For Immediate Release Media Contact: Micki Leventhal 312-344-7383
Date October 7, 2005
NEW GAME DESIGN MAJOR AT COLUMBIA COLLEGE PREPARES TECHNO-ARTISTS TO CREATE NEXT GENERATION OF ENTERTAINMENT/EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
NOTE: Turner, Bartoni and Barbier are available for interviews.
Chicago, IL - Columbia College Chicago will launch its new degree program in video Game Design for the Spring 2006 semester. Overwhelmingly approved by the school's Board of Trustees at its October 6 meeting, the Bachelor of Arts in Game Design was developed in response to the existing and expanding field of digital game technology.
"Digital games have expanded beyond entertainment into education, communications and training," said Allen M. Turner, chair of Columbia's board. "From classroom education to corporate and government training programs in everything from cultural sensitivity to disaster response, interactive games are the training tool of choice; there is an increasing demand for degreed individuals with a grasp of the theoretical, creative and technical aspects of the field. With Columbia's emphasis on providing the best in both theory and practice, we are ideally positioned to educate the next generation of video game design professionals."
The game design major has been in development for more than a year and has been eagerly anticipated by students. "We looked closely at the state of digital design present and future, course options, career outcomes and competition from other colleges and universities offering comparable programs, in order to craft the most comprehensive curriculum possible," explains Doreen Bartoni, dean of Columbia's School of Media Arts.
"In addition to emphasizing a better balance of art and technology than existing programs, the Columbia game design major highlights collaboration, teamwork and an exposure to real-world production deadlines. We intend to give students the kind of education that will make them the most sought-after professionals in the job market."
The game design major will be administered under Columbia's newly renamed "Department of Interactive Arts and Media" (IAM), which will expand upon the curriculum and courses previously offered by the Academic Computing Department and the Interactive Multimedia Program. The IAM department will be chaired by artist and educator Annette Barbier, who was selected after a nationwide search. Barbier joined the Columbia faculty directly from her post on the faculty of Northwestern University.
"From both the artistic and educational perspectives, the fields of new media and interactive technology are wide open. They are the future and the possibilities are endless," says Barbier. "The reorganization, in effect the re-launching, of these programs at Columbia comes at a perfect time. Whether we are talking about web design, developing video gaming for education or entertainment, or using the technologies to create art that engages and challenges the audience, Columbia will be providing education that keeps our graduates at the cutting edge of the interaction of culture and technology. And, the wonderful diversity of Columbia's student body will be significant in the development of a broader range of interactive arts and games than is currently available. I look forward to bringing my vision and passion to these endeavors."
"We are really excited about Annette heading up the IAM Department," comments Bartoni. "She is an artist with a dynamic and intelligent body of work and a teacher with a deep commitment to process and inquiry. Her leadership should both challenge and invigorate."
The Game Design major will offer 4 distinct areas of concentration: game development; programming; animation; and audio. Students will be required to complete 21 credit hours in core courses including "Media Theory and Design," "Introduction to Programming," "Digital Image Design" and "Game Culture," in addition to their concentration track, electives and liberal arts and sciences core curriculum.
"The distinct concentrations allow for students with stronger interests and abilities in the technical aspects of game design such as programming, and those more attuned to the creative areas such as animation, to pursue their best educational fit and career path in this growing field," explains Barbier. "The concentrations also recognize the crucial role of specialization in game production.
"The curriculum is rigorous. People might think a 'gaming' major is just fun and games, but we are in the business of building the next generation of culture creators and the students will be mastering design, computer architecture, programming, higher mathematics and producing a final portfolio that includes a finished game."
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