2022-2023 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Courses
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FILM 1640 - Chinese Film Studies
This class aims to familiarize students with not only the overall history of Chinese cinema but also recent significant filmmakers and their works in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The class will begin with a brief and general survey of Chinese films since the 1920s to the present. As the semester continues our main focus will include films directed by the fifth generation and other important filmmakers in Mainland China as well as award-winning filmmakers in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Anticipated Terms Offered: varies
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FIN 142 - Principles of Finance
This course provides an introduction to financial assets, financial markets and financial analysis. It examines the agents, instruments, and institutions that constitute the modern financial system including bonds, stocks, derivatives, and the money market. Standard concepts and tools of financial analysis, such as the time value of money analysis, bond/equity valuation models, financial statement analysis, risk management, and capital budgeting analysis, are introduced. The aim of this course is to equip students with the basic tools needed to understand financial problems, analyze financial information and make financial decisions.
Prerequisites: MGMT100 & MGMT101 OR ACCT101
Course Designation/Attribute: FA
Anticipated Terms Offered: Annually
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FIN 240 - Corporate Finance
This course is an introduction to the basic concepts, principles, and analytical techniques of corporate finance. The goal of the course is to help the student understand financial markets and decisions made by financial managers. Topics covered in this course include the time-value of money, valuation of securities, valuation of corporate investments, market efficiency, risk and return and capital structure. The course focuses on the more practical application of these topics, although important theories and models are to be introduced to explain why the practical applications make sense. The student will also learn how to make simple personal finance decisions.
Most of the topics covered are based on quantitative analyses. The student is expected to be competent in basic arithmetic and algebra in order to do well in the course.
*This class was formerly MGMT240. Students who completed MGMT240 should not take this class.
Prerequisites: MGMT 100 , ACCT 101 or MGMT101; QBUS 110 or MGMT110; juniors and seniors only.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Offered annually
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FIN 241 - Investment Management
This course is designed to provide an introduction to various fundamental concepts in investments. It will help students acquire the analytical tools and financial theory necessary to value financial assets and make sound investment decisions.
Prerequisites: FIN142, QBUS110
Anticipated Terms Offered: Annually
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FIN 242 - Capital Markets
The Capital Markets course provides an overview of long-term financing sources available to investors. We will learn about the different sources of capital, who are the investors and borrowers of capital, and how capital markets affect investment decision making. In addition, students will be exposed to how macroeconomic factors and government policies can influence the liquidity and capital markets condition.
Prerequisites: FIN 142
Anticipated Terms Offered: Annually
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FIN 4200 - Financial Management
This course is an introduction to the basic concepts, principles, and analytical techniques of financial management with a goal to help the student understand financial markets and financial decisions. Topics covered in this course include the time-value of money, valuation of corporate securities, valuation of corporate investments, market efficiency, risk and return, capital structure, and corporate governance. The student will also learn how to make simple financial decisions and recognize international differences in corporate governance.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Varies
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FIN 5200 - Corporate Finance
This course serves as an introduction to the principles of corporate finance and its applications. The objective is to provide the framework, concepts, and tools to make sound financial decisions based on fundamental principles of modern financial theory. It will examine topics such as financial analysis, asset valuation, capital budgeting, capital structure, dividend policy, and the cost of capital. It will explain the procedures, practices, and policies by which financial managers contribute to the successful performance of an organization.
Prerequisites: FIN 5401 or FIN 4200
Anticipated Terms Offered: Annually
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FIN 5309 - Financial Econometrics
This course imparts students with the necessary knowledge and skills for understanding and running the common statistical analyses encountered in modern-day market finance. The course starts with a review of probability theory and statistics before progressing to common econometric concepts employed in financial market research. This course is intended for students with at least a semester of introductory statistics under their belt. Topics include simple and multiple linear regressions, assumptions of linear regressions, and stationary time-series models (AR, MA, ARMA). The course uses real-world data sets as illustrations and R to build answers to financial questions.
Prerequisites: No prerequisites for MSF Students. Other students by permission only.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Varies
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FIN 5401 - Investments
This course provides an introduction to the financial market, investment theory, and security valuation. The topics covered include equity and bond pricing, portfolio analysis, capital asset pricing model, behavioral finance, option pricing, and ethics in investment management. Emerging topics such as ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing, FinTech, and Cryptocurrency, will be discussed. The lectures and examinations will focus both on conceptual and quantitative foundations.
Prerequisites: No prerequisites for MSF students. Prerequisite for other students is FIN 4200 .
Anticipated Terms Offered: Offered Annually
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FIN 5405 - Mergers and Acquisitions
Mergers & Acquisitions is a case-based examination of the factors that contribute to a successful transaction. After establishing why an entity would entertain a merger or acquisition in the first place, emphasis will be placed on candidate selection, valuation, negotiation, structure, including SPACs or blank-check companies, post-transaction integration, and satisfying the needs of the many stakeholders involved in a deal. Class meetings will feature discussions of assigned cases, team research projects into recent transactions, and mock negotiations. Students will have met the prerequisites prior to enrolling in the course to ensure that they are comfortable with the common tools of finance, especially discounted cash flow analysis.
Prerequisites: ACCT 4100 OR ACCT 4101 and FIN 4200 , OR FIN 5401 .
