PROGRAM PROPOSAL BRIEF NEW MULTIDISCIPLINARY UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM Computer Game (GAME) Dual Credential BA (Honours) Game Design/Advanced Diploma Game Development BSC (Honours) Game Programming/Advanced Diploma Game Development Brock University Centre for Digital Humanities (Interactive Arts and Science) Department of Computer Science Niagara College Game Development March 2013
Table of Contents Introduction 3 10.4. Supervision of experiential learning opportunities 31 1. Objectives 3 10.5. Role of adjunct and part- time faculty 31 1.1. Consistency with Brock mission and academic plans 2 11. Quality and Other Indicators 32 1.2. Appropriateness of program requirements. 4 11.1 Quality of the Faculty 33 1.3. Program learning outcomes. 4 11.1a) Instructor Qualification and Teaching Assignments 34 1.4. Course learning outcomes 7 11.1b) Contributions by Instructors to IASC, COSC, Other 36 1.5. Degree nomenclature 8 11.1c) Intellectual Contributions 37 2. Admissions Requirements.. 9 11.1d) Research Grants & Contracts (External) 38 3. Program Structure. 9 11.13) Research Grans & Contracts (Internal) 41 3.1. Program requirements for BA Game Design.. 10 11.2 Program Structure & Faculty Expertise 42 3.2. Program requirements for BA Game Programming 12 Appendices 4. Program Content 14 A. Draft Articulation Agreement 44 4.1. Curriculum.. 14 B. Mapping of Program to UDLES& MTCU Program Goals 4.2. Curricular Innovations. 15 B1. BA Game Design 45 5. Modes of Delivery. 16 B2. BSc Game Programming 48 5.1. Modes of delivery mapped to degree level expectations 16 C. Calendar Entry 51 6. Assessment of Teaching and Learning 18 D. Student Demand 6.1. Mapped to delivery & degree level expectations 19 D1. Excerpt from IASC student & alumni survey, 2012 68 7. Student Demand 21 D2. Letter, Anthony Basciano 70 7.1. Anticipated student numbers.. 22 E. Ontario College and University Game Related Programs 72 7.2. Scalability 23 F. Resources 7.3. Sustainability 23 F1. Projected GAME program expenses 76 8. Societal Need 23 F2. Projected GAME program revenues 77 8.1. Significance of Games. 23 G. Consultations and Endorsements 8.2. Availability of work in the field. 24 G1. Certification, Brock University, Dean, Humanities.. 78 8.3. Context of similar or related programs in Ontario 26 G2. Certification, Brock University, Dean, Math & Science 79 9. Resources 26 G3. Certification, Niagara College, Dean, Environment, Media & Technology 9.1. Adequacy of Resources 26 G4. Consultation, Library 82 10. Resource Planning 28 G5. Consultation, ITS 83 10.1. Courses and anticipated class sizes 28 G6. Consultation Registrar.. 72 10.2. Faculty Qualifications 29 G7. Consultation, Programs & Departments.. 87 10.3. Anticipated new resources 30 G8. Endorsement, ngen. 93 H. Faculty Quality Faculty CVs 95 80 2
Introduction This document proposes a new academic program in Computer Games (GAME) that integrates study at Brock University in Interactive Arts and Science (IASC), Computer Science (COSC) with concurrent study at Niagara College Game Development (BTGD). Students completing this program will earn a BA (honours) Game Design or a BSc (honours) Game Programming as well as an Advanced Diploma in Game Development from Niagara College. The GAME program will be a Brock University cross- disciplinary undergraduate program that draws upon and relates many knowledge domains from multiple faculties at Brock. It will join skills and practice with concepts and discourses in a carefully sequenced curriculum specifically related to the understanding and production of games and comprised of courses at Niagara College and at Brock University. Moreover, this program will effectively leverage existing infrastructure, technology and learning resources. Brock University and its students, as well as the community of Niagara will find the GAME program places them in the vanguard of a rapidly evolving expressive form that occupies a significant place within the landscape of contemporary culture. Not only is the digital game widely viewed as both a creative and an entertainment medium, it is the subject of scholarship; studied as a mode of cultural production and creative artifact for its formal aspects and discursive potentials 1. The game industry is an international economic juggernaut. In Canada, this sector grew by 11% between 2009 and 2011 and in that year was estimated to be worth $1.7 billion to our economy. The Canadian industry is expected to grow by 17% per annum over the next two years 2. Our partners in the Niagara Region have identified interactive media a major driver of the local economy and have initiated an economic cluster that is retaining and attracting talent, entrepreneurship and content producers to the region. 3 The GAME program, aimed at preparing students in the diverse capabilities necessary for the production of games, is seen as a necessary component of strategy to transform Niagara into an innovation hub. 1. Objectives Graduates of the proposed GAME program will understand and be experienced in the diverse conceptual, creative and practical frameworks within which computer games reside and are produced. They will be capable of critical, procedural and technical evaluation of game expressions and their contexts. Each student will develop specialized understanding and practical capacities related to chosen aspects of the domain such as game art, design and/or programming which they will demonstrate through rigorous critical and methodological analysis and prototyping of games and in a portfolio of work produced in the program. Students will have in- depth experience of the full production processes for games including collaboration, teamwork, leadership and reflection. 1.1 Consistency with Brock mission and academic plans 1 Wolf, Mark J.P. The Medium of the Video Game. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2002. Print. 2 Secor Consulting. Canada s Entertainment Software Industry in 2011. Theesa.ca, May 30, 2011. Web. http://www.theesa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/secor_esac_report_eng_2011.pdf 2 Secor Consulting. Canada s Entertainment Software Industry in 2011. Theesa.ca, May 30, 2011. Web. http://www.theesa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/secor_esac_report_eng_2011.pdf 3 Navigating our Future: Niagara s Economic Growth Strategy, 2009-2012. Niagara Economic Development Corporation, Niagara Region. http://www.niagaracanada.com/linkclick.aspx?fileticket=fkh4pmjgz2m%3d&tabid=73. p.10-1 3
