Undergraduate Catalog 2025-2026

Game Design, Certificate (1761)


Program Coordinator

Kristina E. Arnold, kristina.arnold@wku.edu, (270) 745-3944

Program Requirements (21 hours)

Game Design is an interdisciplinary certificate including departments from PCAL and OCSE. It is open to all students with an interest in computer game design.
 
Students who successfully complete the certificate will:
  • Work in an interdisciplinary team to design and build a functioning game.
  • Demonstrate practical skills in at least one industry-standard programming language.
  • Explore at least one industry-standard game design engine.
  • Demonstrate the ability to successfully use the elements and principles of design to visually communicate ideas.
  • Demonstrate logical thinking, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving.
This 7-course, 21-hour Game Design Certificate includes one introductory course (GAME 200), two foundations-level animation courses (ANIM 210 and ANIM 220), an interactive design course (UX 330), a capstone course (GAME 400) and two restricted electives. For their elective courses, students can either select functional coursework in Computer Science (CS 290 and CS 301) or design and development coursework in Art & Design (UX 340 and GAME 302).
 
Required Courses (15 hours)
GAME 200The Theory, History, and Practice of Game Design3
ANIM 210Introduction to Computer Animation3
ANIM 2203D Modeling I: Environment3
UX 330User Interface Design3
GAME 400Game Design & Development Capstone3
Select one of the following coding courses (3 - 4 hours)
CS 290Computer Science II3-4
or UX 340 Introduction to Developing and Prototyping for Interactive Design
Select one course from the following game development courses (3 hours)
CS 301Game Programming3
or GAME 302 Game Design and Development
Total Hours21-22