Anticipated Terms Offered: Varies
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FIN 5433 - Financing for International Development
In the United States, Europe, and other developed countries of the world, the tools of investment finance have been piloted, fine-tuned, and diversified to meet the expanding needs of both the private and public sectors. The environment for finance in developed countries has been enhanced by policies and regulations to protect and incentivize investments between highly capable and well-informed partners. However, the environment for international finance in developing countries poses significant challenges for financiers and their implementing partners. Laws and policies related to land tenure may discourage long-term investments in agroforestry, political volatility may discourage public-private partnerships in energy production, and small private sector investors may lack the creditworthiness that is normally taken for granted in loan applications in developed countries. In addition, basic skills for project design and financial planning may be limited in developing countries, requiring a more significant engagement of financiers in the development and implementation of investment projects.
The course is designed to help students understand the factors and constraints that need to be accounted for and addressed to support finance in agriculture, water, public services, and climate change in developing countries. The course introduces students to the diversified toolbox of financial instruments and mechanisms for development finance and guides students in assessing the financing building blocks that are essential for successful transactions and implementation. Students will learn how to select and tailor financing tools to specific contexts in both the private and public sectors in developing countries. Students will have an opportunity to develop financing proposals to address specific development finance issues and present their “proposals” in recorded presentations and PowerPoints during the final week of the semester. The class project is designed to simulate the process that is followed to develop and implement investment projects in developing countries.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Periodically
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FIN 5433 - Financing for International Development
In the United States, Europe, and other developed countries of the world, the tools of investment finance have been piloted, fine-tuned, and diversified to meet the expanding needs of both the private and public sectors. The environment for finance in developed countries has been enhanced by policies and regulations to protect and incentivize investments between highly capable and well-informed partners. However, the environment for international finance in developing countries poses significant challenges for financiers and their implementing partners. Laws and policies related to land tenure may discourage long-term investments in agroforestry, political volatility may discourage public-private partnerships in energy production, and small private sector investors may lack the creditworthiness that is normally taken for granted in loan applications in developed countries. In addition, basic skills for project design and financial planning may be limited in developing countries, requiring a more significant engagement of financiers in the development and implementation of investment projects.
The course is designed to help students understand the factors and constraints that need to be accounted for and addressed to support finance in agriculture, water, public services, and climate change in developing countries. The course introduces students to the diversified toolbox of financial instruments and mechanisms for development finance and guides students in assessing the financing building blocks that are essential for successful transactions and implementation. Students will learn how to select and tailor financing tools to specific contexts in both the private and public sectors in developing countries. Students will have an opportunity to develop financing proposals to address specific development finance issues and present their “proposals” in recorded presentations and PowerPoints during the final week of the semester. The class project is designed to simulate the process that is followed to develop and implement investment projects in developing countries.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Periodically
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FIN 5900 - Special Topics in Finance
Each year, the School of Management offers courses under the “special topics” category. These courses are often different each semester and can be either .5 or one unit courses.
Prerequisites: Prerequisites vary depending on the course.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Varies
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FIN 5910 - Directed Research
For a directed research course, a student and professor design a self-study course based around a common research interest shared by both. A directed research must be approved by the professor and the Associate Dean of GSOM. It can be designed as either a 0.5 unit or 1 unit course. For questions or additional information, contact your academic advisor.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Every Semester
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FREN 103 - Elementary French Intensive
An accelerated elementary course, intended for students who have had no more than one year of high school French or the equivalent. Focuses on communicative proficiency through the development of basic oral and written skills; self-expression and cultural insight are also cultivated. Course meets three days per week. Students must also register for a weekly discussion section with a French teaching assistant.
Prerequisites: 0-1 years of French, or equivalent. Permission required.
Course Designation/Attribute: LP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall semester; some Spring semesters
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 105 - Intermediate French I
For students with 2 to 3 years of French. Consolidates basic skills for students who have completed FREN 103 or the equivalent. Emphasizes communicative proficiency: the development of oral and written skills, self-expression and cultural insight. There is a weekly discussion section with a French teaching assistant.
Prerequisites: FREN 103 or equivalent, or permission.
Course Designation/Attribute: LP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Every semester
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 106 - Intermediate French II
For students with 4 to 5 years of French. Builds on skills and knowledge gained at Intermediate I level. Continued emphasis on communicative proficiency: the development of oral and written skills through study of grammar, vocabulary, short texts. Greater emphasis on self-expression, interpersonal communication, cultural competency. There is a weekly discussion section with a French teaching assistant.
Prerequisites: FREN 105 or equivalent, or permission.
Course Designation/Attribute: LP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Every semester
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 124 - Popular Culture in France
For students with 4 to 5 years of French or AP credit. An exploration of the multiple manifestations and transformation of French popular culture, from the 1940s to today, as disseminated in film, music, the media, cartoons, bande dessinée and popular literature. Examines aspects of French culture such as youth culture, slang, sports, food and humor, and the common portrayal of topics such as family, love, foreigners and other social issues in the media.
Prerequisites: FREN 106 or equivalent; AP French language; or permission.
Course Designation/Attribute: LP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Annually
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 132 - Readings in Francophone Literature
Introduces analysis and understanding of francophone literature and their visions of the world and of the self. Readings include a wide range of complete texts across the genres, with an emphasis on works from French-speaking countries outside Europe. The focus of the course may vary from year to year. We may examine a theme encountered in literature across the francophone world, or study a variety of literary works from one specific region.