This initiative will advance Brock University s commitment to innovation and the provision of unique student experiences in which knowledge is pursued through a diversity of perspectives and approaches and in which students and faculty are trail- blazing an emerging field that demands engagement across many disciplines. This new dual credential program in games represents a new level of relationship between Brock and Niagara College through concurrent student learning at both institutions where technical and academic resources can be more effectively shared and distributed. The GAME program will contribute to Brock s aim to be a preferred place to work and study by providing a four- year BA and BSc program coupled with an Advanced Diploma in a domain that is attractive to ambitious students who wish to address real- world problems that have currency in today s culture and economy. Students in the GAME program will be diversely prepared to work in a multi- faceted field where breadth and depth of knowledge, hands- on experience, collaboration and self- direction prepare them to become producers of paradigm- shifting cultural expressions. Such a program will encourage appropriate partnerships with industry, and solidify the University s ongoing relationship with ngen and Generator at One which hosts a world- class array of technology resources, and supports business development and access to the industry across Ontario. 1.2 Appropriateness of program requirements The GAME Program has been designed to address breadth and depth in the widely diverse knowledge and experience necessary for the creation of games. The curriculum is distinctive for the value it places on linking understanding across disciplines (the arts, media production; game studies, narrative, communications studies, programming, project management); making connections between theory and practice; constant evaluation of emerging technologies and practices; and the role of foresight. This program is predicated on the tight coupling of knowledge acquisition with hands- on practice in projects that require the participation of diversely prepared and talented students. It appreciates the work students can accomplish in a College setting especially where it is informed by an understanding of precedents, contexts and critical methodology. The GAME program will enable a cohort of students at Brock University and Niagara College to advance their knowledge of games while sharing courses and collaborating on projects. The GAME program, in whole and in parts, meets the Undergraduate Degree Level Expectations (UDLEs) as shown in the mapping provided in the following table as well as in in Appendix B1 and B2. The requirements of this program reflect a careful assessment of the learning objectives for the program and for all courses as they pertain to breadth and depth of knowledge, knowledge of methodologies, application of knowledge, communication skills, appreciation of the limits of knowledge and values related to individual responsibility and changing contexts as well as the MTCU Program Goals for Game Development. 1.3 GAME Program Learning Outcomes Brock University UDLEs A graduate of Brock University will be able to demonstrate 1. Depth and Breadth of Knowledge GAME Program Outcomes - BA At the end of this program, the successful student will be able to - Define and analyze the essential characteristics of play, games and narrative GAME Program Outcomes - BSc At the end of this program, the successful student will be able to Define and analyze the essential characteristics of play, games and narrative 4
a) General knowledge of key concepts b) Broad understanding of major fields c) Ability to gather and interpret information d) Detailed knowledge in an area of the discipline e) Critical thinking and analytical skills g) Apply learning from outside discipline - Differentiate among game genres, game purposes and design methods - Examine and generalize from theory and discourse related to games and other media - Relate historical and contemporary notions of games and related media - Assess social and cultural impacts of games and other interactive media - Understand economic and business dimensions of games - Demonstrate detailed knowledge of formal concepts, production methods and tools related to digital imaging, multimedia, interface design, 3D modeling, animation, cinematics and cutscenes, visual effects, sound design, level design and scripting. - Apply critical thinking in the analysis of conceptual and creative frameworks in computing, the arts and media - Differentiate among game genres, game purposes and design methods - Examine and generalize from theory and discourse related to games and other media - Relate historical and contemporary notions of games and related media - Assess social and cultural impacts of games and other interactive media - Understand economic and business dimensions of games - Demonstrate fluency with basic concepts, production methods and tools related to digital imaging, multimedia, 3D modeling, animation, level design and scripting. - Demonstrate detailed knowledge of algorithms, data structures, organization & architecture, databases, mathematics, operating systems, networking, programming languages, social & professional issues and software engineering to the development of games 2. Knowledge of Methodologies Apply methods of inquiry to: a) evaluate different approaches - Select optimal research sources and methods with which to examine and analyze games of all types, and place these within social, cultural and creative frameworks - Interpret game, play and narrative structures and patterns as well as their uses and effects - Select appropriate research sources and methods for the examination and analysis of games of within social, cultural and creative frameworks - Analyze and solve problems in design and mobilization of game assets using varied computational approaches 5
