2015-2016 Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2015-2016 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Media Convergence, Games and Media Integration, MSCS-GMI


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One of the most exciting aspects of the GMI degree program is the combination of a set of required courses that ensure that all students develop a firm foundation in the basics of design and development of games and media integration products, and the opportunity for students to pursue their special interests through several elective courses and portfolio development.

Objectives

Program graduates will demonstrate and be able to perform to professional standards in the following areas:

  • A broad understanding of the entire spectrum of media convergence, games and media integration (GMI)
  • A thorough understanding of the process of creating, designing, product development and deployment of a game, animation and movie, or a wearable computing product
  • Proficiency with many of the tools and techniques for implementing game and media integration product for the industry.

Admission Requirements

  1. A Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
  2. Considerable computing experience and promise of ability to pursue advanced study and research.
  3. An overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0. Applicants with a grade point average of less than 3.0 may be provisionally admitted on a case-by-case basis.
  4. Completed Admission Forms, including two copies of official transcripts and three references sent to the Computer Science Department.

Note:


A student who lacks one or more of the above courses may be admitted, but would still be required to satisfy the above requirements after admission. Students with considerable knowledge of programming and/or mathematical experience in the industry are encouraged to apply.

Degree Requirements


A student will earn a Master of Science degree in Computer Science - Media Convergence, Games and Media Integration (GMI) - after completing 30 hours of graduate work, as follows:

Required Core Courses (9 Credit Hours)


The following three courses or their equivalents are required (if they were not previously taken as upper division undergraduate courses):

Note:


GMI students considering PhD program in Computer Science are also encouraged to consider:

Required Portfolio (Up to 6 Credit Hours)


GMI students are required to develop an industrial portfolio with an interdisciplinary focus. Through the portfolio, the student shows an ability to completely realize their individual contributions, resulting in possibly a high quality exhibit, movie, or game.

The interdisciplinary nature of the GMI program provides all students with extensive knowledge in the widely-varied aspects of Games and Media integration. In turn, this provides students with the chance to integrate technical and artistic ideas in their portfolio. With the portfolio requirement, students carry out a concept to completion: a story would be conceived and then animated; a quest imagined and then fulfilled; or a wearable computing product imagined and implemented, for example.

Suggested applications with strong GMI emphasis areas include but are not limited to the following: applications integrated in TheatreWorks Productions, Digital Animation Movie Production and/or Production of Games, applications coordinating with the Center on Aging, work with visual and performing arts, and disability applications.

The student’s portfolio advisory committee will consist of three faculty members, including at least one CS graduate faculty member and, if applicable, one faculty member from LAS. The third member should preferably come from a local industry, representing for example the SigGraph, IGDA community with major portfolio development experience. Dr. Semwal initially would be the CS portfolio advisor.

Completed works are expected to be submitted to SigGraph Animation and Film Festival, International Symposium on Wearable Computing, a variety of virtual reality and HCI interaction conferences, Game Developers Conference, or other related venues around the world.

Thesis or Project (3 - 6 Credit Hours)


Students are required to complete a project (three credit hours) or a thesis (six credit hours). A maximum total of nine credit hours of thesis or project, and portfolio is allowed, ensuring that students have sufficient course work in the games and media integration areas. Students will be expected to work with an advisor in the GMI area of concentration following the guidelines of MS Thesis or Project work in the CS Department.

Transfer Credit


Up to 9 hours of graduate work may be transferred from an accredited graduate program, provided:

  • Course work has not been used for any other degree.
  • Grade earned for the course(s) is B or better.
  • The course work has been taken within past six years.
  • The course coverage is equal in level, content, and depth to the course for which it is being substituted.

Additional Graduate Degree Requirements


See also EAS Graduate Degree Requirements  and the Graduate School Requirements .

Further Information


Call (719) 255-3544, visit http://www.eas.uccs.edu/cs/megmi.shtml or e-mail prea@uccs.edu.

 

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