Art and Design: Games and Playable Media
2018-19 General Catalog
Digital Arts Research Center
Room 302
(831) 459-1919
http://games.arts.ucsc.edu
Program Description
The Art and Design: Games and Playable Media (AGPM) Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree at UCSC focuses on the creation of novel game systems, spaces, and configurations that can produce broad ranges of player experiences, for a wide variety of purposes. It does this through:
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courses in related theory, history, and critical interpretation;
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courses that take a practice-based approach to experimental game creation;
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courses that provide a foundation in working with game media forms;
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courses that provide a foundation in working with game technical materials.
This degree complements the Computer Science: Computer Game Design (CGD) Bachelor of Science (B.S.), which focuses particularly on the technical materials. The B.A. focuses more on experience design (in particular) as well as on history, theory, and media creation—while still taking advantage of courses developed for the B.S. and creating a shared community with those students.
Students in the AGPM major learn to understand game design as an art in and of itself, positioned within the context of a number of more disciplinary approaches. Furthermore, students understand game design as a practice of creation, within a much larger and deeper social and historical context.
The AGPM B.A. in the Arts Division ensures that students have the needed programming skills, and equally importantly, that they meld such technical skills with critical and historical understanding, which is essential for the production of socially conscious, inclusive, and emotionally engaging games.
Upper-division studio courses require coursework to be completed on computers. All students in the B.A. program are strongly encouraged to own a laptop computer. This expense is separate from the cost of tuition and other fees.
While pursuing coursework in the major, all students are to encouraged to build portfolios that showcase their growing body of work, with an emphasis on material from courses such as ARTG 80I, CMPM 80K, and ARTG 120, and CMPM 120.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)
Students who earn a B.A. in Art and Design: Games and Playable Media gain the skills, knowledge, and understanding that enable them to:
Program Learning Outcome (PLO) 1: Demonstrate understanding of the connections between technical commitments and game system design, on one hand, and player experience and cultural communication goals, on the other.
PLO 2: Demonstrate the ability to define, develop, and communicate artistically innovative game ideas—situated historically and employing the methods of multiple art practices.
PLO 3: Demonstrate the ability to design and build a technical system in response to an artistic goal for audience experience that employs a fundamental understanding of algorithms and data structures.
PLO 4: Demonstrate an understanding of game history and interpretation sufficient to do independent research on a topic, identify relevant games and secondary literature, think critically about a particular games-related topic, and make a convincing, research-based argument about games.
PLO 5: Demonstrate the ability to collaboratively plan, organize, and execute complex, team-oriented projects, using appropriate communication and coordination techniques.
PLO 6: Demonstrate the ability to effectively use techniques for understanding how players experience a game system, and to compare this with a project's artistic goals—then successfully iterate and revise project shape, scope, and function based on external feedback and personal/team constraints.
Declaration of the Major
Prior to declaring the AGPM major, students must complete the following four Major Qualification courses with a grade of C or better:
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ARTG 80H, History of Digital Games (PE-T)
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ARTG 80I, Foundations of Play (PE-H)
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CMPM 80K, Foundations of Video Game Design
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CMPS 12B/M, Introduction to Data Structures/Laboratory
Students receiving a C-, D+, D, D-, F or NP in one of the major qualification courses or associated labs may only declare once they have passed the same or equivalent course or lab with a grade of C or better. Students who receive more than one grade of C-, D+, D, D-, F or NP in the major qualification courses can only declare the major through the portfolio appeal process.
Students need to complete these major qualification courses early in their studies so that the petition to major status is accomplished by the end of their sophomore year.
Major Qualification by Portfolio Appeal
The program faculty will conduct a quarterly review of portfolios for students who have passed the four major qualification courses and associated laboratory, and wish to enter the major, but obtained more than one grade of C-, D+, D, D-, F or NP across all the classes.
The portfolio consists of a written statement and a link to an online portfolio of supporting materials, sent via email to the AGPM undergraduate adviser.
The written statement should answer the following questions:
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Why do you want to pursue this major, specifically?
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What kinds of games have inspired you?
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What kinds of games do you wish to make?
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How does your work demonstrate this intent?
The online portfolio may include:
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Samples of fine art drawing and painting of characters, environments and objects for game design ideas
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Storyboards that communicate a narrative or user experience flow
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Prototypes (paper or digital) that demonstrate knowledge of how games are constructed and how game designs work
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Completed games (digital or non-digital) that can be experienced directly
The objective of the review is to admit students who demonstrate, as evidenced in their portfolio and statement, that their intentions and achievements are most compatible with the mission, standards, goals, and specializations of the AGPM B.A. The faculty is looking for vitality, commitment, resilience and skill, or signs of potential for the development of these things. For more guidance on what makes a successful portfolio, see the program website.