b) use these methods to devise and sustain arguments or solve problems 3. Application of Knowledge Review, present and interpret information in order to: a) develop lines of argument b) make sound arguments Use technologies: a) analyze information b) evaluate the appropriateness of approaches to solving problems c) propose solutions d) make use of scholarly sources 4. Communication Skills Communicate accurately and reliably, orally and in writing to a range of audiences. 5. Awareness of Limits of Knowledge - Integrate diverse concepts for the purpose of devising new forms of expression. - Evaluate production methods, processes and strategies - Choose game design strategies and patterns based on an analysis of past and present practices - Devise unique game concepts, narratives, design patterns, mechanics and dynamics relevant to varied purposes and audiences - Apply diverse prototyping methods Test and evaluate game concepts and mechanics - Contribute to the creation of games on varied platforms through competent use of appropriate arts and technologies - Select and apply effective pre- production and production methods (narration, design, asset creation, assembly) and software tools - Articulate complex ideas, arguments, and concepts in oral presentations and in writing reports including game treatments and comprehensive design documentation - Produce informed and inspired creative expression in the diverse framework of games - Experiment with, test and evaluate of concepts in games in relation to other disciplines and practices to discover its capacities and limitations - Design, implement, test and maintain game software for open- ended problems with evaluation based on predefined criteria considering safety, economic, cultural and societal issues - Identify and apply appropriate resources including techniques and computing tools - Apply diverse prototyping methods Test and debug game mechanics - Contribute to the creation of games on varied platforms through programming and implementation of 2D and 3D game engines, engineering of intelligent and graphics systems - Articulate complex ideas, arguments, and concepts in oral presentations and in writing reports including comprehensive technical specifications and documentation - produce well structured and documented programming for games - Experiment with, test and evaluate of concepts in game programming in relation to other disciplines and practices to discover its capacities and 6
Understand limits to own knowledge and how this might influence their analyses and interpretation 6. Autonomy and Professional Capacity Qualities and transferrable skills for further use: a) exercise of personal responsibility b) working effectively with others c) ability to identify and address own personal needs d) behavior consistent with academic integrity and social responsibility - Recognize that games are rapidly transformed in unpredictable ways - maintain commitment to research and inquiry in support of independent learning to expand new knowledge in a constantly evolving field - Work independently and collaboratively within a team in a variety of roles - Define work commitments and meet production deadlines - interact respectfully with peers - provide leadership in areas of individual specialization - Reflect upon the results of practice to generate insights into future conceptual and technical options and their iterations - Adhere to the spirit of professional codes of conduct, (such as IGDA) with respect to legal, ethical, societal, environmental, health, safety, legal and cultural issues limitations - Recognize that games and related computational methods are rapidly transformed in unpredictable ways - Maintain commitment to research and inquiry in support of independent learning to expand new knowledge in a constantly evolving field - Work independently and collaboratively within a team in a variety of roles - Define work commitments and meet production deadlines - interact respectfully with peers - provide leadership in areas of individual specialization - Reflect upon the results of practice to generate insights into future conceptual and technical options and their iterations - Adhere to the spirit of professional codes of conduct, (such as IGDA, CIPS, ACM) with respect to legal, ethical, societal, environmental, health, safety, legal and cultural issues 1.4 GAME Course Learning Outcomes Learning outcomes in the BA and BSc GAME program are framed by the theoretical knowledge and practical skills that students will acquire in IASC, COSC and related, cross- listed courses. The course bank for each of the BA and BSc programs contains more than 30 courses including those offered at Niagara College. Based on a detailed content analysis of learning outcomes, learning activities/ experience, and topics expressed in course outlines and syllabi, the word clouds below provide a useful visualization of the nature of learning and undergraduate outcomes for the GAME program as a whole. Clearly, the study and analysis of games and the methodologies that underlie their making are central to both the BA and BSc. These align with the GAME Program Objectives, learning outcomes as well as with the Brock UDLEs, which identify critical, analytical and communication skills among others. As 7
mentioned above, Appendix B1 and B2 provide a map of learning outcomes as they relate to both the UDLEs and the MTCU College program goals. Word Cloud Diagram of GAME BA Undergraduate Outcomes Word Cloud Diagram of GAME BSc Undergraduate Outcomes 1.5 Degree nomenclature The proposed Computer Game program is clearly identified as pertaining specifically to what is variously called video games, digital games, computer games or just plain games. We have chosen computer games for the fact that the object of study is games that are computationally conceived and generated. Moreover, since this new program is a collaboration between the Department of Computer Science and Centre for Digital Humanities - Interactive Arts and Science program, identification of the new program as Computer Games signifies the linkage between these two units. The BA (honours) Game Design nomenclature is consistent with terminology in the field, which locates game aesthetics, character and environment design, narrative, and dynamics of play within the framework of game design. The BSc (honours) Game Programming distinguishes this degree from the more general BSc degrees in Computer Science. It further 8
