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Game Studies and eSports

University of Delaware students compete online at the opening ceremony of the new Esports Arena in the Perkins Student Center.
Members of the University of Delaware's Overwatch student team practice gaming in UD’s Esports Arena found in the Perkins Student Center.

Achievements Unlocked

The University of Delaware's Bachelor of Arts in Game Studies and eSports prepares majors for excellence in a broad range of careers in the video game industry and related fields. Today's video game developers and publishers aren't just looking for qualified programmers and designers, they need well-balanced experts in cultural awareness, marketing, management, education, communication, law and health. Meanwhile, the surging popularity of eSports, live streaming and indie game development shows how global game culture continues to grow and diversify in the 21st century.

UD's Game Studies and eSports degree provides graduates with a rigorous interdisciplinary background, unlocking the myriad skills that will allow them to conquer the challenges the video game industry faces every day.

The program features an internship, a Capstone experience and six core courses: Introduction to Art and Design for Games, Introduction to Programming in Games, Introduction to Game Development, Introduction to Writing for Games, Introduction to Game Studies and Introduction to eSport Management. In addition to the core curriculum above, majors complete five of the Focus Area Courses (15 credits), with at least three courses from the same focus area and at least two courses at the 400 level. After required courses are completed, sufficient elective credits must be taken to meet the minimum credit requirement for the degree with credits to total a minimum of 124.

AREAS OF STUDY

  • Games, Culture and Society
  • Game Design and Development
  • Game Industry and eSport Management

CAREER OPTIONS

  • AI Programmer
  • Animator
  • Art Director
  • Audio Engineer
  • Character or Environment Artist
  • eSports Agent, Analyst, Coach Host or Team Manager
  • Game Designer, Developer or Programmer
  • Narrative Designer
  • Software Engineer

 

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

  • Computer Science
  • Computing and Digital Media
  • Digital Media and Electronic Art
  • Experience Design
  • Game Development and Studies
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Interactive Entertainment
  • Software Development

What's special about this program?

The University of Delaware’s Game Studies and eSports major can be personalized to fit the academic and professional interests of each student, with three distinct courses of study — Games, Culture and Society, Game Design and Development and Game Industry and eSport Management. The major features six core courses unique to the program in Game Studies and eSports, a hands-on internship and a senior capstone experience in which students complete individual and collaborative game development projects. This major is unique from other programs in game design and development in particular because of its interdisciplinary focus — students can choose courses not only in Art and Design or Computer and Information Sciences, but also in nine departments and programs across three colleges, including English, Music, Sports Management, Business Administration, Marketing and Languages, Literatures and Cultures.

UD’s Game Studies graduates gain a thorough knowledge of the many facets of the game development process, as well as an understanding of how games are distributed, received and interpreted by popular and critical audiences. The range and balance of this unique major prepares students for successful careers in a field that is rapidly growing and diversifying. 

Get involved

Blue Hen eSports Competition

UD eSports Arena

Casual Video Game Club (UD RSO)

Video Game Tournament Club (UD RSO)

8-Bit Orchestra (UD RSO)

UD Library Video Game Collection & Virtual Reality Studio

Game Studies Minor

Sample Curriculum #1

FOCUS AREA: GAMES, CULTURE AND SOCIETY

TOTAL CREDITS: 124-126

FALL

COURSE
 

CREDITS

 

GAME201 Intro to Game Studies

3

 

ENGL110 Seminar in Composition

3

 

LANG105 Foreign Language Requirement (1/3)

4

 

CISC104 Intro to Programming for Games

3

 

FYE First Year Experience

1

 

MATHXXX Mathematics Requirement

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 17

 

SPRING

COURSE  

CREDITS

 

ART200 Intro to Art and Design for Games

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group A: Creative Arts and Humanities

 

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group D: Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology (w/lab)

4

 

SPTM211 Intro to eSports and eSport Management

3

 

LANG106 Foreign Language Requirement (2/3)

4

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 17

 

FALL

COURSE
 

CREDITS

 

CISC204 Intro to Game Development

3

 

GAME351 Videogames and Japan (Multicultural)

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group B: History and Cultural Change

 

3

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group C: Social and Behavioral Sciences

 

3

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group D: Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology (w/lab)

 

4
   

TOTAL CREDITS: 16

 

SPRING

COURSE  

CREDITS

 

ENGL220 Intro to Writing for Games 

3

 

ENGL215 Intro to Ethnic and Cultural Studies

3

 

University Breadth Requirement  

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group A: Creative Arts and Humanities

 

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group D: Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology (w/lab)

 

4

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 16

 

FALL

COURSE  

CREDITS

 

ENGL278 Studies in Diversity

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group A: Creative Arts and Humanities

 

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group C: Social and Behavioral Sciences

 

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

 

3

 

COMM206

 

Sex, Violence and the Media

 

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 15

 

SPRING

COURSE
 

CREDITS

 

BUAD301

 

Intro to Marketing

 

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

University Breadth Requirement  

3

 

University Breadth Requirement Group B: History and Cultural Change

3

 

University Breadth Requirement Group C: Social and Behavioral Sciences

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 15

 

FALL

COURSE  

CREDITS

 

ENGL416 Designing Online Information

3

 

GAME401 Internship

1-3

 

University Breadth Requirement Group C: Social and Behavioral Sciences

3

 

University Breadth Requirement Group B: History and Cultural Change

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 13-15

 

SPRING

COURSE
 

CREDITS

 

GAME490 Capstone Seminar (Second Writing Requirement)

3

 

BUAD473 Consumer Behavior

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 15

 

Sample Curriculum #2

FOCUS AREA: GAME DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

TOTAL CREDITS: 124-126

FALL

COURSE  

CREDITS

 

GAME201 Intro to Game Studies

3

 

ENGL110 Seminar in Composition

3

 

MATHXXX Mathematics Requirement

3

 

LANG105 Foreign Language Requirement (1/3)

4

 

CISC104 Intro to Programming in Games

3

 

FYE First Year Experience

1

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 17

 

SPRING

COURSE   CREDITS
ART200 Intro to Art and Design for Games

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group A: Creative Arts and Humanities

 

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group D: Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology (w/lab)

 

4

 

SPTM211 Intro to eSport Management

3

 

LANG106 Foreign Language Requirement (2/3)

4

 

    TOTAL CREDITS: 17

FALL

COURSE
 

CREDITS

 

CISC204 Intro to Game Design and Development

3

 

GAME352 Videogames and Latin America (Multicultural)

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group B: History and Cultural Change

 

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group C: Social and Behavioral Sciences

 

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group D: Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology (w/lab)

 

4

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 16

 

SPRING

COURSE  

CREDITS

 

ENGL220 Intro to Writing for Games

3

 

ART209 Core Design

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

 

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group A: Creative Arts and Humanities

 

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group D: Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology (w/lab)

 

4

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 16

 

FALL

COURSE  

CREDITS

 

CISC374 Educational Game Design

3

 

MUSC105 Fundamentals of Music

3

 

University Breadth Requirement  

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group A: Creative Arts and Humanities

 

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group C: Social and Behavioral Sciences

 

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 15

 

SPRING

COURSE  

CREDITS

 

MUSC334 Intro to Creative Sound Design

3

 

University Breadth Requirement  

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group B: History and Cultural Change

 

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group C: Social and Behavioral Sciences

 

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 15

 

FALL

COURSE   CREDITS
ART407 Topics in Art and Technology

3

 

GAME401 Internship

1-3

 

University Breadth Requirement Group B: History and Cultural Change

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group C: Social and Behavioral Sciences

 

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 13-15

 

SPRING

COURSE  

CREDITS

 

GAME490 Capstone Seminar (Second Writing Requirement)

3

 

ENGL416 Designing Online Information

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 15

 

Sample Curriculum #3

FOCUS AREA: GAME INDUSTRY AND ESPORT MANAGEMENT

TOTAL CREDITS: 124-126

FALL

COURSE  

CREDITS

 

GAME201 Intro to Game Studies

3

 

ENGL110 Seminar in Composition

3

 

LANG105 Foreign Language Requirement (1/3)

4

 

CISC104 Intro to Programming in Games

3

 

FYE First Year Experience

1

 

MATHXXX Mathematics Requirement

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 17

 

SPRING

COURSE  

CREDITS

 

ART200 Intro to Art and Design for Games

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group A: Creative Arts and Humanities

3

 

SPTM211 Intro to eSport Management

3

 

LANG106 Foreign Language Requirement (2/3)

4

 

University Breadth Requirement Group D: Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology (w/lab)

4

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 17

 

FALL

COURSE
 

CREDITS

 

CISC204 Intro to Game Development

3

 

GAME351 Videogames and Japan (Multicultural)

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group B: History and Cultural Change

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group C: Social and Behavioral Sciences

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group D: Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology (w/lab)

4

 

    TOTAL CREDITS: 16

SPRING

COURSE
 

CREDITS

 

ENGL220 Intro to Writing for Games 

3

 

BUAD301 Intro to Marketing

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group A: Creative Arts and Humanities

3

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

Group D: Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology (w/lab)

4

 

University Breadth Requirement

 

 

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 16

 

FALL

COURSE
 

CREDITS

 

SPTM315 Legal Aspects of Sport Management

3

 

University Breadth Requirement  

3

 

University Breadth Requirement Group A: Creative Arts and Humanities

3

 

University Breadth Requirement Group C: Social and Behavioral Sciences

3

 

ELEC

 

Free Elective 3
   

TOTAL CREDITS: 15

 

SPRING

COURSE  

CREDITS

 

University Breadth Requirement  

3

 

University Breadth Requirement Group B: History and Cultural Change

3

 

University Breadth Requirement Group C: Social and Behavioral Sciences

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 15

 

FALL

COURSE  

CREDITS

 

SPTM417 Sport Marketing

3

 

BUAD473 Consumer Behavior

3

 

GAME401 Internship

1-3

 

University Breadth Requirement Group B: History and Cultural Change

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 13-15

 

SPRING

COURSE

 

 

CREDITS

 

GAME490 Capstone Seminar (Second Writing Requirement)

3

 

SPTM419 Ethics & Issues in Sport Management

3

 

University Breadth Requirement Group C: Social and Behavioral Sciences

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

ELEC Free Elective

3

 

   

TOTAL CREDITS: 15

 

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This major is eligible for the following programs:

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