Courses | B.A. in Game Design and Interactive Media
Below are the course requirements for this academic program. In addition to these program-specific requirements, all majors include Biola's traditional undergraduate core curriculum. For more program details, including a sample course sequence, visit Biola's academic catalog.
Admission Requirements
The entertainment industry is a highly competitive, creative and demanding business. Admission into the School of Cinema & Media Arts (CMA) is separate from and contingent upon your admission to Biola University. Admission to Biola University does not guarantee admission into the Game Design and Interactive Media major. Applications will not be considered until after the applicant has been first admitted to Biola University.
After you have completed your application to Biola University, complete your application online by the appropriate deadline indicated on the website.
Prior media experience is not a prerequisite for admission into the School of Cinema & Media Arts. During the application process we’re more interested in discovering your potential, leadership ability, creative thinking, problem solving and Christian character. Department faculty prayerfully review all applications. Notification letters will be sent out by the deadlines listed in the schedule. You will be notified of your acceptance, of non-acceptance, or if more information is required.
If you have any questions about the status of your application, please call the CMA office at (562) 777-4052 or write to:
Acceptance Committee
School of Cinema & Media Arts
Biola University
13800 Biola Avenue
La Mirada, CA 90639
CMA students may be required to purchase computer equipment and/or software as may be applicable for their respective degrees. While we understand the financial strains of such equipment expenditures, we also recognize that these technologically driven majors involve costs well beyond the textbooks that serve as the essential tools for many other undergraduate departments. Contact the department for specific equipment recommendations.
General Requirements
All Game Design and Interactive Media majors must achieve a minimum grade of "C" in all major courses taken at Biola. Anyone receiving a lower grade must repeat the course and receive a "C" or better.
Curriculum Requirements
The Games and Interactive Media degree combines traditional cinematic storytelling techniques with new interactive mediums to develop game designers and media artists with a Christian world view. This concentration focuses specifically on story-centric game design, while incorporating some 3D animation, visual effects, virtual reality, and computer programming.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Program-Specific Core Curriculum Course(s) | ||
The Nature of Computing | ||
Program Courses | ||
CNMA 101 | Introduction to Visual Storytelling | 3 |
CNMA 102 | Visual Aesthetics | 3 |
CNMA 140 | History of Games and Interactive Technology | 3 |
CNMA 215 | Game Design Fundamentals | 3 |
CNMA 305 | Intermediate Game Design | 3 |
CNMA 308 | Digital 3D Modeling | 3 |
CNMA 311 | Level Design | 3 |
CNMA 325 | Designing Game Narratives | 3 |
CNMA 327 | Game Engines | 3 |
CNMA 401 | Advanced Game Design | 3 |
CNMA 402 | Game Producing | 3 |
CNMA 440 | Cinema and Media Arts Internship | 3 |
CNMA 456 | Senior Portfolio | 3 |
or CNMA 461 | Senior Portfolio: Game Design | |
Electives | ||
Select 6 credits of elective courses from the following (3 credits must be upper-division): | 6 | |
2-D Design | ||
4-D Design | ||
Integrated Design I | ||
Animation I | ||
New Media Art I | ||
New Media Art II | ||
Introduction to Mass Media | ||
Screenwriting I | ||
Entertainment Business | ||
Production Management | ||
Sound Design | ||
The Power of Media | ||
Mass Media Law and Ethics | ||
Faith and Film | ||
Data Structures | ||
Topics in Computer Science | ||
Program Course Requirements: 45 credits | ||
Core Curriculum Requirements 1 | 74 | |
General Electives | 1 | |
Total Credits | 120 |
- 1
See Core Curriculum section for details.