signifies that this degree relates specifically to the computational and programming aspects of game development rather than broader aspects of the field of Computer Science. 2. Admission Requirements Academic Requirements: BA Game Design - Required six 4U or 4M level subjects including English 4U. Strongly recommended subjects: One from 4U history, 4U philosophy, 4U classical studies, or 4U international language. ASM4M (Media Arts), AVI4M (Visual Arts) ADA4M (Drama) ICS3C (Computer Programming) would strongly benefit GAME BA Game Design applicants. BSc Game Programming Required 4U Subjects: English (ENG4U), Advanced Functions (MHF4U) (min.70%) or Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U) (min.70%). Strongly recommended subject: Computer and Information Sciences (ICS4M) Portfolio Requirements: Applicants to the GAME program will be required to submit an online portfolio of creative work, which may include sample artwork as well as examples of programming, scripts or documentation of any media development process. We propose that portfolios and academic records be considered equally when evaluating an applicant for admission to the program. The structure and curriculum of both degrees assumes no prior knowledge of game development and seeks to systematically build knowledge, understanding of the field through a carefully sequenced set of practical and theoretical courses that integrate research and experience. The inclusion of a portfolio requirement will allow the program to assess the initiative and level of creativity of applicants to the program. It will further allow the program to assess the communication skills, ability to select, order and define the relevance of past creative work of applicants. This combination of academic requirements and portfolio will enable the program to attract students with diverse interests and educational as well as creative backgrounds. 3. Program Structure The GAME program aims to balance the acquisition of knowledge and skill with the development of understanding in support of inquiry as well as creation. The BA and BSc streams, while distinct in the knowledge domains and methods of analysis their students explore, lay considerable emphasis on application of knowledge both in terms of critical evaluation of information and ideas and in terms of devising solutions to design challenges related to interactive games. All GAME students will learn concepts and skills related to production. They leverage scholarship and practical understanding within group projects that model initiative, responsibility and accountability. All GAME students explore conceptual frameworks that surround games and interactive media more generally, enabling students whether focused on game design or game programming - to bring a wide range of concepts, principles and analytical tools to bear on the evaluation of and the making of games. This program combines concurrent learning at Niagara College and Brock University. The BA and BSc Degree programs include courses that currently exist in the Niagara College Game Development Program as well as new courses developed at the College for the BA or BSc program. While these courses generally feature skills and tools, they also expose students to a wide array of concepts pertaining to design, production and process in a context of making and building. 9
At the same time, the GAME program also includes new and currently existing courses at Brock in IASC, COSC and other contributing programs in which students pursue domain knowledge, research and critical methodologies in the examination and analysis of diverse theoretical and discursive frameworks connected to games. The GAME BA and BSc degree streams will share a common series of game studies courses designed specifically for this program and offered through IASC. These courses focus on media literacy and context as well as the history, conceptual frameworks and discourses associated with games. Students in the GAME program will also share a progressive sequence of team- based game production courses during each of the second, third and fourth years of the BA and BSc programs. Thus, the GAME program will engage a cohort of students who come together around the study of and creation of games while they simultaneously pursue specialized knowledge that can be applied to games and other media artifacts. The two degrees offer distinct conceptual orientations. The BA (Honours) Game Design is focused on the art, design, production and content creation associated with computer games. Students in this degree program will study in a variety of disciplines including visual arts, arts and culture, dramatic arts, communications, film and popular culture, and applied computing at Brock and in Game Development at Niagara College. The BSc (Honours) Game Programming is focused on the computational and functional aspects of games. Students in this degree program will study at Brock in the disciplines of computer science, mathematics, physics, communications, film and popular culture as well as in the Game Development program at Niagara College. A proposed Brock University Calendar entry for the GAME program can be found in Appendix C. 3.1 Program Requirements BA Game Design/Advanced Diploma Game Development Courses offered at Brock University Year 1 Fall Term GAME/IASC 1P04 New Media and Games LS.5 BTGD 9114 Intro to Multimedia COMM 1F90 Intro to Communications & Media Studies GAME/APCO 1P00 Intro to Media Computation Advanced Diploma/BA Game Design 3 hrs Technologies LS.5 BTGD 9102 Digital Graphics I 3 hrs LL Year 1 Winter Term GAME/IASC 1P05 Games, Genres, Aesthetics LS.5 BTGD 9910 Intermediate Multimedia Technologies COMM 1F90 Intro to Communications & LS.5 BTGD 9112 Digital Graphics II 3 hrs Media Studies GAME/IASC 1P06 Evolution of Storytelling LS.5 Year 2 Fall Term GAME/IASC 2P04 Gameplay Ludology LS.5 BTGD 9101 Database Essentials 3 hrs GAME/VISA 2P99 Sound Design LL.5 BTGD 9110 3D Modeling Animation I 3 hrs.5 Courses offered at Niagara College 3 hrs BTGD 9204 Rapid Game Development I Year 2 Winter Term 5 hrs 10