Remaining courses and concerns about time to degree are also taken into consideration.
Within 15 days of this review, the adviser will notify the students, the Arts Division, college, and the Office of the Registrar of faculty's decision.
Major Requirements
The AGPM major requires a minimum of six lower-division and 13 upper-division courses in residence and satisfaction of the senior comprehensive requirement.
1. Foundational Courses
Complete the following four courses:
ARTG 80H, History of Digital Games (PE-T)
ARTG 80I, Foundations of Play (PE-H)
CMPM 80K, Foundations of Video Game Design
CMPS 12B/M, Introduction to Data Structures/Laboratory
Note: CMPS 12B/M has Computer Science and Mathematics prerequisites.
2. Arts Requirements and Electives
Check with course home departments and General Catalog for availability, prerequisites, or enrollment restrictions.
Complete this one Film and Digital Media course:FILM 80V, Video Games as Visual Culture (PE-T)
Complete one History of Art and Visual Culture course from the following:HAVC 24, Southeast Asia Visual Culture (CC, IH, A, E)
HAVC 30, Introduction to European Visual Culture (IM)
HAVC 41, Modern Art in Context (IM)
HAVC 43, History of Modern Architecture (IM)
HAVC 44, Designing California: Architecture, Design, and Environment (PE-E)
HAVC 45, Photography Now (IM)
HAVC 46, Intro. to U.S. Art and Visual Culture (ER)
HAVC 49, A Short History of the Digital(PE-T)
HAVC 60, Indigenous American Visual Culture (ER, A, E)
HAVC 118, Art of the Contemporary African Diaspora (ER)
HAVC 124E, Southeast Asian-American Visual Culture (ER)
HAVC 135B, German Art, 1905–1945 (IM)
HAVC 135H, Topics in European and Euro-American Visual Culture (IM)
HAVC 140A, America in Art (IM)
HAVC 140C, Race and American Visual Arts (ER)
HAVC 140D, Chicano/Chicana Art: 1970–Present (ER)
HAVC 140P, Pop Culture as High Art (IM)
HAVC 141A, Modern Art: Realism to Cubism (IM)
HAVC 141B, Death, Desire, and Modernity (formerly Modern Art: Cubism to Pop) (IM)
HAVC 141C, Modern Art: Pop to Present (IM)
HAVC 141E, Histories of Photography (IM)
HAVC 141F, The Camera and the Body (IM)
HAVC 141H, Media History and Theory (IM)
HAVC 141I, Environments, Installations, Sites (IM)
HAVC 141J, Critical Issues in Contemporary Art and Visual Culture (IM)
HAVC 141K, Activist Art Since 1960: Art, Technology, Activism (IM)
HAVC 141M, Contemporary Documentary Art(PE-T)
HAVC 141N, Deconstructing Data (PE-T)
HAVC 141O, Contemporary Documentary Arts (PE-T)
HAVC 141P, Networks and Natures (PE-E)
HAVC 142, Contemporary Art and Ecology (PE-T)
HAVC 143B, History of Urban Design (IM)
HAVC 143C, Latin American Modern Architecture (CC)
HAVC 143E, History of Design: The Objects of Technology, 1850–Present (PE-T)
HAVC 143G, After Utopia: Architecture and the City, 1968–Present (PE-E)
Complete one lower-division course from the following:Check with the Art Department and the General Catalog for restrictions or prerequisites on art courses.
