Academics

Students are able to enter the program as incoming freshmen, up until 90 credits. Choose from 6 main concentrations in game development:

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• Game Design & Entrepreneurship

• Game Art & Animation

• Game Music & Sound Design

• Game Narrative

• Game Programming

• Game Studies

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Through this program, students will be able to essentially 'major' in game development through the CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies. Students who are undecided on what concentration they would like to pursue may enter the program under any major, but they should expect to officially transfer into CUNY BA by the end of their first year in the program. Students are subject to the CUNY BA admissions requirements, and acceptance into GSP does not guarantee acceptance into CUNY BA. However, students will receive assistance if they do not meet the requirements upon entering the program. See FAQ for more information.

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Game Design & Entrepreneurship

This concentration is for students who wish to generalize their studies or start their own indie studio. In addition to the core courses in game design, students will take at least one basic course in each of the concentrations to provide competency in programming, art, sound, and narrative. Students will also take courses in business, marketing, finance, and management. This concentration gives students the necessary skills to create and sell their own games, and the ability to pursue careers outside of the industry in media, business, or marketing.

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Course Examples: Strategic Communication & Marketing for the Arts / New Media & Business / Law & the Internet / Accounting 1

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Game Art & Animation

This concentration focuses on the visual components of games. Students may further specialize in 2D or 3D art, technical animation, UX/UI, or concept art. This concentration will prepare students for AAA, indie, or a career in digital art and design in adjacent industries such as tech, film, web development, and more. 

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Course Examples: Digital Design & Usability / 3D Virtual Environments / Motion Graphics / 2D Imaging and Illustration

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Game Music & Sound Design

This concentration prepares students for both composer and sound designer roles in AAA, indie, or other industries such as film, theater, or live events. Students take courses in traditional music theory, composition, and performance, as well as music technology and audio engineering. 

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Course Examples: Audio Storytelling / Computer Music / Orchestration / Creative Sound Production

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Game Narrative

This concentration consists of courses in creative writing, story-boarding, world-building, and technical writing. Students will be prepared for AAA, indie, or a career in film, theater, media, communications, or library science. 

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Course Examples: Myths & Images in the Media / Imaginary Worlds / Storytelling & Contemporary Culture / Programming Narratives

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Game Programming

This concentration is for students who wish to primarily work with code. In addition, students can expect coursework in calculus, physics, and information sciences. Students can further specialize in VR/AR or mobile app development. This concentration will prepare students for AAA, indie, or a career in software engineering, systems administration, IT, or other tech paths. 

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Course Examples: Mixed Reality for Immersive Worlds / Artificial Intelligence / iOS Development / Logic and Computers 

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Game Studies

This concentration is for students who intend on pursuing graduate school or entering academia. In addition to the core courses in game design, students will conduct research on the aesthetic, cultural, and communicative aspects of games, and their players. Students will explore the interdisciplinary nature of games through many different lenses, including history, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and modern culture. As games grow and change they become a more important academic field, and as such many universities are hiring game studies faculty. Students will also be in a position to pursue a multitude of career options that require strong writing or analysis skills, as well as law school. 

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Course Examples: Internet & Society / Games, Play, & Philosophy / Children of New York / History and Philosophy of Recreation

Each concentration will have at least 1 games studio production course per semester (studio production courses involve the direct creation of games). 

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