GAME/IASC 2P05 Game Design Paradigms L.5 BTDG 9920 Project Management 3 hrs S GAME/VISA 2P97 Digital Video Art LL.5 BTGD 9930 Modeling & Animation II 3 hrs BTGD 9214 Rapid Game Development II 5 hrs Year 3 Fall Term GAME/IASC 3P04 Immersion & Simulation LS.5 GAME/APCO 1P50 Integrity and literacy in LS.5 Digital Age GAME/IASC 3F91 Innovations in Adv. Digital S.5 Media COMM 2P90 Computer Mediate LS.5 Communications or STAC 3P14 Dramatic Creation S BTGD 9302 Development Project I Year 3 Winter Term GAME/IASC 3P05 Game Analysis and LS.5 BTGD 9311 Business of Gaming 3 hrs Platforms GAME/IASC 3F91 Innovations in Adv. Digital S.5 Media COMM 2P91 Social Media, Reading/Writing LS.5 New Spaces or VISA 3P10 Extended Video LL BTGD 9312 Development Project II 9 hrs Year 4 GAME IASC 4P01 Research & Development S.5 9 hrs GAME IASC 4F00 Team Based Game Production Practicum Select 2 credits from: GAME 3P95 Internship in Interactive Media GAME 3P99 Directed Project GAME/IASC 3F90 Survey of Humanities Computing GAME/VISA 3F96 Interdisciplinary Workshop DART 3F61 Theatre Design DART 3P92 Scriptwriting, Select 1.5 credits from: GAME 3P98 Directed Reading COMM/IASC 3P26 Social Political Aspects of Gaming COMM 3P90 Advanced Topics in Digital Media IASC/EDUC 3P62 Video Games in the Classroom IASC/COMM 3P92 Technology & Culture STAC 3P97 Appropriation in Arts and Culture STAC 3P98 Reporting Arts and Culture STAC 4P72 High and Low Art: Intersections, Exchanges and Flows L n/a n/a S LL LSW n/a LS S LS LS L LS S 1.0 2.0 1.5 11
3.1 Program Requirements BSc Game Programming/Advanced Diploma Game Development Advanced Diploma/BSc Game Development Courses offered at Brock University Year 1 Fall Term GAME/IASC 1P04 New Media and Games LS.5 BTGD 9114 Intro to Multimedia COMM 1F90 Intro to Communications & LS.5 Media Studies GAME/COSC 1P02 Introduction to Computer LLT.5 Science MATH 1P66 Mathematical Reasoning L.5 Courses offered at Niagara College Technologies 3 hrs Year 1 Winter Term GAME/IASC 1P05 Games, Genres, Aesthetics LS.5 BTGD 9910 Intermediate COMM 1F90 Intro to Communications & Media Studies GAME/COSC 1P03 Data Structures & Abstraction MATH 1P67 Mathematics for Computer Science GAME/IASC 2P04 Gameplay Ludology GAME/COSC 2P03 Advanced Data Structures GAME/IASC 2P05 Game Design Paradigms GAME/COSC 2P13 Introduction to Operating Systems LS LLT L.5.5.5 Year 2 Fall Term LS LLT.5.5 BTGD 9204 Rapid Game Development I Year 2 Winter Term PHYS 1P21 Mechanics and Introduction to LT Relativity.5 BTGD 9214 Rapid Game Development II LS L.5.5 Year 3 Fall Term GAME/IASC 3P04 Immersion & Simulation LS.5 GAME/APCO 1P50 Integrity and literacy in Digital LS Age.5 GAME/COSC 2P90 Programming Language/Obj. LL Orientation.5 GAME/COSC 3P71 Artificial Intelligence L.5 BTGD 9302 Development Project I Multimedia Technologies BTGD 9101 Database Essentials BTGD 9110 3D Modeling & Animation I BTDG 9920 Project Management 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 5 hrs 9 hrs Year 3 Winter Term 12
GAME/IASC 3P05 Game Analysis and Platforms LS.5 BTGD 9311 Business of Gaming MATH 1P12 Linear Algebra I LLT.5 BGTD 9210 Computer Graphics Programming BTGD 9312 Development Project II 3 hrs 3 hrs 9 hrs Year 4 GAME/IASC 4P01 Research & Development S.5 BTGD 9211 Networking for GAME/IASC 4F00 Team Based Interactive Media Practicum Select 1 credits from: GAME/COSC 3P40 Advanced Object Orientation GAME/COSC 3P94 Introduction to HCI GAME/COSC 3P98 Computer Graphics (if not in year 3) One COSC credit 3a90 or above 4 hrs Games S 1.0 BTGD 9304 Mobile Gaming 4 hrs MATH 1P97 Calculus or MATH 1P98 Statistics L.5 1 Niagara College General Education Elective LL LL S 1.0 1.0 The GAME program will be administered jointly by IASC and COSC in close collaboration with Niagara College. Students will study concurrently at both institutions and each course taken at Niagara College will be accepted as a.5 credit transfer to Brock University. A draft bilateral agreement spelling out details of administration and governance of the GAME program is provided in Appendix A. Courses have been carefully sequenced to scaffold learning and to account for both the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) program standards and the Undergraduate Degree Level Expectations. A mapping of courses to these two sets of standards is provided in Appendix B1 and B2. Brock University and Niagara College faculty, staff and senior administration have devoted considerable effort to devise a sound program structure that meets the academic regulations at both Brock University and the program standards of the MTCU. Due to the unparalleled need for theoretical and practical study in such a wide array of knowledge domains, the GAME BA and BSc programs are structured to maximize learning in many fields that can be applied to games. As a result, the Registrar as well as the Deans of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Mathematics and Science have agreed to substitutions for the typical context credits required by the Academic Regulations. See Appendix G Certifications, Consultations, and Endorsements. The substitutions necessary for this program are as follows: For the both the BA and BSc, IASC 1P04 New Media and Games and IASC 1P05 Games, Genres and Aesthetics is supported as the Humanities Context Credit by the Dean of Humanities and COMM 1F90 is supported by the Dean of Social Sciences as a substitution for the Social Sciences context credit. The Dean of Mathematics & Science supports APCO 1P00 Introduction to Media Computation and 1P50 Integrity and Literacy in the Information Age as constituting the Science context credit for the BA program. 13
4. Program content 4.1 Curriculum The GAME BA and BSc Program implements a comprehensive curriculum that will deliver practical, hands- on training informed by a wide range of theoretical and discursive perspectives drawn from diverse disciplines. An outline of the courses and sequence that comprise the GAME BA and BSc program is provided above and course descriptions (including those offered at Niagara College) can be found in Appendix C - Proposed Calendar Entry. The GAME program will be delivered concurrently at both Niagara College and Brock University. This will enable students to evolve their contextual understanding of media, art, narrative, computing and programming in general and in relation to games in parallel to the acquisition of creative tools and practical approaches. Learning is sequenced in such a way as to make it possible for students to evaluate and apply concepts, create content and produce work of increasing complexity and sophistication throughout the four years of the program. The curriculum devised for the GAME program is closely mapped to the competencies, which have come to be accepted as part of the field. These have been expressed in the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) Curriculum framework that has been developed, reviewed and updated by the IGDA over the past 10 years 4. In