The CS and Game Design program is focused on the specific skills and thought processes needed in the highly competitive game industry. This includes a strong computer science foundation with program design, algorithms, theory, systems, and networks. This also includes studies of game design and game project experiences.
The 2011 version of these requirements may be found at 2011 Requirements
Computer Science (61 or 62 SH: 14 @ 4 SH, 5 or 6 @ 1 SH)
Required Computer Science Courses (61 or 62 SH)
Freshmen and certain transfers will take CS 1200 during Fall semester.
Starting in Fall 2012, all students will take CS 1210 in the semester before going on co-op.
Prior to Fall 2012, transfers took CS 1220 instead of CS 1210. Starting in Fall 2012, CS 1220 will not be offered.
- CS 1200 CS/IS Overview 1 [1 SH]
- CS 1210 CS/IS Overview 2: Co-op Preparation [1 SH]
- CS 1220 CS/IS Co-op Preparation [1 SH]
Freshman level courses with labs or recitations
- CS 1800 Discrete Structures [4 SH]
- CS 1801 Recitation for CS 1800 [0 SH]
- CS 2500 Fundamentals of Computer Science 1 [4 SH]
- CS 2501 Lab for CS 2500 [1 SH]
- CS 2510 Fundamentals of Computer Science 2 [4 SH]
- CS 2511 Lab for CS 2510 [1 SH]
- CS 2800 Logic and Computation [4 SH]
- CS 2801 Lab for CS 2800 [1 SH]
Upper level courses
- CS 3500 Object-Oriented Design [4 SH]
- CS 3520 Programming in C++ [4 SH]
- CS 3540 Game Programming [4 SH]
- CS 3560 Game Algorithms [4 SH]
- CS 3600 Systems & Networks [4 SH]
- CS 3800 Theory of Computation [4 SH]
- CS 4300 Computer Graphics [4 SH]
- CS 4500 Software Development [4 SH]
- CS 4700 Network Fundamentals [4 SH]
- IS 4300 Human Computer Interaction [4 SH]
Senior Seminar
- CS 4000 Senior Seminar [1 SH]
Mathematics (8 SH: 2 @ 4 SH)
- MATH 1260 Math Fundamentals for Games [4 SH]
- MATH 1341 Calculus 1 for Science and Engineering [4 SH]
General Requirements (8 SH: 2 @ 4 SH)
Game Design (29 SH: 7 @ 4 SH, 1 @ 1 SH)
Game Design Required Courses (21 SH)
- GAME 1110 Games and Society [4 SH]
- GAME 1111 Recitation for GAME 1110 [0 SH]
- GAME 3700 Game Projects: Pre-Production [4 SH]
- GAME 3800 Game Projects: Assets & Prototyping [4 SH]
- GAME 4700 Game Design Capstone 1 [4 SH]
- GAME 4701 Game Design Capstone 2 [4 SH]
Game Design Electives (8 SH)
Choose 2 Game Design electives except not GAME 2150 or GAME 3150.
- Game Design Elective 1 [4 SH]
- Game Design Elective 2 [4 SH]
CS/Game Related Electives (8 SH)
Select 2 electives chosen from the options below:
- Game Design Electives except not GAME 2150 or GAME 3150 [4 SH]
- Interactive Media Electives [4 SH]
- Art+Design Electives [4 SH]
- Computer Science Electives except not CS 5010 [4 SH]
- Information Science Electives except not IS 4900 [4 SH]
- PHYS 2101 Physics Principles for Games [4 SH]
- MATH 1342 Calculus 2 for Science and Engineering [4 SH]
Statistics. Choose one.
English (8 SH: 2 @ 4 SH)
With permission, you may substitute ENGL 3301 for ENGL 3302.
- ENGL 3301 Advanced Writing in the Disciplines [4 SH]
General Electives (12 SH: 3 @ 4 SH)
- Elective 1 [4 SH]
- Elective 2 [4 SH]
- Elective 3 [4 SH]
The general electives must be consistent with the policy on general electives articulated by the College of Computer and Information Science on the college web site.
NU Core
The Level 1 Core in Arts/Humanities is satisfied since Game Design is in the Arts category.
The Level 1 Core in Social Science is satisfied via PSYC 1101.
Comparative Cultures Requirement
The Comparative Cultures Requirement must be satisfied. If this is done by taking a course then this course must be one of the general electives.
Integrative Courses
See CS 3520 Programming in C++
See CS 3540 Game Programming
See CS 3560 Game Algorithms
See CS 4300 Computer Graphics
See IS 4300 Human Computer Interaction
See MATH 1260 Math Fundamentals for Games
