The computer science and game development combined major focuses on the specific skills needed to succeed in the highly competitive game industry. Students will engage in building and developing games and playable media experiences while completing courses in computer science and specialized game technology and design. Interdisciplinary courses enable students to develop their creative and entrepreneurial abilities, as well as create a strong portfolio of game pieces.
Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.
Universitywide Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.
NUpath Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.
Computer Science Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science Overview | ||
| CS 1200 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| or ARTF 1000 | Art and Design at Northeastern | |
| CS 1210 | Professional Development for Khoury Co-op | 1 |
| or EEAM 2000 | Professional Development for Co-op | |
| Computer Science Fundamental Courses | ||
| CS 1800 and CS 1802 | Discrete Structures and Seminar for CS 1800 | 5 |
| CS 2500 and CS 2501 | Fundamentals of Computer Science 1 and Lab for CS 2500 | 5 |
| CS 2510 and CS 2511 | Fundamentals of Computer Science 2 and Lab for CS 2510 | 5 |
| Computer Science Required Courses | ||
| CS 3000 | Algorithms and Data | 4 |
| CS 3500 and CS 3501 | Object-Oriented Design and Lab for CS 3500 | 5 |
| CS 3520 | Programming in C++ (Integrative course) | 4 |
| CS 3540 | Game Programming (Integrative course) | 4 |
| CS 3650 | Computer Systems | 4 |
| CS 3700 | Networks and Distributed Systems | 4 |
| CS 4300 | Computer Graphics (Integrative course) | 4 |
| CS 4500 | Software Development | 4 |
| or CS 4530 | Fundamentals of Software Engineering | |
| CS 4850 | Building Game Engines (Integrative course) | 4 |
| Computer Science Elective Course | ||
| CS 4150 | Game Artificial Intelligence (Integrative course) | 4 |
| or IS 4300 | Human Computer Interaction | |
Game Design Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Game Design Required | ||
| GAME 1110 | Games and Society | 4 |
| GAME 2500 | Foundations of Game Design | 4 |
| GAME 2950 | Game Studio | 4 |
| GAME 3400 | Level Design and Game Architecture | 4 |
| GAME 3700 | Rapid Idea Prototyping for Games | 4 |
| GAME 3800 | Game Concept Development | 4 |
| GAME 4700 | Game Design Capstone | 4 |
| Game Design Elective | ||
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| GAME 1850 | Experimental Game Design | 4 |
| or GAME 3300 | Game Interface Design | |
| or GAME 4000 | Topics in Game Design | |
| Khoury/Game-Related Electives | ||
| Complete three of the following: | 12 | |
Any course in ARTD, ARTE, ARTF, ARTG, ARTH, and GAME subject areas as long as prerequisites have been met. | ||
If GAME 4000 (or any other topics course in the subjects listed above) is completed more than once, the additional completions may be allowed toward the Game Design electives. | ||
CY 2000 or higher, except CY 4930 | ||
DS 2500 or higher, except DS 4900 | ||
| Calculus 2 for Science and Engineering | ||
| Linear Algebra | ||
| Statistics | ||
or PSYC 2320 | Statistics in Psychological Research | |
Supporting Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | ||
| PSYC 1101 | Foundations of Psychology | 4 |
| Mathematics | ||
| Complete two courses from the following: | 8 | |
| Math Fundamentals for Games (Integrative course) | ||
| Calculus 1 for Science and Engineering | ||
MATH 1342 or higher | ||
Computer Science Writing Requirement
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| College Writing | ||
| ENGW 1111 | First-Year Writing | 4 |
| Advanced Writing in the Disciplines | ||
| ENGW 3302 | Advanced Writing in the Technical Professions | 4 |
| or ENGW 3314 | Advanced Writing in the Arts, Media, and Design | |
| or ENGW 3315 | Interdisciplinary Advanced Writing in the Disciplines | |
Required General Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 12 semester hours of general electives. | 12 | |
Khoury College GPA Requirements
Minimum 2.000 GPA required in all CS, CY, DS, and IS courses.
NUpath Requirements Satisfied
- Engaging with the Natural and Designed World
- Exploring Creative Expression and Innovation
- Conducting Formal and Quantitative Reasoning
- Analyzing and Using Data
- Writing in the First Year
- Advanced Writing in the Disciplines
- Writing-Intensive in the Major
- Understanding Societies and Institutions
- Demonstrating Thought and Action in a Capstone
Integrating Knowledge and Skills through Experience is satisfied through co-op.
Program Requirement
133 total semester hours required
Sample Plan of Study: Four Years, Two Co-ops
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| CS 1200 or ARTF 1000 | 1 | CS 2510 and CS 2511 | 5 | CS 3500 and CS 3501 | 5 | Vacation | 0 |
| CS 1800 and CS 1802 | 5 | GAME 2500 | 4 | Math Elective | 4 | ||
| CS 2500 and CS 2501 | 5 | Math Elective | 4 | ||||
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| GAME 1110 | 4 | ||||||
| 19 | 17 | 9 | 0 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| CS 3520 (*) | 4 | CS 1210 or EEAM 2000 | 1 | Elective | 4 | Co-op | |
| CS 3000 | 4 | CS 3540 (*) | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| GAME 2950 | 4 | CS 3650 | 4 | ||||
| GAME 3400 | 4 | GAME 3700 | 4 | ||||
| Khoury/game elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 17 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Co-op | 0 | CS 4850 (*) | 4 | Co-op | 0 | Co-op | 0 |
| CS 4300 | 4 | ||||||
| ENGW 3302 | 4 | ||||||
| PSYC 1101 | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours | ||
| CS 3700 | 4 | GAME 4700 | 4 | Vacation | 0 | ||
| CS 4500 | 4 | Computer science elective | 4 | ||||
| GAME 3800 | 4 | Khoury/game elective | 4 | ||||
| Khoury/game elective | 4 | Game Design Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | 0 | |||||
| Total Hours: 134 | |||||||
*Indicates courses that must be taken in the semester listed.