addition, the content of the program derives from examination of curriculum at Canadian and American colleges and universities. Over the past 4 years, Brock faculty members have been engaged in research and consultation wherein they examined and evaluated post- secondary game education at the national, provincial and local levels. Kevin Kee, who is among the core IASC faculty and who is current Director of the Centre for Digital Humanities, was a co- author of the paper Computer Games and Canadaʼs Digital Economy: The Role of Universities in Promoting Innovation (2010), a report to the Social Science Humanities Research Council Knowledge Synthesis Grants on Canadaʼs Digital Economy. This work defines the role(s) Universities are playing in fostering creativity and promoting innovation the video game industry, including in the development of serious games. Jean Bridge, past Director of the Centre for Digital Humanities, sat for two years on the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade advisory committee on enhancements to the Ontario video game industry (2008). Her work in that context involved the development of recommendations specific to education and retention of talent in the province. 4 Moreover, Jean Bridge, Kevin Kee and David Hughes, all of whom have played a major role in developing the GAME program, have led or contributed to initiatives that foreground game education as it relates to the evolving and diverse fields of game studies, game art, game design and game programming such as the Game Education Charrette (2007, Brock University and Niagara College), the Interacting with Immersive Worlds Conference (2007, 2009, 2011 Brock University) and a series of roundtable consultations with Ontario industry on game education conducted at Niagara College and Brock University (2008, 2009). Finally Jean Bridge is currently leading a project funded by the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT) aimed at developing recommendations for improved pathways from College to University in the field of games. Colleges and 4 IGDA. IGDA Curriculum Framework: The Study of Games and Game Development. International Game Developers Association. Version 3.2 beta. 2008, Web file://localhost/< http/::www.igda.org:wiki:images:e:ee:igda2008cf.pdf > 4 Secor Consulting. Ontario 2012: Stimulating Growth in Ontario s Video Game Industry. Web <http://www.omdc.on.ca/assetfactory.aspx?did=6290> 14
Universities from across the province are participating and/or providing information on learning components in the field as well as curriculum and program structures. This material further substantiates the relevance of the Brock University GAME curriculum and program features to industry practices. 4.2 Curriculur innovations We have already mentioned that a notable features of the GAME program is the opportunity to study concurrently at both Niagara College and Brock University. This will allow an optimal sequence of learning in both conceptual and practical arenas. The creation of a game requires foundational knowledge in areas such as math and computer science for the BSc and concepts in narrative, aesthetics and media for the BA. When these are coupled with the acquisition of specialized skills and tools, students can evolve as innovative producers of content and intellectual property, not merely technicians. The GAME program has been designed for heterogeneous learning in diverse knowledge domains that integrates a common vocabulary through the academic study of game precedents, conventions and discourses. Through the course of the program, students will be given opportunities to develop and intensify particular specialized interests through inquiry- based academic learning and in project courses where independent self- learning is emphasized. In the context of increasingly more complex group project courses in years 2, 3, and 4, asymmetrically prepared teams of students will experiment, take risks, test methodologies and explore different roles in the game production process while producing expressive works that meet goals students themselves define. The GAME program will provide many ways for students to interface with professionals in the field. We will encourage, where appropriate, the hiring of faculty and instructors who are practitioners and creators. We will invite industry professionals to provide advice, critique and review of student projects. Moreover, the program provides experiential learning opportunities in the field through internship courses and will facilitate work placements through our close association with ngen, Niagara Interactive Media Generator and its affiliates. The emphasis in this program on portfolios allows students to assemble the work they do into meaningful representations not only of the products of their work but the processes (ideation, testing, methodologies, etc.) that form the context for their work. The GAME program will frame portfolio standards and support the creation and dissemination of portfolios to enable students to present their knowledge, and individual and group achievements in the most effective manner. The BA and BSc programs will form a common cohort throughout much of the program in the games studies core courses as well as the project courses shared by both degrees. This will allow a high degree of cross- pollination, especially in integrative aspects of the game development process such as the conceptualization of games, game mechanics and dynamics, and game production planning and management. Finally, the GAME program will encourage a liberal understanding of what constitutes a text and it will enable students to study and produce visual, aural and interactive texts as a means to frame discourse and express new ideas. GAME students will review, examine and analyze scholarly papers and books as much as they will interrogate games themselves. They will produce written reviews and analytic essays, often in alternative formats such as blogs or video documentaries or games. They will use written texts as the means to create scripts, 15
