Fitchburg State Powers Up Gaming Degree
Fitchburg State University's quest to offer a bachelor's degree in game design has been completed, after the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education approved the program Tuesday.
FSU will become the first public school in New England to offer the degree program, which is beginning enrollment for the fall semester. Becker College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester offer similar programs.
According to the school, the addition of the bachelor of science degree is its first new major in more than a decade and will be a part of university's communications media department.
"It was clear to me that for students that really wanted to do game design, we needed to build a major," said Jeffrey Warmouth, a professor who helped design the program's curriculum.
Warmouth said some FSU students had found their way into careers in the gaming industry.
"It addresses a desire that's been there," added Samuel Tobin, a professor who also had a major role in the program's development. "Students are already trying to do this, and this will allow them to do it."
Interest in the field had been fueled by an event called GameCon, which for the past six years has brought hundreds of students together for a daylong game competition and discussion of the latest technology at FSU. Several courses already offered will count toward the major.
Students in the program will explore game design and development, art and visual design, computer programming, 3-D modeling and animation, level design, creative writing, and game studies. Other course topics include serious games, mobile platforms, history of games and aesthetics.
"The video game industry is well established in Massachusetts, with dozens of game studios operating in the commonwealth," said FSU President Robert V. Antonucci. "Even in the midst of economic difficulties, the video game industry, in New England and nationwide, continues to grow and to search for talented and well-prepared applicants."
A recent survey by the Massachusetts Digital Games Institute (MassDiGI) at Becker College found that the industry grew 78 percent in the state in the past three years, with 124 organizations employing more than 2,000 people. It also found that 28 companies were launched in the past two years, compared to 26 over the previous four.
According to the Entertainment Software Association, computer and video game companies directly and indirectly employ more than 120,000 people in 34 states. The top industry-oriented local site had 242 jobs listed as of June 2012, FSU said.
"People of all genders, ages and backgrounds are playing games more and more often, and the games they are playing are also increasingly diverse," Tobin said.
Read more
Survey: Mass. Digital Games Industry Growing
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments