The University of Texas at Austin’s Game Development and Design (GDAD) Program has expanded its curriculum to encompass the continuing advances of the digital interactive and immersive media industry. Below is a guide for what each student learns in their respective departments — Arts and Entertainment Technologies (AET), Computer Science (CS), or Radio-Television-Film (RTF) — that ultimately allows them to contribute their specialized knowledge in the creation of 2D and 3D games and/or engaging and immersive applications.
Classes focused specifically on game design are offered by AET, coursework in coding for games and visualization are offered by CS, and courses offered by RTF center on narrative design, cinematic arts, and emergent media. Under this joint endeavor, complementary minor programs and concentrations are exclusively offered by all three departments to provide a broad and comprehensive curriculum that blends instruction in computer science, media, and design.
Across All Departments: Game Development Capstone
The Game Development Capstone course is offered across all three departments and meets together in one classroom. The 2D Capstone is offered in the Fall semester and the 3D Capstone is offered in the Spring semester. Course numbers for each department are as follows:
Arts and Entertainment Technologies: AET 376 (2D) and AET 377 (3D)
Computer Science: CS 354S (2D) and CS 354T (3D)
Radio-Television-Film: RTF 344T (2D & 3D)
For more information, go to Capstone.
Other Curriculum
The University of Texas at Austin also offers many other courses in areas that might be of particular relevance to students interested in the Game Development and Design Program. These courses are complementary to the Game Development and Design Program and can be taken concurrently.
- For students interested in learning user interfaces, usability, and user experience, the School of Design and Creative Technologies offers design thinking courses (a la carte for students of any major), the School of Information offers a Minor in Informatics (12 credit hours) with a concentration in user experience design, and the Bridging Disciplines Program offers a certificate (19 credit hours) in Design Strategies.
- For students who are not in the Department of Computer Science but are interested in learning programming, the department offers an Elements of Computing Certificate.
- For students who are not in the Department of Arts and Entertainment Technologies but are interested in a broader understanding of digital media creation, the Bridging Disciplines Program offers a certificate in Digital Art and Media. Students in the Bridging Disciplines Program with an adequate understanding of digital media will be eligible to apply to the Capstone Course and gain a “Game Development” emphasis certificate.