outline treatments and document production requirements. At the same time, they will produce storyboards, virtual environments, characters, visualizations and interactive narratives that can be understood and assessed in terms that are both similar and divergent from those applied to traditional texts. In the discussion below, it is evident that the curriculum design for this program advances many new opportunities for students to expand upon convention. 5. Modes of Delivery The GAME program will deliver its program in a diversity of ways so as to effectively meet the learning objectives we have established as well as the Undergraduate Degree Level Expectations. Students will both think about and think with the many components of games, working through increasingly complex conceptual frameworks and instantiations. In lecture or seminar format courses students will produce analyses that derive from inquiry and course- driven challenges wherein they can demonstrate their knowledge of the domain and of critical methods in written and other texts that can take many forms from essays to websites and even games. In computer lab, tutorial and/or studio formats, they will undertake sequenced assignments that enable them to test, elaborate upon and relate concepts, skills and techniques. In each of the second, third and fourth years, students in both the BA and BSc programs will participate in project- based courses that allow student teams to sustain and integrate theory, content creation and mechanics in the production of games that will be measured in progressively more sophisticated real- world terms. They will engage in group critique; subject their work to internal and external testing and examination; and be mentored by faculty and industry professionals. These modes extend to internships and independent individual projects as well. Students will demonstrate their achievements through the development of professional portfolios that will inventory and contextualize the full range of knowledge, experience and competencies they have accumulated in the course of their studies. A major aim of the GAME program will be the ongoing aggregation of course outcomes into a meaningful and standards- based portfolio that challenge the student to continually structure and refine their collection of achievements such that they can use their portfolio to advance their own learning and to communicate to potential employers the depth and breadth of their knowledge and skill. 5.1 Program delivery modes mapped to Degree Level Expectations Brock University UDLEs A graduate of Brock University will be able to demonstrate. 1. Depth and Breadth of Knowledge a) General knowledge of key concepts b) Broad understanding of major fields c) Ability to gather and interpret information d) Detailed knowledge in an area of the discipline GAME Program Modes of Delivery - BA and BSc The following are ways in which the program will deliver its curriculum and enable students to demonstrate their learning. Lectures Introduce and contextualize concepts Outline detailed knowledge in discipline Model critical thinking 16
e) Critical thinking and analytical skills g) Apply learning from outside discipline 2. Knowledge of Methodologies Apply methods of inquiry to: a) evaluate different approaches b) use these methods to devise and sustain arguments or solve problems Link concepts to those outside the discipline Seminars Support inquiry and present research in detailed areas of knowledge Facilitate discussion and exchange Labs Demonstrate methods and tools Test and experiment with methods and tools Tutorials Respond to directed learning in assignments Help students problem- solve Provide feedback relevant to immediate problems 3. Application of Knowledge Assignments (directed learning) Review, present and interpret Choose optimal sources and models for research and information creation Analyze wide range of types of texts (games, art, film, in order to: articles, books, etc) Produce texts in an expanded framework to solve a) develop lines of argument b) problems and address conventions within the domain make sound arguments Use technologies: Studio Projects (open learning) a) analyze information Examination of conventional approaches b) evaluate the appropriateness Devise new approaches that redefine problems and of approaches to solving propose novel solutions to the problems they encounter problems c) propose solutions Evaluate approaches in diverse frameworks d) make use of scholarly sources Assess and aggregate projects over time into meaningful portfolio of achievements 4. Communication Skills Essays Communicate accurately and Research and produce independent scholarship that reliably, analyzes the contributions of selected scholarship orally and in writing to a range of Frame and sustain arguments expressed in varied types audiences. of text Oral Presentations Distill and summarize research and arguments for scholarly, practical and lay audiences Articulates practice- based approaches, plans and production results Documentation of Work 17
Produce detailed reports and outlines of process and procedures used to solve problems and produce practice- based expressions and projects Create, structure and maintain portfolio of projects and research that provides clear account of context, process and results of significant work accomplishments Internships Produce business communications Present clear accounts of plans and accomplishments Reflect upon experience and relate to scholarship and creation 5. Awareness of Limits of Knowledge Understand limits to own knowledge and how this might influence their analyses and interpretation Mentorship and Independent Projects Define individual learning goals Choose appropriate context and negotiate methods for achieving goals Produce self- directed and/or assigned work under the guidance of experts and practitioners identifying areas where knowledge is limited or unknown Propose approaches that recognize gaps in knowledge 6. Autonomy and Professional Capacity Qualities and transferrable skills for further use: a) exercise of personal responsibility b) working effectively with others c) ability to identify and address own personal needs d) behavior consistent with academic integrity and social responsibility Group Projects Mentorship and Independent projects Internships Work collaboratively to define aims, determine methodologies and negotiate workload and outcomes Take responsibility for commitments Reflect upon and productively address issues and conflicts Act with respect, integrity and social responsibility Identify and pursue self learning with the understanding that the domain is one that demands constant upgrade of skills and capacities 6. Assessment of Teaching and Learning The learning outcomes and delivery methods for the GAME program are aimed at balancing theory and practice in a diversity of knowledge domains. The program is structured to enable students to pursue knowledge, as well as to test and integrate their evolving understanding with experience and creation. Students will be invited and challenged to 18
