Game Design and Production BS / Digital Media MS
Major: Game Design and Production & Digital Media
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS) & Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 236.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Five years); Three Co-op (Five years)
About the Program
The program is a natural extension of our undergraduate program in Game Design and Production (BS) and challenges students to push beyond what’s known and into what’s possible through a masters of science in Digital Media. It combines research with applicable skills in 21st century media applications and offers a mix of academic coursework and project-related activities in advanced digital design, including 3-D modeling, animation, interactivity, gaming, and digital media history, theory, and methods.
Additional Information
To find out more about this major, visit the Westphal College’s Game Design & Production Major page.
Admission Requirements
Students who wish to enter the accelerated program are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.5 and between 70.0 and 120.0 credits of completed undergraduate coursework.
Acceptance into the accelerated program is decided by the program director of the Digital Media MS program in consultation with the undergraduate program director in Game Design and Production, as well as the Department’s Graduate Admissions Committee.
Main criteria for acceptance is an evaluation of the student’s prior academic performance and the student’s likelihood of success within the program.
Degree Requirements
General Education Requirements | ||
CIVC 101 | Introduction to Civic Engagement | 1.0 |
COM 230 | Techniques of Speaking | 3.0 |
COOP 101 | Career Management and Professional Development * | 1.0 |
ENGL 101 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research | 3.0 |
or ENGL 111 | English Composition I | |
ENGL 102 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing | 3.0 |
or ENGL 112 | English Composition II | |
ENGL 103 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres | 3.0 |
or ENGL 113 | English Composition III | |
MATH 101 | Introduction to Analysis I | 4.0 |
PHYS 170 | Electricity and Motion | 3.0 |
PHYS 171 | Computational Lab for Electricity and Motion | 1.0 |
PHYS 175 | Light and Sound | 3.0 |
PHYS 176 | Computational Lab for Light and Sound | 1.0 |
UNIV A101 | The Drexel Experience | 2.0 |
Arts and humanities elective ** | 3.0 | |
History (HIST) elective (100-499) | 4.0 | |
Literature (ENGL) elective (100-499) | 3.0 | |
Social sciences electives *** | 9.0 | |
Free electives | 23.0 | |
Art and Art History Requirements | ||
Required ARTH electives (choose a minimum of 6 credits from ARTH 100-499, except ARTH 300) | 6.0 | |
ARTH 300 [WI] | History of Modern Design | 3.0 |
VSST 108 | Design I for Media | 3.0 |
VSST 109 | Design II for Media | 3.0 |
VSST 110 | Introductory Drawing | 3.0 |
VSST 111 | Figure Drawing I | 3.0 |
Media and Computer Science Requirements | ||
DIGM 131 | Introduction to Scripting for the Digital Content Creation Pipeline | 3.0 |
FMTV 110 | Basic Cinematography | 3.0 |
FMTV 206 | Audio Production and Post | 3.0 |
GMAP 231 | Scripting for Game Design | 3.0 |
SCRP 270 [WI] | Screenwriting I | 3.0 |
Digital Media Core Requirements | ||
ANIM 140 | Computer Graphics Imagery I | 3.0 |
ANIM 145 | Realtime Visualization | 3.0 |
ANIM 211 | Animation I | 3.0 |
DIGM 105 | Overview of Digital Media | 3.0 |
DIGM 350 [WI] | Digital Storytelling | 3.0 |
DIGM 451 [WI] | Explorations in New Media | 3.0 |
DIGM 475 [WI] | Seminar: The Future of Digital Media | 3.0 |
DIGM 490 | Digital Media Senior Project † | 9.0 |
DIGM 491 | Digital Media Senior Project Studio † | 3.0 |
GMAP 260 | Overview of Computer Gaming | 3.0 |
PROD 215 | Design Thinking in Product Design | 4.0 |
Gaming Requirements | ||
GMAP 101 | Game Design Lab I | 3.0 |
GMAP 102 | Game Design Lab II | 3.0 |
GMAP 121 | Overview of Game Playtesting | 1.0 |
GMAP 123 | Basic Portfolio | 1.0 |
GMAP 211 | Game User Interface Design | 3.0 |
GMAP 246 | Advanced Portfolio (Taken three times.) | 3.0 |
GMAP 301 | Game History | 3.0 |
GMAP 321 | Advanced Game Playtesting | 1.0 |
GMAP 345 | Game Development Foundations | 3.0 |
