About this program

  • Credential Awarded: 3 Year Advanced Diploma
  • Campus: Welland
  • Code: 0441 P0441
  • Delivery Length: 3 Years
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Overview

Do you want to turn your interest in video games into a career and move your gaming ideas from concept to reality?

As a game developer, you are a leader of innovation in the digital game and interactive media industry.

Highlights

  • Explore, experience and develop skills in all major game development areas including design, art, programming and production.

  • Hundreds of hours of hands-on, applied learning in state-of-the-art game development labs with dual monitors.

  • Curriculum focused on game programming and scripting, digital art production techniques, game design principles and game production practices.

  • Full access to industry leading programming, art, design and production game development tools.

  • Practical individual and collaborative game development experience, culminating in a team project to conceive, design, develop and showcase an original game.

Career Opportunities
  • 2D and 3D animation
  • Artificial intelligence programming
  • Environment and character modelling
  • Game concept art and design
  • Game graphics programming
  • Game level layout and design
  • Game production and development
  • Gameplay programming
  • Lighting design
  • Online/network programming
  • Special effects art
  • User interface programming and design
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Courses

Term one (2024 Fall)
Code Course Name Credits
COMM1088 I-Think: The Science of Thinking and Problem Solving 3
COMM1150 Communications for Media Studies 3
GAME1102 Digital Graphics Techniques I 3
GAME1103 Programming Essentials 4
GAME1104 Game Design Fundamentals 3
PROG1101 Database Essentials 3
Term two (2025 Winter)
Code Course Name Credits
GAME1110 3D Animation 4
GAME1111 Object Oriented Programming 6
GAME1112 Digital Graphics Techniques II 3
GAME1113 Game Engine Fundamentals 4
MATH1145 Mathematics I for Computer Studies 3
Term three (2025 Fall)
Code Course Name Credits
GAME1203 Game Environment Design 4
GAME1204 Game Theory 4
MATH1223 Mathematics for Gaming 4
GAME1205 Game Engine Programming 6
Elective Information

Completion of additional General Education elective 1 course required
Term four (2026 Winter)
Code Course Name Credits
GAME1210 Advanced Game Programming Techniques 6
GAME1211 Networking for Game Communities 4
GAME1214 Rapid Game Development 4
GAME1218 Character Design 4
MATH1233 Physics for Gaming 4
Term five (2026 Fall)
Code Course Name Credits
COMM1306 Writing for the Gaming Industry I 3
GAME1301 Artificial Intelligence for Gaming 6
GAME1302 Game Development Project I 4
GAME1303 Advanced Animation Techniques 4
GAME1304 Mobile Gaming Space 4
Term six (2027 Winter)
Code Course Name Credits
COMM1316 Writing for the Gaming Industry II 3
GAME1311 The Business of Gaming 3
GAME1312 Game Development Project II 9
Elective Information

Completion of additional General Education elective 1 course required
Program Outcomes Term: 1244

  1. Analyze the differences in game genres in order to develop games that meet the needs of specific markets

  2. Analyze the history of video games to compare various approaches to game development

  3. Support the development of games by identifying and relating concepts from a range of industry roles—programming, design, and art

  4. Contribute as an individual and a member of a game development team to the effective completion of a game development project

  5. Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance in the games industry

  6. Perform all work in compliance with relevant statutes, regulations, legislation, industry standards and codes of ethics

  7. Apply conceptual game design elements to support the ongoing iteration, creation, programming, design, and development of games

  8. Apply practical game design elements to support the ongoing iteration, creation, programming, design and developing of unique gaming environments, levels, characters, assets and props as an individual and a member of a team and provide leadership as required

  9. Apply programming principles and techniques to create operational games or game components

  10. Apply artificial intelligence and/or network implementation strategies to support real-time game environments and simulations

  11. Utilize game engine functionality at an advanced level to support real-time games and simulations

  12. Create original game props, characters and assets based on the concepts and requirements outlined in game design documents

  13. Contribute to world building and level design, including using a game engine

  14. Conceive, prototype, develop, test and evaluate procedures for the creation, design, programming, production and testing of games in a group environment

  15. Test, debug and correct game components to ensure efficient and appropriate game functionality

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Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent including the following required course(s):
  • English – any Grade 12 (C) or (U), or equivalent
  • Mathematics – any Grade 12 (C) or (U), or equivalent
Recommended Courses and/or Skills:

These courses and skills may help you succeed academically in this program, but they are not required for admission.