demonstrate their learning in conventional forms of research and analysis consistent in lecture and seminar courses with the production of texts that may include anything from essays and presentations (often taking alternative forms like websites, blogs, videos, puzzles or simulations) to lab and studio assignments, self- defined prototypes or sustained projects, and internships or service learning. To prepare students for the creative environments in which they will ultimately work, the GAME program is designed to exploit inquiry, structured group and individual endeavours and encourage regular and systematic reflection on work outcomes. Students will be expected, throughout the program to produce formative learning portfolios as well as a summative professional portfolio. This new program will take advantage of opportunities to bring GAME students in contact with practitioners and leaders in the field by engaging them as presenters, reviewers and mentors as well as inviting them to offer students internships that will extend student learning in dynamic ways. What follows is a mapping of the diversity of ways students in the GAME program will demonstrate their capacities in relation to UDLES and modes of delivery. Given the emphasis in this program on practice, we should note that Individual students undertake work in creative forms as diverse as 3D character modeling, animation, video or sound design. For each category of output listed in the table below, there exists specialized criteria for assessment of the formal, technical and creative aspects of such work. We believe that listing the specific types of media with which students will express their ideas provides an accurate window on the assessment methods employed in our program. 6.1 Assessment mapped to delivery and Degree Level Expectations Brock University UDLEs A graduate will be able to demonstrate. 1. Depth and Breadth of Knowledge 2. Knowledge of Methodologies 3. Application of Knowledge GAME Program Modes of Delivery The following are formats for delivering learning. Lectures Seminars Labs Tutorials Assignments Studio Projects GAME Program Assessment - BA and BSc The following are ways in students can demonstrate their learning. Discussion Participation Inquiry and research Presentation (individual and Group) Essays, review of texts Tests Lab Assignments Exams Essays and review of texts Presentations (individual and Group) Production of Extended Texts Creative Projects Visual Design Websites 3D Animation Cinematics and Cutscenes Sound Narrative 3D Models 19
4. Communication Skills Essays Oral Presentations Documentation of Work Internships Character Design Game Levels (virtual environments) Game Mechanics Game Programming Games (2D and 3D) Design and Technical Documents Essays and review of texts Presentations (individual and Group) Project proposals Business Correspondence and Reports Game Treatments Design Documentation Technical Documentation Reflection papers Portfolios 5. Awareness of Limits of Knowledge Mentorship and Independent Projects Essays and Review of Texts Project Proposals Design and Technical Documents Reflection papers 6. Autonomy and Professional Capacity Group Projects Mentorship and Independent projects Internships Design Documentation Technical Documentation Project Team Production Process Creative Projects Mentors and Intern Placement Feedback Reflection Papers Portfolio The word cloud that follows provides a picture of the relative importance of the various forms of assessment and demonstration of knowledge and abilities that will be used in the program. It expresses our intention to put considerable emphasis on the instantiation of knowledge and understanding in practice- based outcomes in balanced with conventional assessment tools. 20
7. Student Demand The IASC program was created as a big tent encompassing all that is connected to interactive media from the web and social media to virtual reality, simulation and games. In addition to a series of new courses created for the program, IASC cross- listed a large number of related courses in the fine arts, communication, film, popular culture, English, classics, education, geography and applied computing to enable students to customize their study and link it to allied programs. IASC students have consistently expressed frustration having to do with lack of access to courses directly relevant to their interest in computer games. They found that many of the courses listed among their program options were not designed for students interested in games. Moreover, they have found that fine arts courses with limited enrollment often could not accommodate students outside the fine arts major. Sequencing and scheduling of courses has also presented problems for students; as did the acquisition of prerequisites. In short, the IASC program has proved to be frustrating for the majority of IASC students who are interested specifically in the creation, design and production of games. In town hall sessions and many other forums, students have consistently expressed their desire for learning that is more targeted to games and for learning options that include technology tutorials, projects, portfolios, internships, service learning and mentoring, that is oriented toward creating games and developing the wide range of understanding and expertise needed for this field. See Appendix D Student Demand for insights from student surveys and letters. The Department of Computer Science is also conceived as a broad- based program in the study of computation and the interaction of their hardware and software. With concentrations in software engineering and intelligent systems, COSC courses may use games as an exemplar but the program does not provide a game programming option. Industry, primarily due to the lack of Computer Science graduates trained in the Computer Gaming domain, has typically hired and trained Computer Science graduates as Game Programmers. This will change as undergraduate computer game programs such as we propose become 21