ART 10D, 2D Foundation (IM)
ART 10E, 3D Foundation (IM)
ART 10F, 4D Foundation (IM)
ARTG 80G, Visual Communication and Interaction Design (IM)
MUSC 1C, University Concert Choir (PR-E)
MUSC 2, University Orchestra (PR-E)
MUSC 3, Large Jazz Ensemble
MUSC 5A, West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Beginning (PR-C)
MUSC 5B, West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Intermediate (PR-C)
MUSC 5C, West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Advanced (PR-C)
MUSC 6. Classical Guitar Ensemble
MUSC 8A, Beginning Balinese Gamelan (PR-C)
MUSC 8B. Advanced Balinese Gamelan PR-C)
MUSC 9, Wind Ensemble (PR-C)
MUSC 10, Eurasian Ensemble (PR-C)
THEA 14, Drawing (PR-C)
THEA 15, Special Topics in Textiles (PR-C)
THEA 17, Costume Construction (PR-C)
THEA 18c, Drafting—Computer Aided
THEA 19, Design Studio: Lighting Studio A (PR-C)
THEA 20, Introductory Studies in Acting (IM)
THEA 21A, Acting Studio IA: Psychological Realism
THEA 22, Indonesian Dance and Drama (CC—Cross Cultural)
THEA 30, Introduction to Dance Theory and Technique (PR-C)
THEA 31C, The Dance Experience (PR-C)
THEA 33C, Dance Studio I
THEA 36, Introduction to Dance Composition (PR-C)
THEA 37, African Dance (PR-C)
THEA 40, Introduction to Directing (IM)
THEA 50, Fundamentals of Theater Production
THEA 80Z, Indian Dance (CC)
3. Game Design Requirements
Complete all the following courses:
CMPM 120, Game Development Experience (PR-E—Practice: Collaborative Endeavor)
ARTG 120, Game Design Experience (PR-E)
ARTG 170, Game Design Studio I (DC)
ARTG 171, Game Design Studio II (7 credits)
ARTG 172, Game Design Studio III (7 credits)
4. Media Creation Electives
Check with course home departments and catalog for availability, prerequisites, or enrollment restrictions. ART courses may have restrictions or prerequisites. FILM courses have prerequisites and/or require an application, and are generally restricted to Film and Digital Media majors. MUSC courses are restricted to students in the electronic music minor, who will fulfill all of their media creation electives through the courses required for that minor.
Complete three courses from the following:
ART 101, Introduction to Computer Programming for the Arts
ART 102, Interactive Arts
ART 103, Physical Computing: Installation and Sculpture
ART 104, Digital Video
ART 106A, Introduction to 2D Animation
ART 106E, Introduction to 3D Modeling and Animation
ART 108, New Media and Social Practice Artmaking
ARTG 118, Digital Drawing and Painting for Game Design (may be repeated for credit)
ARTG 129, Special Topics in Game Design (may be repeated for credit)
CMPM 150, Creating Digital Audio
DANM 140, Introduction to 3D Printing, Laser-cutting and More (PR-C, also offered as Art 105)
FILM 170A, Introduction to Digital Media Production (PR-C) *
FILM 171D, Social Information Spaces**
FILM 173, Narrative Digital Media Workshop**
FILM 177, Digital Media Workshop, Computer as Medium**
FILM 179A, Special Topics in Animation***
FILM 179B, Documentary Animation Workshop***
FILM 189, Advanced Topics in Digital and Electronic Media Studies*
MUSC 123, Electronic Sound Synthesis
MUSC 124, Intermediate Electronic Sound Synthesis
MUSC 125, Advanced Electronic Sound Synthesis
MUSC 167, Workshop in Electronic Music
THEA 104, Multimedia Authoring
THEA 106, Digital Illustration
THEA 114, Design Studio: Sound (PR-C)
THEA 124, Movement for Performers
THEA 157, Playwriting
THEA 159, Advanced Playwriting
*Prerequisite is FILM 20C or Computer Science 101 or Computer Science 109
**Prerequisite is FILM 170A
***By application. Recommended prerequisite is FILM 170A
5. Game Design/Human-Computer Interaction Electives
CMPM and CMPS courses may have restrictions or prerequisites.
Complete four of the following:
CMPM 131, User Experience for Interactive Media
CMPM 146, Game AI
CMPM 148, Interactive Storytelling
CMPM 176, Game Systems
CMPM 177, Creative Strategies for Designing Interactive Media
CMPM 178, Human-Centered Design Research (PR-C)
CMPM 179, Game Design Practicum (PR-C, also offered as ARTG 179, may be repeated for credit)
CMPS 121, Mobile Applications
CMPS 183, Web Applications
Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement
Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division disciplinary communication (DC) requirement. The DC requirement in Art and Design: Games and Playable Media is satisfied by completing ARTG 170.
Comprehensive Requirement
Students satisfy the senior comprehensive requirement by receiving a passing grade in all three courses of the game design studio sequence (ARTG 170, 171, and 172). This sequence will meet in collaboration with CMPM 170, 171, and 172.
Art and Design: Games and Playable Media Major Planner
The following is a recommended academic plan for students to complete during their first two years as preparation for the AGPM major.
Art and Design: Games and Playable Media B.A. Planner
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Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
Summer |
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1st
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ARTG 80I |
CMPM 80K |
CMPS 11 |
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^MATH 3, |
CMPS 5J |
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2nd
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CMPS 12B/M |
FILM 80V |
*CMPM 120 |
*CMPM 120 |
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ARTG 80H |
*ARTG 120 |
*ARTG 120 |
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Lower-division arts elective (Suggested: ARTG 80G**)(IM) |
|
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3rd |
Media creation elective 1 | Media creation elective 2 | Media creation elective 3 | |
| GD/HCI elective 1 | GD/HCI elective 2 | GD/HCI elective 3 | ||
| HAVC elective | ||||
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4th |
ARTG 170 (DC) | ARTG 171 | ARTG 172 | |
| GD/HCI elective 4 |
^ The prerequisite for CMPS 11 can be satisfied in any of the following ways: successfully passing MATH 3, MATH 11A, MATH 19A, AMS 3, AMS 11A, ECON 11A, or a score of 400 or higher on the mathematics placement examination.