Prerequisites: FREN 120 , FREN 124 or above, or permission. Fulfills the Literature Requirement for majors.
Course Designation/Attribute: LP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Bi-annually
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 135 - Literary Frames and Masks: An Introduction to Early Modern French Literature and Culture
Introduces analysis of and engagement with Early Modern French literary texts and their visions of the world and of the self and the other. Focuses on literary structures and conventions that form and transform different genres in French literature and culture from the Renaissance to the Revolution with special attention given to how framing devices and literary masks are used to represent tensions and enliven debates on gender, religion, race and education. Readings include a range of French texts of different genres and themes, in fiction, theater, and essay.
Prerequisites: FREN 120 , FREN 124 or above or permission.
Course Designation/Attribute: LP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Bi-annually
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FREN 137 - Studies in Contemporary French Culture
Addresses questions of cultural identity and cultural differences, with particular attention to France and foreigners, Franco-American (dis)connections and issues of immigration.
Prerequisites: FREN 120 , FREN 124 or above, or permission. Fulfills the Culture Requirement for majors.
Course Designation/Attribute: LP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Bi-annually
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 140 - Francophone Writing and Film
Offering an overview of the French-speaking world that spans from South East Asia to the Caribbean, North and sub-Saharan Africa, and North America, this course celebrates the diversity of francophone cultures through literature and film. It also seeks to examine and interrogate the ties of these former colonies with France and Belgium, the paths they have followed since independence, and their current socio-economic and political situation. Fulfills the Culture Requirement for majors.
Prerequisites: FREN 120 , FREN 124 or above, or permission.
Course Designation/Attribute: GP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Bi-annually
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 145 - Translation Workshop
Students work on various texts (advertising, journalism, theater, film scripts and fiction) exploring theory, techniques and problems of translation. Emphasizes translation from French into English and stresses lexical and syntactic aspects of comparative style. Students become acquainted with the variety of texts an American professional translator might expect to work on, including film subtitling.
Prerequisites: FREN 120 , FREN 124 or above, or permission.
Course Designation/Attribute: POP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Periodically
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 146 - Advanced Oral Expression - Lecture/Discussion
This course is designed to help students improve their fluency in French. A variety of materials including films, newspaper articles, current events and literary texts will be used to help students perfect pronunciation and intonation, communicate opinions and engage in debate. Other topics may include phonetics, levels of discourse, public speaking, and dramatic interpretation.
Prerequisites: FREN 120 , FREN 124 or above or permission.
Course Designation/Attribute: LP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Periodically
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 164 - Haiti and the French Antilles
This course examines the societies, cultures and literatures of Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guyana. It begins by tracing the history of the area, including the consequences of the Haitian Revolution in the Caribbean. The course then goes on to explore the cultures of the region, notably the cultural links with both ancestral Africa and France, the status of the Creole language, Haitian vodun, Haitian visual arts, and French Antillean carnival practices. Other topics discussed include gender relations, emigration and diaspora, Haiti’s political trajectory since independence, and the political status of the French Caribbean territories.
Prerequisites: FREN 131 or above, or permission.
Course Designation/Attribute: LP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Periodically
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 165 - Theater Workshop in French
A workshop course using scene study to provide direct experience of the theatrical synthesis within which play, actor and spectator operate. Emphasizes vocal delivery through intensive work on diction, phrasing, rhythm and gesture. Explores various approaches to the play’s staging. Typically one playwright is studied and topics of theatrical practice are combined with theoretical issues concerning the social background and artistic conventions of the playwright’s period. Playwrights studied may be: Molière, Marivaux, Ionesco, Beckett.
Prerequisites: FREN 120 or higher, or permission.
Course Designation/Attribute: LP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Periodically
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 215 - 20th Century French and Francophone Women Writers
Explores the major works of French fiction and theory as they question and illuminate each other in the context of the contemporary French feminist controversy between theories and equality and theories of difference. Readings include Colette, Simone de Beauvoir, Helene Cixous, Marguerite Duras, Luce Irigaray, Monique Wittig, Julia Kristeva.
Prerequisites: FREN 131 or FREN 132 or above or permission.
Course Designation/Attribute: LP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Periodically.
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature, and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 249 - The French-Speaking World In the 21st Century
An interdisciplinary analysis of the effects of globalization in French-speaking countries around the world. Through literature, social texts, and fiction film and documentaries we explore such issues as the rise of religious extremism; the Algerian civil war; the problematic role of French language and culture in former French colonies decades after independence; the social, economic and cultural consequences of globalization; the intersection between the local and the global; migration patterns from or within the francophone world; and other contemporary issues which the postcolonial francophone world is facing.
Course Designation/Attribute: LP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Periodically
Placement Guidelines
Majors and non-majors welcome. Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 256 - Education in 20th Century French Novel and Film.
An exploration of literary and cinematic portrayals of youth with a focus on the role of the school and other sources of learning. Topics include gendered identity, social structures and narrative strategies. Authors may include Colette, Alain-Fournier, Gide, Sagan, Ernaux and Duras. Majors and non-majors welcome.
Prerequisites: FREN 131 or FREN 132 or permission.
