Bachelor of Science in Game Design & Production
Why Study Game Design & Production?
Drexel Westphal’s Game Design & Production major, recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the top undergraduate game design programs in the country, combines a strong comprehension of animation and interactivity, along with an understanding of design and programming. The Bachelor of Science in Game Design & Production, housed in the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, mirrors a sector that has seen an explosion not just in consumer gaming, but also throughout the corporate enterprise world. The gaming industry has grown from just a source of entertainment to one that also encompasses the use of serious gaming, where gaming technologies are used in education and training. Fully immersive games now use new methods of interaction, such as multi-touch displays, motion control and haptic devices. The BS in Game Design & Production at Drexel University is designed to evolve with the dynamic gaming industry, introducing students to the latest technologies, innovations, and trends.
To best prepare for the demands of a cutting-edge game design career, students pursue a foundation of design and technology, take core courses in all aspects of digital media, complete a six-month co-op working in the gaming industry, and participate in project-based teamwork.
What Skills Will You Learn in Drexel’s Undergraduate Game Design Program?
Experiential learning is the cornerstone of Game Design at Drexel University. Over the course of their education in the Game Design & Production program at Drexel, students gain a foundational understanding of digital media tools while exercising their creativity and problem-solving skills through team-based projects. Undergraduate Game Design majors also complete a six-month co-op—a full-time work experience in the field—during which they apply their game design studies to real challenges and industry projects. Students pursuing an accelerated BS/MS in Game Design & Production and Digital Media participate in three co-op experiences over their second, third, and fourth year of study.
Through foundational and hands-on coursework, Game Design & Production students will learn such skills as:
- Scripting and Storytelling
- Computer Programming
- Computer Graphics
- Animation
- Motion Capture
- Realtime Visualization – Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Immersive Media
Game Design majors also develop critical competencies like project management, agile development, and working in multidisciplinary teams, which serve them well into their gaming careers. Kudo Tsunoda, Microsoft Hololens team leader and former Creative Director of Kinect said “Drexel has one of the best Game Design and Digital Media programs I have seen. The work they do is innovative and top quality. Drexel interns and graduates I’ve worked with are well prepared to deliver results in a team environment.”
Facilities for Game Design & Production Majors
The Game Design program is based in the URBN Center, the hub for creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration in the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. The URBN Center features an open floorplan, shared making spaces, and cutting-edge studios and labs.
Game Design & Production majors can experiment with the latest technology in the Animation Capture & Effects Lab (ACE-Lab). This 1200-sq-ft digital media studio is outfitted with:
- 25x17ft green screen cyclorama
- Studio lighting
- HD/2k/4k camera systems
- Camera dolly
- Vicon Vantage motion capture system
- Stereo-360 “VR Video” capture systems
- Room-scale VR tracking systems
- Immersive Project Dome
Students in the Game Design major also have access to advanced graphics workstations, a theme-park quality motion simulation platform, the Immersive Research Lab for virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive media projects, and more.
To schedule a tour of the ACE-Lab and other Digital Media facilities, contact Westphal Admissions at 215.895.1738 or send an email to westphaladm@drexel.edu.
Game Design Faculty
Drexel Westphal Game Design majors benefit from small class sizes and mentorship from distinguished, industry-leading faculty.
Assistant Teaching Professor Tony Rowe created immersive games at LucasArts and Dreamworks Interactive, earning a nomination for the Writer’s Guild of America’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Videogame Writing for his work on Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II. Professor Frank J. Lee, Director of the Entrepreneurial Game Studio, holds a Guinness World Record (Largest Architectural Video Game Display) for his project “Skyscraper Tetris.” Visit the faculty directory to learn more about the Game Design program’s distinguished instructors.
To learn more about Drexel's Game Design & Production program, contact Westphal Admissions at 215.895.1738 or send an email to westphaladm@drexel.edu.
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