GMAP 367 | Character Animation for Gaming | 3.0 |
GMAP 377 | Game Development: Workshop I | 3.0 |
GMAP 378 | Game Development: Workshop II | 3.0 |
GMAP 395 | Advanced Game Design and Production | 3.0 |
Select from the following Gaming electives | 12.0 | |
Animation II | ||
Digital Cultural Heritage | ||
Entrepreneurial Thinking | ||
Concept Art for Games | ||
Entrepreneurial Game Studio Incubator Lab Project | ||
Serious Games | ||
Experimental Games | ||
Game Design from the Player’s Perspective | ||
Architecture & Game Level Design Workshop | ||
Artificial Intelligence in Gaming | ||
Mobile Game Development | ||
Audio for Games | ||
Special Topics in Game Art and Production | ||
Special Topics in Game Art and Production | ||
Special Topics in Game Art and Production | ||
Special Topics in Game Art and Production | ||
Organizational Behavior | ||
Leadership: Theory and Practice | ||
Team Development and Leadership | ||
Negotiations and Conflict Resolution | ||
Game: Universe & Story | ||
Future of Narrative Games | ||
Game Development Study | ||
Game Writing Workshop I | ||
Game Writing Workshop II | ||
Motion Capture I | ||
Motion Capture II | ||
Required Graduate Courses | ||
Art and Design Domain | ||
DIGM 551 | Critical and Speculative Design for Digital Media | 3.0 |
DIGM 552 | Visual Storytelling in Digital Media | 3.0 |
DIGM 553 | Experimental Digital Media Lab | 3.0 |
Technology Domain | ||
DIGM 561 | Digital Media Technologies | 3.0 |
DIGM 562 | Interactive Media and User Experience | 3.0 |
DIGM 563 | Emerging Technologies in Digital Media | 3.0 |
DIGM 664 | Advanced Topics in Digital Media | 3.0 |
Critical Thinking Domain | ||
DIGM 571 | Digital Media Project Management | 3.0 |
DIGM 572 | Digital Media Research Strategies | 3.0 |
DIGM 573 | Critical Theories in Digital Media | 3.0 |
DIGM 674 | Ethics and Social Impact of Digital Media | 3.0 |
DIGM 675 | Future Trends in Digital Media | 3.0 |
Capstone and Thesis Development | ||
DIGM 691 | Digital Media Research and Project Development I | 3.0 |
DIGM 692 | Digital Media Research and Project Development II | 3.0 |
DIGM 693 | Digital Media Thesis/Capstone Finalization | 3.0 |
Total Credits | 236.0 |
- *
Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.
COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.
- **
Select from 100-499 level courses, including T380-T480 in AFAS, ARCH, ARTH, COM, DANC, ENGL, FMST, GST, HIST, INTR, IST, JWST, LANG, LING, MENA, MUSC, PHIL, PHTO, PPE, PBHL, RELS, SCRP, THTR, TVST, VSCM, WGST, WRIT.
- ***
Select from 100-499 level courses, including T380-T480, in AFAS, ANTH, CJS, CS, ECON, ENSS, ENVS, PSCI, PSY, PBHL, SOC, WGST.
- †
DIGM 490 and DIGM 491 are repeated three times each to complete the DIGM Capstone Senior Project sequence.
Writing-Intensive Course Requirements
In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.
A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.
Sample Plan of Study
5 year, 1 co-op (Spring/Summer)
First Year | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
DIGM 131 | 3.0 | ANIM 140 | 3.0 | ANIM 145 | 3.0 | VACATION | |
ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | ||
GMAP 101 | 3.0 | GMAP 102 | 3.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
PHYS 170 | 3.0 | GMAP 123 | 1.0 | FMTV 110 | 3.0 | ||
PHYS 171 | 1.0 | PHYS 175 | 3.0 | GMAP 121 | 1.0 | ||
UNIV A101 | 1.0 | PHYS 176 | 1.0 | MATH 101 | 4.0 | ||
VSST 110 | 3.0 | UNIV A101 | 1.0 | VSST 109 | 3.0 | ||
VSST 108 | 3.0 | ||||||
17 | 18 | 18 | 0 | ||||
Second Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ANIM 211 | 3.0 | GMAP 231 | 3.0 | COM 230 | 3.0 | COOP 101* | 1.0 |
DIGM 105 | 3.0 | GMAP 367 | 3.0 | GMAP 246 | 1.0 | DIGM 350 | 3.0 |
GMAP 211 | 3.0 | PROD 215 | 4.0 | GMAP 345 | 3.0 | FMTV 206 | 3.0 |
GMAP 260 | 3.0 | VSST 111 | 3.0 | SCRP 270 | 3.0 | GMAP 395 | 3.0 |
GMAP 301 | 3.0 | (UG) Art History Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Free Elective | 4.0 | (UG) Art History Elective | 3.0 |
(UG) Gaming Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Gaming Elective | 3.0 | ||||
15 | 16 | 17 | 16 | ||||
Third Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ARTH 300 | 3.0 | DIGM 475 | 3.0 | COOPERATIVE EDUCATION | COOPERATIVE EDUCATION | ||
