIZED C++ MULTITHREADING | ||
COMPUTER SYSTEMS II | ||
REAL-TIME MULTITHREADED ARCHITECTURE |
Game AI Electives
Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
---|---|---|
FOUNDATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | ||
SYMBOLIC PROGRAMMING | ||
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR COMPUTER GAMES |
Game Design Electives
Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
---|---|---|
GAMES LITERACY | ||
PRESENTATION AND COMMUNICATION | ||
HISTORY AND DESIGN OF ROLE-PLAYING GAMES | ||
PHYSICAL PROTOTYPING FOR GAMES | ||
ADVANCED LEVEL DESIGN | ||
EXPRESSIVE AUDIO SCRIPTING IN GAMES | ||
MAKING DEEP GAMES | ||
ADVANCED GAME DESIGN | ||
TOPICS IN GAME DESIGN |
Game Development Studio Electives
Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
---|---|---|
GAME DEVELOPMENT I |
Game Programming Electives
Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
---|---|---|
TOOL PROGRAMMING FOR GAME DEVELOPMENT | ||
AUGMENTED REALITY GAME DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT | ||
VIRTUAL REALITY GAME DEVELOPMENT | ||
CONSOLE GAME DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENTS | ||
TOPICS IN GAME PROGRAMMING |
Graphics/Animation/Sound Electives
Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
---|---|---|
3D ANIMATION | ||
MOTION CAPTURE | ||
3D RIGGING | ||
ADVANCED 3D RIGGING | ||
GAME SOUND DESIGN I | ||
REAL-TIME GRAPHICS TECHNIQUES |
Multiplayer Games Electives
Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
---|---|---|
DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS | ||
REAL-TIME NETWORKING (FORMERLY GAM 390) |
Mobile Games Electives
Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
---|---|---|
MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT FOR IOS | ||
MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT FOR ANDROID | ||
MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT FOR IOS II | ||
MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT FOR ANDROID II | ||
GAME PROGRAMMING FOR MOBILE DEVICES |
Physics Electives
Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
---|---|---|
PHYSICS FOR GAME DEVELOPERS | ||
GENERAL PHYSICS I |
Software Engineering Electives
Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
---|---|---|
SOFTWARE TESTING | ||
OBJECT-ORIENTED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT | ||
AGILE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT | ||
PRACTICES OF GLOBAL SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT |
Usability Electives
Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
---|---|---|
PLAYTESTING |
Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in all major elective courses.
Open Electives
Open Elective credit hours are required to meet the minimum graduation requirements of 192 hours. Open Electives may be taken from any unit at DePaul.
See www.cdm.depaul.edu to see sample schedule of course requirements on a year-by-year basis.