Minoring in Games

Rensselaer’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences has launched a new game studies minor, an interdisciplinary program shared by the arts and cognitive science departments. The program is expected to expand to include other schools and departments.

The minor consists of four courses that include a choice of game design classes and a range of other disciplinary-specific courses in arts, such as digital imaging, animation, computer music, or performance art. Students also have a choice of cognitive science courses, such as the study of motivation and performance and the study of perception and action.

“For undergraduate students considering careers in a range of scientific and nonscientific information technology areas, game studies offer the potential for new interdisciplinary collaboration between the arts and cultural studies, social sciences, computer sciences, engineering, and emerging technical research in information technology,” says John Harrington, dean of humanities and social sciences.

To celebrate the new minor, Rensselaer hosted “GameFest,” a two-day symposium and exhibition in April. The festivities included a showcase of computer games designed by more than 70 art students, lectures by prominent game design practitioners, and a daylong workshop on game design.

Graphic by Ian Stead