DIGM 451 | 3.0 | GMAP 321 | 1.0 | ||||
GMAP 246 | 1.0 | GMAP 378 | 3.0 | ||||
GMAP 377 | 3.0 | (UG) Free Elective | 4.0 | ||||
(UG) Arts & Humanities Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Gaming Elective | 3.0 | ||||
(UG) Gaming Elective | 3.0 | DIGM 552 | 3.0 | ||||
DIGM 551 | 3.0 | ||||||
19 | 17 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Fourth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
DIGM 490 | 3.0 | DIGM 490 | 3.0 | DIGM 490 | 3.0 | STUDENT CONVERTS TO GR STATUS | |
DIGM 491 | 1.0 | DIGM 491 | 1.0 | DIGM 491 | 1.0 | ||
(UG)Free Electives | 6.0 | GMAP 246 | 1.0 | (UG) History (HIST) Elective | 4.0 | ||
(UG) Literature (ENGL) Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Free Electives | 6.0 | (UG) Social Science Elective | 3.0 | ||
(UG) Social Science Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Social Science Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | ||
DIGM 571 | 3.0 | DIGM 552 | 3.0 | DIGM 553 | 3.0 | ||
DIGM 573 | 3.0 | ||||||
19 | 17 | 20 | 0 | ||||
Fifth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
DIGM 561 | 3.0 | DIGM 562 | 3.0 | DIGM 563 | 3.0 | ||
DIGM 664 | 3.0 | DIGM 674 | 3.0 | DIGM 675 | 3.0 | ||
DIGM 691 | 3.0 | DIGM 692 | 3.0 | DIGM 693 | 3.0 | ||
9 | 9 | 9 | |||||
Total Credits 236 |
- *
Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.
COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.
5 year, 3 co-op, Co-terminal Accelerated Program (Fall/Winter)
First Year | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
DIGM 131 | 3.0 | ANIM 140 | 3.0 | ANIM 145 | 3.0 | VACATION | |
ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | COOP 101* | 1.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | ||
GMAP 101 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
PHYS 170 | 3.0 | GMAP 102 | 3.0 | FMTV 110 | 3.0 | ||
PHYS 171 | 1.0 | GMAP 123 | 1.0 | GMAP 121 | 1.0 | ||
UNIV A101 | 1.0 | PHYS 175 | 3.0 | MATH 101 | 4.0 | ||
VSST 110 | 3.0 | PHYS 176 | 1.0 | VSST 109 | 3.0 | ||
UNIV A101 | 1.0 | (UG) Elective | 2.0 | ||||
VSST 108 | 3.0 | ||||||
17 | 19 | 20 | 0 | ||||
Second Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
COOPERATIVE EDUCATION | COOPERATIVE EDUCATION | ANIM 211 | 3.0 | GMAP 231 | 3.0 | ||
DIGM 105 | 3.0 | GMAP 367 | 3.0 | ||||
GMAP 211 | 3.0 | SCRP 270 or VSST 111 | 3.0 | ||||
GMAP 246 | 1.0 | PROD 215 | 4.0 | ||||
GMAP 260 | 3.0 | (UG)Art History Elective | 3.0 | ||||
GMAP 301 | 3.0 | (UG)Elective | 3.0 | ||||
(UG)Elective | 3.0 | ||||||
0 | 0 | 19 | 19 | ||||
Third Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
COOPERATIVE EDUCATION | COOPERATIVE EDUCATION | COM 230 | 3.0 | DIGM 350 | 3.0 | ||
GMAP 246 | 1.0 | FMTV 206 | 3.0 | ||||
GMAP 345 | 3.0 | GMAP 395 | 3.0 | ||||
VSST 111 or SCRP 270 | 3.0 | (UG)Art History Elective | 3.0 | ||||
(UG)Gaming Elective | 3.0 | (UG)Gaming Elective | 3.0 | ||||
(UG)Elective | 4.0 | ||||||
DIGM 573 | 3.0 | ||||||
0 | 0 | 20 | 15 | ||||
Fourth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ARTH 300 | 3.0 | DIGM 475 | 3.0 | COOPERATIVE EDUCATION | COOPERATIVE EDUCATION | ||
DIGM 451 | 3.0 | GMAP 321 | 1.0 | ||||
GMAP 377 | 3.0 | GMAP 378 | 3.0 | ||||
(UG)Gaming Elective | 3.0 | (UG)Gaming Elective | 3.0 | ||||
DIGM 551 | 3.0 | (UG) History Elective | 4.0 | ||||
DIGM 572 | 3.0 | ||||||
15 | 17 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Fifth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
DIGM 490 | 3.0 | DIGM 490 | 3.0 | DIGM 490 | 3.0 | ||
DIGM 491 | 1.0 | DIGM 491 | 1.0 | DIGM 491 | 1.0 | ||
(UG)Arts and Humanities Elective | 3.0 | GMAP 246 | 1.0 | (UG)Social Science Electives | 6.0 | ||
(UG)Literature Elective | 3.0 | (UG)Electives | 8.0 | (UG) Free elective | 3.0 | ||
(UG)Social Science Elective | 3.0 | DIGM 552 | 3.0 | DIGM 553 | 3.0 | ||
DIGM 571 | 3.0 | ||||||
16 | 16 | 16 | |||||
Sixth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
DIGM 561 | 3.0 | DIGM 562 | 3.0 | DIGM 563 | 3.0 | ||
DIGM 664 | 3.0 | DIGM 674 | 3.0 | DIGM 675 | 3.0 | ||
DIGM 691 | 3.0 | DIGM 692 | 3.0 | DIGM 693 | 3.0 | ||
9 | 9 | 9 | |||||
Total Credits 236 |
- *
Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.
COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.
5 year, 3 co-op, Co-terminal Accelerated Program (Spring/Summer)
First Year | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
DIGM 131 | 3.0 | ANIM 140 | 3.0 | ANIM 145 | 3.0 | VACATION | |
ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | ||
GMAP 101 | 3.0 | GMAP 102 | 3.0 | COOP 101* | 1.0 | ||
PHYS 170 | 3.0 | GMAP 123 | 1.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
PHYS 171 | 1.0 | PHYS 175 | 3.0 | FMTV 110 | 3.0 | ||
UNIV A101 | 1.0 | PHYS 176 | 1.0 | GMAP 121 | 1.0 | ||
VSST 110 | 3.0 | UNIV A101 | 1.0 | MATH 101 | 4.0 | ||
VSST 108 | 3.0 | VSST 109 | 3.0 | ||||
(UG) Free Elective | 2.0 | ||||||
17 | 20 | 19 | 0 | ||||
Second Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ANIM 211 | 3.0 | GMAP 231 | 3.0 | COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
DIGM 105 | 3.0 | GMAP 367 | 3.0 | ||||
GMAP 211 | 3.0 | PROD 215 | 4.0 | ||||
GMAP 246 | 1.0 | VSST 111 | 3.0 | ||||
GMAP 260 | 3.0 | (UG)Art History (ARTH) Elective | 3.0 | ||||
GMAP 301 | 3.0 | (UG) Free Elective | 4.0 | ||||
(UG) Free Elective | 4.0 | ||||||
20 | 20 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Third Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
COM 230 | 3.0 | DIGM 350 | 3.0 | COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
GMAP 246 | 1.0 | FMTV 206 | 3.0 | ||||
GMAP 345 | 3.0 | GMAP 395 | 3.0 | ||||
SCRP 270 | 3.0 | (UG)Art History (ARTH) Elective | 3.0 | ||||
(UG) Free Elective | 4.0 | (UG) Gaming Elective | 3.0 | ||||
(UG) Gaming Elective | 3.0 | DIGM 572 | 3.0 | ||||
17 | 18 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Fourth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ARTH 300 | 3.0 | DIGM 475 | 3.0 | COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
DIGM 451 | 3.0 | GMAP 321 | 1.0 | ||||
GMAP 377 | 3.0 | GMAP 378 | 3.0 | ||||
(UG) Gaming Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Free Elective | 2.0 | ||||
DIGM 551 | 3.0 | (UG) Gaming Elective | 3.0 | ||||
DIGM 552 | 3.0 | ||||||
15 | 15 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Fifth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
DIGM 490 | 3.0 | DIGM 490 | 3.0 | DIGM 490 | 3.0 | ||
DIGM 491 | 1.0 | DIGM 491 | 1.0 | DIGM 491 | 1.0 | ||
(UG) Arts and Humanities Elective | 3.0 | GMAP 246 | 1.0 | (UG) Free electives | 5.0 | ||
(UG) Literature (ENGL) Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Free Electives | 2.0 | (UG) History (HIST) Elective | 4.0 | ||
(UG) Social Science Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Social Science Electives | 6.0 | DIGM 553 | 3.0 | ||
DIGM 571 | 3.0 | DIGM 572 | 3.0 | ||||
16 | 16 | 16 | |||||
Sixth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
DIGM 561 | 3.0 | DIGM 562 | 3.0 | DIGM 563 | 3.0 | ||
DIGM 664 | 3.0 | DIGM 674 | 3.0 | DIGM 675 | 3.0 | ||
DIGM 691 | 3.0 | DIGM 692 | 3.0 | DIGM 693 | 3.0 | ||
9 | 9 | 9 | |||||
Total Credits 236 |
- *
Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.
COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.