Application for a New Undergraduate Certificate Program

 

 

  1. A statement of the educational objectives of the program;

 

A student completing the Undergraduate Game Development Certificate  will 1) be able to design and develop computer games and simulations 2) be familiar with current 3D gaming technologies 3) gain technical skills in real-time rendering and content creation and 4) gain experience in working with the concepts behind the development of story, character, environment, level design, user interface, and sound augmentation.

 

This certificate will be offered so that students who have studied computer programming through data structures can get the certificate either online and face-to-face.  Currently, the required preparatory courses are only offered face-to-face, but the department will attempt to address that in the future.

 

  1. A statement of the admission standards for the certificate program and a statement of the academic retention standards for the successful completion of the program.

 

Applicants must be admitted to ECU.  In order to enroll in any course listed in the Computer Game Development Certificate curriculum, a student must have completed all of the prerequisites specified for that course.  

 

  1. A statement of the proposed course sequence associated with the certificate, including titles and course descriptions both for existing courses and any new courses that may be developed.

 

Students enrolled in Undergraduate Certificate program will be required to take the following courses, totaling five courses.  It is possible that to have transferred credit to the preparatory courses, CSCI 2310/2311 and (CSCI 3200 or CSCI 3300).

 

Preparatory courses:

 

CSCI 2310, 2311.  Algorithmic Problem Solving and Programming Laboratory (4,0) (F,S) P: MATH 1065; C for 2310: CSCI 2311; C for 2311: CSCI 2310.  Design of algorithms and their implementation as programs in a high level language such as Java.

 

One of the following two courses.

 

CSCI 3200. Data Structures and Their Applications (4)(F) P: CSCI 2310, 2311.  Common data structures and how to use them in advanced problem solving.

 

CSCI 3300. Introduction to Algorithms and Data Structures (4) (F,S) P: CSCI 2310; C: CSCI 2427.  Advanced data representation schemes such as lists and trees, including associated algorithms and use of both static and dynamic memory.

 

 

Game development courses:

 

New Course:

CSCI 3550. Introduction to Computer Game Development (3) (F) P: CSCI 3200 or 3300. A broad view of computer game development from an applied computer science point of view. Content creation, story, character, environment, level design, user interface, and sound.

Existing Course:

CSCI 4550. Computer Game Development (3) (S) P: CSCI 3550. Topics in animation development, multi-layer technologies, haptic displays, spatial issues in gaming and 3D immersion technology, terrain and special effects.

(This course is in the process of being revised.)

 

 

Elective course:

 

Sudents must select one of the following courses:

 

3800. Introduction to Computer Graphics (3) (F) P: CSCI 3200 or 3310; MATH 3256 or 3584. Computer graphics systems, hardware, interactive methods; line and curve drawing; two- and three dimensional transformations; and perspective transformation.

 

 4530. Computer Networks and the Internet (3) (S) P: CSCI 3200 or 3300 or consent of instructor. Theory and case studies of modern networking protocols and telecommunication methods. Local area and long-haul networks.

 

5800. Artificial Intelligence (3) P: CSCI 3200 or 3310 or consent of instructor. Fundamental problems and techniques of artificial intelligence. Heuristic search. Concepts of expert systems.

 

 

  1. The catalog copy for the certificate program;

 

Certificate in Computer Game Development

 

The College of Technology and Computer Science offers an undergraduate certificate in computer game development.  It is possible to take the non-preparatory courses both online and on campus.  The program prepares students to design and develop computer games and simulations. Students acquire technical skills in real-time rendering and content creation, and work with concepts behind the development of story, character, environment, level design, user interface and sound augmentation.  The certificate can be obtained part of a minor, with courses counting toward both.

 

1. Preparatory courses....................................................................................................................8 s.h.

 CSCI 2310, 2311. Algorithmic Problem Solving and Programming Laboratory (4,0) (F,S) (P: MATH 1065;  C for 2310: CSCI 2311; C for 2311: CSCI 2310)

 CSCI 3200. Data Structures and Their Applications (4) (F,S) (P: CSCI 2310; P/S: MATH 2427) or

   CSCI 3300. Introduction to Algorithms and Data Structures (4) (F,S) (P: CSCI 2310; C: CSCI

   2427)

 

2. Advanced courses:.....................................................................................................................9 s.h.

