UMBC has recently created two new options for students interested in studies in interactive entertainment and game development. The Visual Arts Department has a new undergraduate concentration on Animation and Interactive Media. The CSEE Department has a new track within the Computer Science program on Game Development. Both departments began offering these programs in the Fall of 2007.

There is a slide presentation describing the original proposal for a track on game development in the UMBC Computer Science program. This was approved by the CSEE department in December 2006 and the UMBC Undergraduate Council in April 2007.

This track follows the best industry advice to prepare students for technical positions in the games industry. At the same time, it emphasizes fundamentals that will be equally valuable in other types of positions. Here is a synopsis of the track. Since several of these classes are shared by the non-game Computer Science students, for each we indicate some skills that transfer to the games industry.

All CMSC BS requirements plus...

• Science courses must include
  • PHYS 121: Introductory Physics I
    Physical dynamics: collisions, explosions, gravity, etc.
• GFR/GEP courses must include
  • ART 380: History and Theory of Games
    Game design and what makes a game playable
• CMSC 400-level electives must include
  • CMSC 435: Computer Graphics
    All visuals, efficient rendering, interaction
  • CMSC 471: Artificial Intelligence
    Opponent agent behavior, path finding, strategy
  • CMSC 493: Games Group Project
    Cross-disciplinary teamwork, software engineering
  • and two of the following
    • CMSC 437: Graphical User Interface Programming
      Concepts of user interfaces, especially menus
    • CMSC 445: Software Engineering
      Planning and development of large software projects
    • CMSC 455: Numerical Computation
      Sources of errors and ways to avoid them in both graphics and simulation
    • CMSC 461: Databases
      Online game distribution systems, art content management
    • CMSC 481: Networks
      Peer-to-peer and client-server networked games
    • CMSC 483: Parallel Processing
      Massive multiplayer online game servers, using multi-core systems
    • others with permission (contact olano@umbc.edu)

The following have been pre-approved as additional courses satisfying the 400-level elective requirement:

• CMSC 491G (Fall 2007, Fall 2008): Computer Graphics for Games
• CMSC 491A (Spring 2008): Cell Processors and Applications
• For BS/MS students, or with department approval to have a 600-level class count toward your 400-level electives:
  • CMSC 635: Advanced Computer Graphics