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

• Major Requirements
• Schedule of Classes
• Department Website

• Combined bachelor's + master's degree offered

Career Options

Common Career Areas

• Animation
• Commercial production
• Computer graphics
• Film production
• Game development
• Software engineering
• Television production

More career info

86%

of Computing and Digital Media graduates were employed, continuing their education or not seeking employment after graduation.

Major Requirements

Course Requirements

Course List

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
GAM 394 & GAM 395	GAME DEVELOPMENT PROJECT I and GAME DEVELOPMENT PROJECT II (Capstone)
CSC 386 & CSC 394	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 List

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
CSC 321	DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF ALGORITHMS
CSC 355	DATABASE SYSTEMS
CSC 357	EXPERT SYSTEMS
MAT 141	DISCRETE MATHEMATICS II

Computer Systems Electives

Course List

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
CSC 343	INTRODUCTION TO OPERATING SYSTEMS
CSC 348	INTRODUCTION TO COMPILER DESIGN
CSC 353	ADVANCED DATABASE CONCEPTS
CSC 362	OPTIMIZED C++ MULTITHREADING
CSC 374	COMPUTER SYSTEMS II
CSC 388	REAL-TIME MULTITHREADED ARCHITECTURE

Game AI Electives

Course List

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
CSC 380	FOUNDATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
CSC 358	SYMBOLIC PROGRAMMING
GAM 376	ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR COMPUTER GAMES

Game Design Electives 

Course List

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
GAM 205	GAMES LITERACY
GAM 229	PRESENTATION AND COMMUNICATION
GAM 231	HISTORY AND DESIGN OF ROLE-PLAYING GAMES
GAM 329	PHYSICAL PROTOTYPING FOR GAMES
GAM 342	ADVANCED LEVEL DESIGN
GAM 351	EXPRESSIVE AUDIO SCRIPTING IN GAMES
GAM 362	MAKING DEEP GAMES
GAM 365	ADVANCED GAME DESIGN
GAM 397	TOPICS IN GAME DESIGN

Game Development Studio Electives

Course List

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
GAM 244	GAME DEVELOPMENT I

Game Programming Electives 

Course List

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
GAM 353	TOOL PROGRAMMING FOR GAME DEVELOPMENT
GAM 368	AUGMENTED REALITY GAME DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
GAM 369	VIRTUAL REALITY GAME DEVELOPMENT
GAM 380	CONSOLE GAME DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENTS
GAM 398	TOPICS IN GAME PROGRAMMING

Graphics/Animation/Sound Electives

Course List

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
ANI 231	3D ANIMATION
ANI 310	MOTION CAPTURE
ANI 332	3D RIGGING
ANI 333	ADVANCED 3D RIGGING
GAM 250	GAME SOUND DESIGN I
GPH 389	REAL-TIME GRAPHICS TECHNIQUES

Multiplayer Games Electives

Course List

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
CSC 376	DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS
CSC 386	REAL-TIME NETWORKING (FORMERLY GAM 390)

Mobile Games Electives

Course List

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
CSC 371	MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT FOR IOS
CSC 372	MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT FOR ANDROID
CSC 391	MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT FOR IOS II
CSC 392	MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT FOR ANDROID II
GAM 386	GAME PROGRAMMING FOR MOBILE DEVICES

Physics Electives

Course List

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
GAM 350	PHYSICS FOR GAME DEVELOPERS
PHY 150	GENERAL PHYSICS I

Software Engineering Electives

Course List

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
SE 333	SOFTWARE TESTING
SE 350	OBJECT-ORIENTED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
SE 359	AGILE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
SE 371	PRACTICES OF GLOBAL SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

Usability Electives

Course List

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
GAM 312	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.