* ARTG 120 and CMPM 120 May be taken in spring or summer quarter (if offered in summer).
**ARTG 80G, while not a requirement for the AGPM BA, is recommended for providing useful knowledge for the major.
Transfer Students
In preparation for transfer to AGPM, students are required to demonstrate proficiency in programming, visual art, and game design.
Requirements
Minimum grade of C (2.0) in courses articulated to UCSC’s Computer Science 12B/M, Introduction to Data Structures/Lab
Minimum grade of C (2.0) in two courses articulated to courses in the following list:
ART 15, Introduction to Drawing
Any course in the ART 20 series
ARTG 80G, Visual Communication and Interaction Design (IM)
ARTG 80H, History of Digital Games (PE-T)
ARTG 80I, Foundations of Play (PE-H)
CMPM 25, Introduction to 3D Modeling
CMPM 26, Introduction to 3D Animation
CMPM 80K, Foundations of Video Game Design
FILM 20P, Introduction to Production Technique
MUSC 1C, University Concert Choir (PR-E)
MUSC 2, University Orchestra (PR-E)
MUSC 3, Large Jazz Ensemble
MUSC 5A, West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Beginning (PR-C)
MUSC 5B, West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Intermediate (PR-C)
MUSC 5C, West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Advanced (PR-C)
MUSC 6. Classical Guitar Ensemble
MUSC 8A, Beginning Balinese Gamelan (PR-C)
MUSC 8B. Advanced Balinese Gamelan
MUSC 9, Wind Ensemble (PR-C)
MUSC 10, Eurasian Ensemble (PR-C)
THEA 10, Introduction to Theater Design and Technology
THEA 14, Drawing (PR-C)
THEA 15, Special Topics in Textiles (PR-C)
THEA 17, Costume Construction (PR-C)
THEA 18, Drafting for Theatrical Production
THEA 19, Design Studio: Lighting Studio A (PR-C)
THEA 20, Introductory Studies in Acting (IM)
THEA 21A, Acting Studio IA: Psychological Realism
THEA 22, Indonesian Dance and Drama (CC—Cross Cultural)
THEA 30, Introduction to Dance Theory and Technique (PR-C)
THEA 31C, The Dance Experience (PR-C)
THEA 33C, Dance Studio I
THEA 36, Introduction to Dance Composition (PR-C)
THEA 37, African Dance (PR-C)
THEA 40, Introduction to Directing (IM)
THEA 50, Fundamentals of Theater Production
THEA 80Z, Indian Dance (CC)
Additional Suggested Courses
Students are highly encouraged to complete the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) to satisfy all UCSC General Education requirements.
Appeals
If a student is denied admission because they do not meet the requirements above, they may appeal the decision to Admissions. As part of their appeal process, students are required to submit an online portfolio and written statement as described in the “Major Qualification by Portfolio Appeal” section above.
Transfer students who meet the requirements above and receive IGETC certification will be able to complete the major in two years as shown in the academic plan below. Because of the number of credits required by the B.A., transfer students who have General Education requirements remaining may need to take summer session courses and/or additional courses over the academic year to allow graduation in two years. If a student meets the requirements but cannot complete IGETC, taking community college courses that are articulated for credit with courses in the “Foundational Courses” and lower-division “Arts Requirements and Electives” courses listed above is recommended.
Transfer students are strongly advised to attend a UCSC Summer Orientation session for transfer students. Transfer students should consult with an AGPM academic adviser prior to enrolling in classes to determine their status and to begin the declaration of major process as soon as possible.
The following is a recommended academic plan for junior transfer students:
Transfer Students Planner
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Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
Summer |
|
1st |
Lower-Division Arts Elective (Suggested: ARTG 80G) |
CMPM 80K |
*CMPM 120 |
*CMPM 120
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|
ARTG 80H |
FILM 80V |
*ARTG 120 |
*ARTG 120 |
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|
ARTG 80I |
GD/HCI |
GD/HCI |
|
|
|
2nd |
ARTG 170 (DC) |
ARTG 171 |
ARTG 172 |
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|
Media Creation Elective 1 |
Media Creation Elective 2 |
Media Creation |
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|
|
HAVC Elective |
GD/HCI |
GD/HCI |
|
Revised: 07/15/18