Course Designation/Attribute: LP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Periodically
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 297 - Honors
This honors program is for language, literature and culture majors only. By November 1 of the capstone semester, faculty will identify qualified senior majors (with a minimum GPA of 3.5) and invite them to submit a proposal for a semester-long honors thesis during the spring of their senior year. Other students who wish to take honors should identify an area of interest during the capstone semester, consult with the capstone professor and/or an appropriate honors adviser, and submit a proposal (by December 1) to the professor they would like to direct the project.*
- Proposals will be approved at the discretion of the individual professor.
- The Department Chair must also approve the project.
- The honors candidate and adviser will decide on a work schedule, but a preliminary draft must be completed by the first week of April.
- The final version is due one week before the last day of classes.
- A second faculty reader will participate in the final evaluation of the honors project.
- An honors project counts as one unit of credit.
*Students graduating early and wishing to do an honors project should see their adviser during the fall of their junior year and get approval for the project from the thesis director and the department chair.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Annually
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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FREN 299 - Directed Study
Undergraduates, typically juniors and seniors, construct an independent study course on a topic approved and directed by a faculty member. Offered for variable credit. May be repeatable for credit.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Every Semester
Placement Guidelines
Please visit the Department of Language, Literature, and Culture for the language placement guidelines.
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GAME 010 - History of Game Development
This course covers the history and evolution of electronic game development, focusing on design elements, technical innovations, societal influence, and the impact of marketing. The course will dissect the roles of programmers, designers, artists, and writers, as well as provide an overview of various software and hardware developments for the gaming industry. Students will gain a global and historic view of the interactive media field and its origins.
Course Designation/Attribute: HP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 025 - Game Design Fundamentals
This course serves to introduce the various aspects of game design for those intending to work as part of management, production, and/or design teams.The student will begin with an analysis of gaming, with consideration of various platforms, game genres, playability, objectives, rule dynamics, and overall quality. Further, the student will learn the elements of production including game conceptualization, story development, and interface, character, and soundtrack, and level design.
Course Designation/Attribute: AP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 030 - Examining Play
This course will cover how playing video games affects the brain and how players respond to different forms of interaction. We will cover how exactly games affect mood and emotion as well as what kind of skills you learn in- game that you can bring into the real world. Students will also study various types of play, and how players react to events and triggers in games. Ultimately students will learn how they can use this knowledge to make better, more interesting and more impactful games.
Course Designation/Attribute: VP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 050 - Game Pitch and Design Documents
In this class students will learn how to craft high quality game design documents as fundamental design aids for memory and communication as well as how to create and deliver effective verbal pitch statements based on design document contents.
Prerequisites: GAME 025
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 055 - Procedural Modeling
Procedural Modeling will provide in-depth study of methodologies utilized within all 3D-related industries related to procedural and non-destructive model design. Procedural systems on both a macro and micro level will be covered, while maintaining a wider perspective of non-destructive modeling capabilities. This course will strengthen practical knowledge in 3D modeling, providing a greater understanding of the relationship between traditional 3D modeling principles and more contemporary procedural techniques.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 060 - Procedural Visual Effects
Procedural Visual Effects will provide in-depth study of methodologies utilized within all 3D-related industries related to procedural and non- destructive visual effects. Procedural systems on both a macro and micro level will be covered, while maintaining a wider perspective on the current state of the visual effects industry. This course will strengthen practical knowledge in rigid body simulation & destruction, particle effects, volume dynamics, and visual effects integration into real-time game engines.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 065 - Effective Design Strategies
This course will prepare students to work in development teams through in- depth analysis of the development process including all phases of the design pipeline. The course will cover generating and refining ideas, determining effective user interaction, and interpreting and implementing user feedback. Course work will include analysis of games through the lens of the player and the developer, as well as group discussions and team projects.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 080 - Storyboarding Animation
This course covers the design process of storyboarding which encompasses the fundamentals in the pre-production phase of any digital video, multimedia, or computer gaming project. During the first phase, students will learn the value of project management, presentation skills, and effective communication. Second phase lessons include the technical aspects of planning scenes with consideration given to scene set up, stage mapping, virtual or physical camera angles, and object and character movement. Emphasis will be placed on visually translating written descriptions and rendering genre and tone through effective visual blocking. Production techniques include the use of traditional drawing materials to formulate sketches, text description boards, and prototype digital renderings.
Prerequisites: GART 100 - Principles of Drawing for Games or ARTS 100 - Visual Studies: 2D Design and Color or GAME 025 - Game Design Fundamentals
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
Placement Guidelines
GART 100 or GAME 025
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GAME 085 - Raster and Vector Games
This course will introduce Game students to Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Students will learn the differences between Raster and Vector images and the appropriate uses for each. Students will gain a full understanding of the interface and tools in the software. The course will cover the uses of these two programs throughout the game development process. Topics include creating sprites and sprite sheets, tile sets, painting UV maps, creating textures, creating title and menu screens, and digital painting.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 090 - Intermediate Game Development
This course introduces students to more advanced concepts in game design and development such as ideation, digital prototyping, interface design, usability testing, teamwork, project scoping and management. The main emphasis of the class is on the conceptualization of innovative design goals and the execution of those goals in the form of a complete, polished intermediate game project.
