DigiPen To Offer BA, BS Degrees In Game Design

DigiPen Institute of Technology, a learning institution in Redmond, Wash., that offers game development programs, has announced it is adding two game design bachelors degree programs. The programs, which are planned to commence in the fall 2008 term, are a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science in game design. Admissions are currently being accepted for fall 2008 matriculation. "Both of our new programs offer education in level design and game play design. Additionally, each of the two game design programs focuses on either programming or art," said Jen Sward, current chair of the game software design and production department and lead developer of the programs. "We developed the curriculum based on the goal of creating great game level designers who are also capable programmers and environmental artists. The combination of those skills makes a graduate very versatile in our industry. "We worked very closely with current industry designers, discussing the needs of graduates and the hiring requirements they have," Sward said. "We felt strongly that designers need to have additional skills beyond straight game mechanics or story telling. Designers need to be able to code or script events or artificial intelligence, place and tune enemies, tune weapons or other entities within the game. On the other hand, designers can also be more artistically inclined, in which case they need skills in texturing, creating urban, rural, fantastical or science fiction environments. To achieve this, we created the two programs: the BSGD which has a high programming and technology component, and the BAGD which has a high artistic and architecture component." The two new programs focus primarily on educating future level designers. Additionally, beginning this September DigiPen students will be utilizing Nintendo Wii and DS development systems that the school received from Nintendo.