The College of Information Science's main campus, STEM-designated Bachelor of Science in Game Design and Development (BSGDD) gives students the cutting-edge skills and hands-on experience they need to create interactive worlds that transcend devices and platforms.
120
Units to Complete Degree, Includes:
42 Upper-Division, 46 Major Coursework, 18 Minor or Dual Degree
Program Goals & Learning Outcomes
The BS in Game Design and Development is a robust program with a set of program goals (or student competencies) and learning outcomes designed to position graduates for a career in a dynamic and rapidly growing industry.
- Students will be able to identify and address user's needs and rights while designing, advertising, playing, evaluating and monetizing games and related software.
- Students will be able to create a functioning game using a variety of approaches, tools, platforms and devices that are currently used in the games industry that meets the basic criteria of gamification best practices.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to design a game for various purposes, such as education, health and wellbeing, training, and entertainment by incorporating best practices related to gamification in all stages, including challenges and fun factor, balancing, level design, scoring and progression, user interface, interaction mechanics, narration, functionality, usability, and playability.
- Students will exhibit understanding of and skills related to varied approaches, tools, systems, platforms, devices and processes, and their effective utilization for game development, that are well established and currently used in the games industry.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of users' needs and rights, such as identifying target user groups for games, PR tools and platforms, analytics and metric tools, play testing and evaluation, monetization, models, information, protection, game-related permissions on different ethical competence, professional ethics, quality steering, assurance, monitoring, and social media utilization.
- Students will demonstrate facility using basic research methods, for example: research design, statistics and analysis; organization, identification and location of data and information including open and closed access sources; and presentation of findings in oral, written and multimedia form, including proper use and citation of sources.
- Students will acquire the skills, knowledge and self-understanding to communicate with and effectively work and interact across cultures and with diverse people and groups.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of career possibilities and further education options and opportunities open to them relative to their plan of study and will set goals and make plans beyond their expected graduation.
- Students will be able to recognize and analyze ethical and policy concerns raised by new technologies and will be able to apply ethical thinking to real-world cases and craft effective solutions.
- Students will be able to identify and apply professional ethics and standards relevant to their career to aspirations.
Sample Four-Year Plan
120 units are required for graduation. A minor with a minimum of 18 units, or a double major, is required.
In addition to the required foundation, general education and minor or double major courses, BSGDD students must also meet the following requirements to complete the degree: 16 units of Core Courses; 9 units of Major Technical Core Elective Courses; 3 units of Research Methods / Data Analysis; 15 units of Game Design and Development Electives; and the 3-unit Senior Capstone (ISTA 498).
- View or download BSGDD overview and sample four-year plan in PDF format.
- Transfer students, map your transfer coursework for the BSGDD here.
Click to view sample courses by year:
Year 1 | Fall
| ENGL 101: First-Year Composition | 3 units |
| MATH (based on placement | 3 units |
| UNIV 101: Introduction to the General Education Experience | 1 unit |
| General Education: Exploring Perspectives | 3 units |
| First-Semester Language | 4 units |
| TOTAL | 14 units |
Year 1 | Spring
| ENGL 102: First-Year Composition | 3 units |
| GAME 251: Introduction to Game Design | 3 units |
| General Education: Exploring Perspectives | 3 units |
| General Education: Building Connections | 3 units |
| Second-Semester Language | 4 units |
| TOTAL | 16 units |
Year 2 | Fall
| ISTA 116: Statistical Foundations of the Information Age | 3 units |
| ISTA 130: Computational Thinking and Doing | 4 units |
| ISTA 161: Ethics in a Digital World | 3 units |
| General Education: Exploring Perspectives | 3 units |
| General Education: Exploring Perspectives | 3 units |
| TOTAL | 16 units |
Year 2 | Spring
| Major Technical Core Elective Course | 3 units |
| Research Methods/Data Course | 3 units |
| General Education: Building Connections | 3 units |
| Major Elective Course | 3 units |
| Minor Course | 3 units |
| TOTAL | 15 units |
Year 3 | Fall
| UNIV 301: General Education Portfolio | 1 unit |
| GAME 451: Game Development | 3 units |
| General Education: Building Connections | 3 units |
| Major Elective Course | 3 units |
| Minor Course | 3 units |
| Minor Course | 3 units |
| TOTAL | 16 units |
Year 3 | Spring
| Major Technical Core Elective Course | 3 units |
| Major Elective Course | 3 units |
| Major Elective Course | 3 units |
| Minor Course | 3 units |
| Minor Course | 3 units |
| TOTAL | 15 units |
Year 4 | Fall
| Major Technical Core Elective Course | 3 units |
| Major Elective Course | 3 units |
| Minor Course | 3 units |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 units |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 units |
| TOTAL | 15 units |
Year 4 | Spring
| ISTA 498: Senior Capstone | 3 units |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 units |
| Additional Elective Course | 3 units |
| Additional Elective Course | 3 units |
| Additional Elective Course | 3 units |
| TOTAL | 15 units |
| TOTAL DEGREE CREDITS | 122 units |
This is a sample plan and is subject to change based on catalog year, placement tests, AP/CLEP credit, transfer work, minor requirements, summer school, etc. The official degree requirements may be found in the University General Catalog and all University of Arizona students should refer to the Academic Advising Report for specific graduation requirements.
Curriculum & Courses
Bachelor's in Game Design and Development students take a mix of Foundations, General Education, Core Major, Core Major Technical, Research Methods / Data Analysis, Major Elective, Engagement, Minor and Other Elective courses, subject to change based on catalog year, placement tests, AP/CLEP credit, transfer work, minor requirements, summer school, etc.
Click a link below to learn more and view course information:
Foundations
Specific unit requirements may vary based on placement and/or prior college-level coursework:
- First-year English or equivalent
- MATH 122B or MATH 113 or MATH 116
- Second-semester second language proficiency
General Education
- Introduction to General Education (1 unit)
- Exploring Perspectives Courses (12 units, including at least one course from each domain: Artist, Humanist, Natural Scientist, Social Scientist)
- Building Connections Courses (9 units)
- General Education Capstone (1 unit)
Learn More About U of A General Education Requirements
Students who started before Spring 2022 will follow the previous U of A GenEd requirements:
- Tier 1 Individuals & Societies (6 units)
- Tier 1 Traditions & Cultures (6 units)
- Tier 1 Natural Sciences (6 units)
- Tier 2 Humanities (3 units)
- Tier 2 Individuals & Society (3 units)
- Tier 2 Arts (3 units)
- Diversity (3 units)
CSC 110 may substituted for ISTA 130.
Take three courses total.
Choose one course from:
And choose one course from:
And choose one course from:
Choose one of the following:
CSC 120 can fulfill this requirement.
Choose five courses from:
BSIS students are required to take 18 units from a minor or dual major.
Elective courses may be needed to reach the 120-unit graduation requirement, of which 42 units must be upper-division (300-level or above) coursework.