  • Computer and Information Science – Grade 11 (M) or Grade 12 (M)
  • Information Technology Applications in Business – Grade 11 (O)
  • Information Technology in Business – Grade 12 (C)
  • Art or media courses
Program Requirements
Transportation
  • Students are responsible for their own transportation in order to complete program requirements which may not be readily accessible by public transportation.
  • Program requirements could include co-ops, placements, volunteer requirements, practical labs, field projects, assignments, clinicals, or any other off-campus visits required as part of the program’s curriculum.
Minimum and Recommended Computer Specifications

We usually recommend desktop PCs with dual monitors for the best experience. Higher end laptops can be used as well but consider purchasing a second monitor that can be connected to the laptop. Dual monitors are preferred due to the number of applications you’ll be working with. Single monitors will work as well, it’s just less efficient to work with. Consider current cost effectiveness, transportability and usable life of the computer as well, ideally you want something that will perform reasonably for 3-5 years.

For specific questions regarding computer specifications, please contact: [email protected]

Required software versions and installation instructions will be communicated closer to the beginning of the Fall 2023 term or during your first week of classes in September.

Processor

Minimum
64-bit Intel or AMD Multi Core Processor with the SSE4.2 Instruction set (Basically any 64 bit processor made since 2008). The more current, the better.

Recommended
As far as Intel chips 8th generation or higher – with i5 being a minimum for performance and i9 higher end. Also, almost any of the mid / high level AMD Ryzen chips would be fine as well. Look into dual processor options, not required but quite the enhancement if you have additional dollars you’d like to spend.

Graphics Card

Avoid
ATI video cards, we have experienced difficulties with systems using them.

Minimum
All graphics cards from NVidia GeForce; Quadro & Titan on desktops are supported from the consumer side of things and most if not all of the newer AMD Radeon cards are supported.

Recommended
Anything in the 10 Series and above for the NVidia GeForce cards would be great…..4GB Memory at a minimum. As far as the Quadros go, all of them are going to be great following the same rules.

Here is a list of the supported Autodesk Video Cards as of September 2023.

RAM

Minimum
The minimum required would be 16GB but performance will likely be compromised.

Recommended
The recommended would be 32GB although 16GB should be workable. If you decide on 16GB be sure to check that the motherboard can have additional memory added if required in the future.

Hard Disk

Minimum
512 GB capacity Hard Drive.

Recommended
1 TB as the gaming projects can get fairly large. SSD’s (Solid State Drive) would be the gold standard for Hard Drives as they provide faster sync times and increased performance. However good traditional ‘spinning’ disk drives will suffice as well.

All costs associated with program requirements are the responsibility of the student.

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Availability

Domestic Applicants Apply
International Applicants Apply
Legendfor intake status table
Open

Accepting applications

Waitlisted

Eligible applications will be placed on a waiting list

Closed

Not accepting applications

Suspended

No longer offered this term

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Pathways

Explore your pathway options What are pathways? for the Game Development program below.

  • To NC from
    Brock University — Bachelor of Arts in Game Design OR Bachelor of Science in Game Programming Canada
  • From NC to
    Yorkville University — Bachelor of Creative Arts Canada

  For detailed information about these pathway options visit niagaracollege.ca/pathways/.

Did you know?

Applicants with previous postsecondary education will be assessed for transfer credits upon receipt of an official transcript from their previous institution. There is no fee for this service.

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Tuition

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Faculty

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