Prerequisites: GAME 080 or GAME 025
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 095 - Digital 3D Modeling
This course covers the principles and techniques involved in creating 3- dimensional media. Students will learn the step by step process of 3D graphics including modeling with NURBs, polygons, and subdivisions using sophisticated 3D software such as Maya. They will also acquire skills in texture design and UV Mapping skills, lighting, scene setup and rendering.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 100 - Texturing
Using a combination of 2D and 3D graphics applications, students will learn to create textures that are mapped onto real-time 3D models. A variety of visual styles as well as procedural texturing will be covered.
Prerequisites: GAME 095
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 105 - Environment Art
Environment Art is a specialization within game development which straddles the line between modeling and level design. In this course, students will learn to build art assets such as modular architectural components and reusable landscape models, then construct full real-time environments in a commercial game engine.
Prerequisites: GAME 095
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 110 - Software Engineering Life Cycle
This course teaches the fundamental principles and strategies of game production and prototyping, allowing the student to assume the role of project producer. Students will learn the core elements of game assembly, project management, development tracking and troubleshooting. They will become familiar with the procedures necessary for successful game development, from the conception stage and on through the implementation stage, covering the various technologies prevalent in the game design industry. Production focus will be on prototyping, planning, implementation, testing, and tracking across financial and technological constraints.
Prerequisites: GAME 025 or MGMT 100
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 120 - Real-Time Lighting, Shading and Rendering
This course covers the techniques involved in preparing 3D models for the rendering process. Students will design complex shading networks, explore various light types and attributes, and build lighting rigs common to the animation, visual effects, and gaming industries. Additionally, tools and concepts related to the compositing process are explored including the utilization of render layers and render passes.
Prerequisites: GAME 095
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 130 - Digital Audio Production
This course explores the fundamentals of the medium of sound and processes of sound-design, with the goal of understanding, articulating, and creating audio assets for games. Through demos and creative projects, students will experiment with the essential building blocks of sound and explore audio principles such as acoustics and perception, the use of microphones and digital recording hardware, editing, signal-processing and mixing using ProTools, Foley recording and sound-effect production, sampling and MIDI, audio synchronization to video, and applications of audio assets in digital-media and game development. The course sets a solid foundation for the understanding of sound while developing a strong toolset for working within the medium.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 135 - Digital Music Studio
This course explores the world of MIDI and sound-design through virtual- instruments and synthesized techniques. Through demos and creative projects, students will learn essential building blocks of synthesized sounds by using virtual-instruments in ProTools, interfacing MIDI controllers with software, creation of sound-effects through synthesized means, basic rhythmic and tonal music theory, and the creation of musical assets for games. The course sets a solid foundation for the understanding of sound- design and a historical context for the field of Game Audio, while developing a strong toolset for working within the medium.
Prerequisites: GAME 010 or GAME 025
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 140 - Music Theory
This course explores the fundamentals of music theory, with the goal of understanding and creating music for games. Topics cover the fundamentals of music theory including rhythms, scales, intervals, chords, keys, harmony, and modulations. Composition concepts are also introduced and explored. The course sets a solid foundation for the understanding and application of musical terms and structures in the development of game audio, and a historical context for game music.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 155 - Game Industry Trends
This course will analyze trends in popular culture both in and out of the scope of the video game industry. By gaining a broad understanding of how trends evolve and change within the entertainment industry, students will better be able to anticipate market changes and develop games for targeted audiences. This course will also focus on tracking and discussing new and evolving technologies as well as current events in the entertainment industry.
Prerequisites: GAME 010 - History of Game Development or GAME 025 - Game Design Fundamentals or GAME 030 - Examining Play
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 160 - Foley and Field Recording
This course involves the research and production of audio recordings using live studio-based Foley techniques and site-based field recordings. The class will involve the use of microphones, portable recorders, studio recording, location-based recording, and advanced digital editing tools to develop audio assets such as sound effects for interactive media and video.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 165 - Game Audio 1
This course focuses on game audio production, and the techniques and methodologies commonly used in implementing sound and music assets into an electronic game environment. Game engine components are introduced, as well as middleware tools for designing interactive, dynamic and adaptive systems. Asset management and general project workflow will be examined as part of the game development structure.
Prerequisites: GAME 130 and GAME 090
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 170 - Game Audio 2
This course builds on the techniques and methodologies taught in Game Audio 1. Principles of sound in a game engine environment are reviewed, followed by deeper examinations into game audio processes and techniques for implementation including advanced use of middleware tools, coding and script management, and real-time DSP. Audio design document authoring and goals will be discussed. Asset management tools and version control techniques will be explored in a team project-based environment.
Prerequisites: GAME 165
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 175 - Writing for Fantasy & RPGs
This course covers the broad palette of fantasy and its sub-genres, genre- and lore-appropriate game-text, character development within fantasy, world development within fantasy, writing within the constraints of game development tools, traditional narrative storytelling, cinematic scripts, voiceover scripts, dialogue and narrative, writing specs, writing proposals, writing for established intellectual properties, and analysis of existing games.
Prerequisites: GAME 075
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 180 - Computer Illustration for Game Design
This course covers the creation and implementation of computer graphics within the framework of multimedia and game design. Students will learn how to use computer graphic software such as Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop to render image files for use in the digital medium. Each phase of graphic creation will be considered including digitizing a base image, creating and manipulating a digital graphic directly within one of the software packages, importing and exporting between programs, and outputting to any one of various suitable graphic formats. Emphasis will be given to designing graphics for digital video, animation, multimedia design, online development, and game production.
