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Post Offers a New Master’s Program Centered on Video Games

New Master’s degree in video game design and development

Natalie Villanueva

The School of Visual and Performing Arts will be offering a two-year master’s degree program in video game design and development beginning in the fall of 2011.

“This master’s degree program brings to the C.W. Post Campus the serious study of games as a technological, artistic, educational and social form of media,” said Benjamin Moore, Acting Dean of the School of Visual and Performing Arts. “In just over a decade, digital games have emerged as one of the most popular forms of entertainment and are also being used as an invaluable tool in education, science, medicine, the military and government.”

Former SVPA Dean Jon Fraser originally conceived of the idea a few years ago. It then further developed by former Dean Rhoda Grauer, who continued the process by bringing in consultants from that field.  Furthermore, students have been requesting a program like this one for some time. “We have been getting requests for a gaming program for a few years, even from undergraduates,” said Barbara Fowles, Chairperson of the Media Arts Department. “It’s not clear how the current economy will alter people’s interest in this type of program. But we hope it will encourage more people to try something different!”

The new game design and development program consists of game programming, game design, 2-D and 3-D animation, and the actual creation of games.  This adds a new dimension to the programs that the School of Visual and Performing Arts already has.             The department is hiring new instructors for the program, as well as having faculty from different departments contribute to the program. These include Professor Carlomusto, Professor Levin and Professor Betka from the Media Arts Department, Professor Pat Aievoli from the IMA program (Art Department), and Professor Christopher Malinowski from the Computer Science Department.  Each of these professors will play a role within the game design and development program. Fowles mentioned, “I hope to play a small part in the program as well.”

For the game design and development program, applicants are required to have bachelor’s degrees somewhat related to the program, such as computer science, digital arts or media, or even creative writing or psychology.  Personal experiences within these fields are helpful.

The new master’s degree program offers an opportunity to students to work in a workshop type of structure and have a one on one, and hand on experience. “They will learn to work in a team, since that is how things are done in the actual industry,” said Fowles. “We are aiming to place graduates in companies that create small games, such as for the iphone, educational games, or other beneficial games.”

 

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