Courses

Topics vary from year to year.

An in-depth examination of the principles of user experience design and how they apply to game development. Students will engage a wide range of theory in psychology, sociology, art and interdisciplinary design thinking that is relevant to structuring the game environments and interface game players encounter. Both technically and artistically-inclined designers will engage in challenging readings, exercises and projects so that they are ready to contribute significantly to the Game Development project courses.

An advanced consideration of aesthetic theory relevant to video games. Students will investigate the unique expressive, creative and artistic aspects of video games, and will search for and critically the best works of this relatively young medium. Students will use case studies and advanced theories in Game Studies and other artistic disciplines in order to expand the students' capacity to make video games with artistic integrity.

An advanced project-based course in which teams of students will work together to create and release ambitious video games. Each student will contribute on the basis of their specialized training to this point in the program. This is the first course of a two-part project course that will run for two semesters during the students' last year. The course is the capstone of the Game Development program.

An advanced project-based course in which teams of students will work together to create and release ambitious video games. Each student will contribute on the basis of their specialized training to this point in the program. This is the second course of a two-part project course that will run for two semesters during the students' last year. The course is the capstone of the Game Development program.

An introduction to the materials and processes of the physical earth: rocks and minerals, earth structure and composition, plate tectonics, volcanology, seismology, crustal deformation, weathering and erosion, slope movement, sedimentation, wind and water processes, glaciation, and geologic time. Earth materials and processes are studied in the laboratory and in the field. This course is an environmental studies core requirement.

An introduction to human geography and the notion of globalization by exploring some of the major economic, political, social, cultural, environmental, and technological changes that have recently occurred at the global level and are shaping local places. The course is designed to provide students with better understanding of the variation, interaction, and interdependence of places, regions, people and their environments in a globalizing world; and to demonstrate how human geographers might consider and examine the concepts, forces, processes, issues, and ideas that are associated with global transformation.

Through an investigation of the fundamental concepts of earth systems science from a geographic perspective, students will develop confidence in using the scientific method. Emphasis in the course is placed on understanding the origins and development of Earth's surface features; the characteristics and circulations of Earth's atmosphere, including weather systems and global climates; and introducing the biophysical principles governing vegetation distribution patterns on Earth. Lab exercises will provide students hands-on opportunities to further develop their scientific literacy as it relates to earth systems science and beyond. This course is primarily intended for non-science majors.

An investigation of the scientific principles behind environmental issues and practical inquiry-based approaches to environment concerns in our local and global communities. The course integrates theoretical knowledge about the environment with real-life activities in a multitude of settings outside of the classroom to help students learn about complex interactions between human populations and their environments; and to inspire critical thinking about environmental challenges for today and future generations.