Prerequisites: GAME 085
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 185 - 3D Animation
This course covers the techniques involved in animating 3D models in 3D scenes utilizing sophisticated software such as Maya. Students will learn the process of creating and building a 3D scene from objects, lighting placement, and camera manipulation. Furthermore, the animation of characters including model skeleton building, rigging, and key frame animation will be covered in detail.
Prerequisites: GAME 095
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 195 - Game Programming 2
This course focuses on computer graphics, the render pipeline, and shaders developed with the human readable HLSL. This course will cover discussion and implementation of 3D transformations, buffers, lighting, and texturing. The course will be tailored for PC with Windows OS, but may cover OpenGL, DirectX, or Vulkan depending on instructor preference.
Prerequisites: GAME 190 - Game Programming with Data Structures
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 200 - Level Design
This course teaches the concepts and skill sets involved in creating successful levels within any game format. Emphasis will be given to integrating levels within a given game design, construction guided by balance and rhythm, and approaches for handling technical and environmental limitations. Students will develop levels for existing game engines as well as utilizing original game aesthetics.
Prerequisites: GAME 025 - Game Design Fundamentals
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 205 - Digital Cinematography
This course covers the technical aspects of working within the challenging medium of digital audio and video production. With a focus on using non- linear editing methods, students will be able to take full advantage of digital editing processes utilizing the latest in audio and video software such as Sound Forge, Adobe Premiere, and Adobe After Effects. Students will cover all aspects of the production process including audio and video recording and capturing, digital editing of sound and video, special effects generation, and final preparation for use in interactive media such as DVDs, advanced video games, and the World Wide Web - each with its own technical and production requirements.
Prerequisites: GAME 080
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 210 - Agile Project Management with Scrum
In this course, the student will learn how to apply Agile and Scrum techniques to manage software and interactive media development projects. Through immersive and evolving case studies and other activities, the student will acquire the theory, practical knowledge and skills to plan, manage and close a software/game development project.
Prerequisites: GAME 110
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 215 - Principles of Motion Capture
This course focuses on principles and techniques related to producing, editing, and rendering of motion capture information. Both pre-recorded and live motion capture data will be utilized throughout the course. General animation project discussions will take place focusing on the various considerations and processes for leading and supervising an animated project.
Prerequisites: GAME 185
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 220 - Virtual Reality in Gaming
This course is an advanced level exploration meant for Interactive Design and Programming majors, focusing on the virtual reality experience as it applies to interactive development, covering the history of VR approaches, practical applications, typical challenges, and current trends in gaming. This course specifically explores the use of VR headsets, as well as other newly developed input devices, for the purposes of creating engaging, immersive interactive experiences. Both the technical and design side of working within this medium will be addressed.
Prerequisites: Two semesters of GAME 255
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 225 - Mobile Game Production
This course explores the unique characteristics of developing and designing interactive media and games for mobile devices. Students will learn the various hardware and software appropriate for this platform as well as how to evaluate and address the challenges inherit in the technology. Lessons addressing the global audience as well as the rapidly expanding reach and influence of this dynamic distribution platform will be integral to the practical application of mobile development throughout the course.
Prerequisites: Two semesters fo GAME 255
Anticipated Terms Offered: Varies
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GAME 230 - Rigging for Animation
This course covers the techniques involved in preparing 3D models for the animation process. Students will design efficient and intuitive rig systems using popular industry tools such as bones, joints, control objects, and constraints. Furthermore, the process of skinning and application interoperability will be explored.
Prerequisites: GAME 095
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 235 - Digital Organic Modeling
This course covers the techniques involved in building organic 3D models using industry standard modeling-specific applications. Emphasis is placed on human and non-human figure study, its importance the modeling process, and the utilization of application tools for an efficient production pipeline. Methodologies for building animation-ready assets from concept sculpts will also be explored.
Prerequisites: GAME 095
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 240 - Visual Effects
In this course students will learn to create real-time visual effects, using effects tools within a commercial game engine. Topics covered include development of different styles of effects, particles, texture and material creation, and timing.
Prerequisites: GAME 085 and GAME 095
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 242 - Interactive Theater
This course culminates in the production and performance of a non-linear, participatory, and interactive theatre work. Unique to this course is its multi-disciplinary exploration, critical analysis, and application of innovative forms of theatre production which will marry traditional approaches such as scripted dialogue, physical set design, costume production, and audio mixing, with techniques commonly found in game and interactive media. Techniques unique to this project include the creation of an interaction guide, avatar design, 3D modeling and visualization, and interdisciplinary audio design. Production will be broken into four key sectors: 1. writing/scripting/interaction design 2. character/avatar building and costuming 3. set/visualization and prop design 4. audio design and execution. Each member of the course is expected to identify and join two of the four sectors.
May be repeated for credit three times.
Prerequisites: This course is open to all 2nd, 3rd, & 4th year students within the BSD and V&PA depts as majors and minors, or the permission of the instructors.
Course Designation/Attribute: AP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 245 - Music Composition for Games
The course explores advanced game music production concepts and techniques. Topics cover scoring, arranging, and orchestration. Adaptive and non-linear audio concepts are introduced in the context of gameplay, as well as subjects such as looping, branching, and randomization, transition matrices, algorithmic operations, and creating multi-layered stems. Concepts are introduced and explored through applied creative projects. Historical context is given within the development of game music.