 CSCI 3550. Introduction to Computer Game Development (3) (F) [P: CSCI 3200 or 3300]

 CSCI 4550. Computer Game Development (3) (S) [P: CSCI 3550]

 CSCI 3800. Introduction to Computer Graphics(3)(F)[P: CSCI 3200 or 3310] or CSCI 4530.  

   Computer Networks and the Internet (3) (S) [P: CSCI 3200 or 3300 or consent] or CSCI 

   5800. Artificial  Intelligence (3) [P: CSCI 3200 or 3310 or consent]

 

  1. A statement of how the proposed course sequences associated with the certificate will meet the stated educational objectives;

 

The preparatory courses give students the tools necessary for the more advanced courses.

 

The two required courses CSCI 3550 and CSCI 4550 are specifically aimed at computer game development.  CSCI 3550 introduces the full range of concepts, and gives students the ability to create an elementary game.  CSCI 4550 reexamines some of those concepts in more detail, introduces some new ideas, and prepares students to create more involved games and simulations.

 

The choice of one of three elective courses in the curriculum will allow students to gain advanced knowledge in 1) artificial intelligence, 2) computer networking or 3) computer graphics. Each of those areas has applications in computer game development.

 

  1. A statement of the need for the proposed program and the basis for such a need, supported by either externally or internally derived data;

 

A nationwide decline in computer science student enrollment has led many universities to introduce computer game development courses in order to reinvigorate the computer science curriculum at the same time that it encourages teamwork activities and multi-disciplinary efforts. The high degree of student interest in computer gaming 1) facilitates the recruitment and retention of computer science students, 2) allows students to learn computing skills in the highly motivational context of computer game development, and 3) allows instructors to teach problem solving to students who are motivated by their keen interest in computer gaming.

 

According to Microsoft and the Computer Research Association, computer science enrollment has declined each of the past four years. The percentage of incoming undergraduates indicating plans to major in computer science declined by more than 60 percent between fall 2000 and 2004, and is now 70 percent lower than its peak in the early 1980s. Moreover, the number of women and minority students, while low in the past, has declined at an even faster rate, as many former CS students are pursuing other majors. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics computer systems analysts, database administrators and computer scientists are expected to be among the fastest growing occupations in the United States through the end of the decade and beyond, increasing 36 percent or more through 2012.

 

In order to help stop the large loss of computer science students in introductory courses, Dr. Randy Pausch proposed an effective new approach to teaching computer science. He developed a new teaching tool called Alice that allows students to learn basic computer science concepts, while creating movies and games in a virtual 3-D world free from the complexity of programming syntax. Several studies funded by NSF have found that the student retention rate in introductory level computer science classes that use Alice have nearly doubled from a low of 47 percent to an amazing high of 88 percent. The gaming environment of Alice motivates students to master programming skills and computer science principles needed to create interesting movies and games.

 

7.      The names of the faculty associated with or contributing to the certificate program, either by teaching one or more of the courses associated with the program or participating in the design of the course sequence. Adjunct faculty associated with the program should also include up-to-date curriculum vitae;

 

 

Dr. John Placer (Chair of Computer Science)

Dr. Nasseh Tabrizi

Dr. Lakshmi Narasimhan

Dr. Abrahamson

Dr. Masao Kishore

Mr. Robert Hoggard

 

8.      The name and curriculum vita of the faculty member who will be designated as the coordinator of the program for purposes of communication.

 

Dr. Masao Kishore

 

9.      If the proposed graduate certificate program contains no new courses, no new faculty, no additional costs, and maintains the admissions and academic standing requirements of a related degree program, the proposal will be given expedited review in the approval process.

 

The proposed Undergraduate Certificate Program requires approval of one new course but it does not require hiring new faculty and will incur no additional costs. 

 

10.  The unit offering the certificate program must specify what professional license, if any, for which the certificate qualifies.

 

Completion of the Undergraduate Certificate in Computer gaming does not qualify students for any professional licensure.

 

11.  The Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) title and six-digit code (descriptions available at:

 

11.0199       Computer and Information Sciences.