Prerequisites: GAME 140
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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GAME 250 - Synthesis and Sampling
This course surveys advanced sound-design tools and software used by professionals in the industry and expands upon skills from Digital Audio Production and/or Digital Music Studio. Numerous synthesis techniques and procedures are covered such as advanced analog emulation and subtractive synthesis, FM, wave-table, granular, and semi-modular synthesis, physical modeling, software samplers, and signal processing through effects. Tools created by independent designers will also be implemented and critiqued. Students will use these tools for advanced sound production and the development of audio assets for games.
Prerequisites: GAME 130 or GAME 135
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 255 - Game Studio
This course is to be taken by Game students enrolled in a Game Studio: Art, Audio, Design, Production or Programming section. The course is centered on an instructor guided project which may include serious games, simulations, artistic installations, entertainment, or new technological exploration. The course will provide a hands-on development environment for a formal interactive title to be released. Students will gain experience working as part of a game studio team with various departments, leads, development infrastructure, and real-world demands. Students are required to take this course multiple times during the course of their degree program. May be repeatable for credit.
Prerequisites: GAME 025 - Game Design Fundamentals or GAME 030 - Examining Play
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 260 - Serious Game Project
This course is the capstone course for the Context component of the interactive media curriculum and is thematically connected with the experience component. Students are required to link their humanities and social science work with their interactive media studies. Teams of students work on game projects that are designed for a primary purpose other than pure entertainment. The “serious” adjective generally refers to applications that have been designed for use by industries like defense, education, scientific exploration, health care, emergency management, city planning, engineering, and politics. These projects draw heavily on the outcomes students have mastered as a result of their general education courses.
Prerequisites: Two semesters of GAME 255 - Game Studio or Permission of the Instructor
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 265 - Artificial Intelligence for Games
This course provides an overview of the field of artificial intelligence with special attention to uses in the electronic gaming field. Students will develop logic grids for intelligent agents, discuss how learning and communication are integral elements of artificial intelligence. Philosophical discussion of such concepts as intelligence, cognition, learning, and the Turing test will be addressed.
Prerequisites: GCPT 020 - Computer Programming C++ or CSCI 121 - Data Structures
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 270 - Game Analytics
The course will discuss optimization of 3 phases of game design development and production - marketing (how do we acquire the users?), retention (how do we keep and convert users to players?) and monetization (modeling the game changes to get the optimal monetization). The course will also discuss the Stochastic approach, introduce students to relational databases, statistical software and other analytical tools used in Game Analytics.
Prerequisites: GAME 025 & QBUS 110
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 275 - Character Animation
Animated characters are becoming increasingly popular as pivotal assets in animation, storytelling, and simulation related industries. The fundamentals of creating animation lie in the ability to generate believable characters that have emotion and life. This course will explore tools and techniques used in the animation industry to design convincing character animations including blocking, breakdowns, non-linear, and procedural animation.
Prerequisites: GAME 230
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GAME 280 - Advanced Character Animation
This course continues the study of processes and procedures related to character animation initiated in GAME 275. Facial animation and lip synchronization concepts are presented along with current technologies utilized in the efficient design of dialog-based animation. Unlike GAME 275 Character Animation where focus is placed on designing character animation loops for real-time engines, this course focuses on story and narrative for cut scenes and short film.
Prerequisites: GAME 275
Anticipated Terms Offered: Varies
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GAME 285 - Advanced Topics in Game Development
Courses offered under the designation Advanced Topics may represent emerging issues or specialized content not represented in the curriculum. May be repeatable for credit if topic is differerent.
SPRING 2023 TOPICS
SEC 01 TABLETOP AND FANTASY CARD GAME ILLUSTRATION DESIGN
This course focuses on illustrating and designing artwork for collaborative Tabletop and Fantasy Card Games. Illustrate and design full color works of art based on common elements, tropes, and archetypes found in these heroic games of adventure. Coursework will place emphasis on creating representational art that combines figures, objects, and environments. Assignments will teach you the process of planning and building artwork that tells a story from the ground up using compositional elements, clearly defined preliminary drawings and color images that exhibit punch and impact.
SEC 02 BASICS OF SCREENWRITING
This course focuses on scriptwriting for cinematics, cutscenes, and voiceover bytes, as well as principles of screenwriting. Students will also learn how to take into account budgetary factors and storyboarding while drafting their scripts.
SEC 03 GAME ANALYTICS/MODELING
This course introduces students to strategies and methodologies to design, implement, and utilize in-game data collection points to be used for analytics, statistics, and research data. Students will discuss game title case studies, create datasets, design game variables suites based on research and model needs, while also learning how to analyze collected data.
SEC 04 DRAWING ANATOMY FOR GAME ARTISTS
Students will study the basics of human anatomy and with that acquired knowledge work on drawing projects that will explore how human anatomy functions whether at rest, or in action. Human proportions will be studied at length. Projects will be comprised of skeleton drawings, muscle drawings, at rest and action poses, portraits, facial expressions. Live models will be utilized in the second half of the course.
SEC 05 3D ANIMATION FOR WHITESNAKE
Students will create 3D animations for a White Snake performance in Boston, MA. Motion capture technology, keyframe animation, and real-time Unreal Engine pipeline topics will be covered.
FALL 2022 TOPICS -
SEC 01 CHARACTER DESIGN ART This course will focus on the elements involved for successful 2-D character design ranging from concept to final project. These elements include, but are not limited to research, conceptualization, synthesis and refinement. The student will develop a body of work, consistent with her/his/their interests, while at the same time learning about industry methods, practices and standards.
SEC 02 CREATURES & CHARACTERS In this course, students will learn and put into practice the process of developing creatures and characters for story-intensive games. In addition to narrative development, students will also create art requests and develop specs for statistics, skills, special abilities, and other elements that would be implemented by systems designers and programmers.
SEC 06 PIXEL ART In this course, students will learn how to create various pixel artwork using the software Aseprite. They will study how to use the fundamentals of Asperities, while at the same time creating various 2D game assets such as: items, obstacles, environment, enemies, and character, that can be imported into a game. Using techniques that focuses on precision and control, students will also be able to create sprite animations and export them as sprite sheets.
SEC 07 DRAGONS: ART & LORE, FROM ASIA TO THE WESTERN WORLDDragons have appeared in numerous fantasy stories from The Hobbit to Game of Thrones. This course focuses on the historical and cultural representation of Dragons in the visual arts and folklore. Coursework emphasizes the development of both illustration and writing based on common elements found in these legends. Prerequisites:GART 100 - Principles of Drawing for Games and ENG 101 - Introduction to Creative Writing (or the equivalent)
Prerequisites: Established per Topical Section
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 290 - Portfolio
A professional review of a student’s cumulative work toward the degree is provided. The student spends the semester gathering work, updating items, participating in critiques, and creating a professional presentation of his/her work which is meant to be shown for career and graduate school opportunities.
Prerequisites: At least three semesters fo GAME 255
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 295 - Game Audio Production
The overall purpose of this course is to design and create a fully realized game audio production to be implemented in a working game, in tandem with the Senior Game Project course. The course involves creating all audio assets to be used in-game including sound-effects, music, and voice-overs, and the implementation of adaptive audio theories, real-time mixing, and middleware. Topics build on previous sound-design and composition courses. Students will work both individually and as a team. This course deepens the preparation of students for entry-level work in sound design and music at a game development company or as a freelance professional.
Prerequisites: GAME 245 and GAME 250
Anticipated Terms Offered: Varies
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GAME 298 - Career Internship
A junior or senior student may pursue an internship with a company in which the student can apply his/her academic design/development experience to the professional working environment. The student intern works under the supervision and guidance of a faculty member in partnership with the company supervisor. Students may get credit for this course multiple times but may not get credit for more than two (2) instances from the same company. This course may not be used as a substitute for GAME 255.
Prerequisites: GAME 255
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GAME 299 - Directed Study
Undergraduates, typically juniors & seniors, construct an independent study course on a topic approved & directed by a faculty member. May be repeatable for credit.
Anticipated Terms Offered: as needed
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GART 100 - Principles of Drawing for Games
Principles of Drawing for Games is an introductory studio course that teaches students the basics of drawing. This course will focus on a wide range of drawing exercises using a variety of drawing tools. Students will work in black and white and color, drawing from still life and photographs. They will develop their own sense of composition, and discover the illusion of three dimensions by using shading and perspective. Students will develop the skills of handson observational drawing as well as create constructive concepts that deal with simple volumes in space.
Course Designation/Attribute: AP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
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GART 105 - Drawing Studio: Systems and Techniques
This course provides a survey of the major systems of linear expression. Through group projects in class and homework, students experiment with drawing styles. Each style will be examined through stylistic origin and historic context through research, application and discussion. The students will be encouraged to explore different styles, focusing on one that appeals to their sensibilities.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GART 110 - Painting Studio
Through twelve projects in acrylic paints, students will explore their own sense of beauty and visual expression. Some projects concentrate on pure visual structure, some on emotional expression, and some on image making (landscapes, faces, still life). Realism and “drawing ability” are irrelevant, and students can enter the course at any level, from beginner to advanced.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GART 210 - Drawing II
This course is a follow-up studio course that continues to solidify and expand the basic drawing concepts that students explored in GART 100 Principles of Drawing. The student will be working with wet media techniques (watercolors, oils, markers) as they develop their drawing, and painting techniques in creating 2D objects and more complex subject matter. Students also learn the relationship of plain objects, figures and animals, and their relationship to an environment or composition.
Prerequisites: GART 100 - Principles of Drawing for Games or ARTS 100 - Visual Studies: 2D Design and Color or ARTS 102 - Drawing: Eye, Mind, Hand
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GART 225 - Cartooning Basics
This course is an introduction to the basic principles of cartooning. Students will learn the essential components of cartooning, ranging from initial concept to finished cartoon. The history of the cartoon will be covered, along with its contemporary application. Cartoon genres will include caricatures, “Funnies”, single panel (including political cartoons), and Manga/Anime style drawing. Student will work to develop their own cartoon style while learning to use a variety of media such as pen and ink, marker and watercolor. Digital techniques, including the use of the computer, will be researched and explored.
Prerequisites: GART 100 - Principles of Drawing for Games or ARTS 100 - Visual Studies: 2D Design and Color or ARTS 102 - Drawing: Eye, Mind, Hand
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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GART 235 - Life Drawing for Games
The students will enhance their drawing skills by drawing the human figure using live models. Students will study proportion, light and shade, simple anatomy of the human form, and develop a basic understanding of the human figure in action and in motion.
Prerequisites:
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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