College of Arts and Communication

  • Curriculum

    The MAGD curriculum represents a unique and valuable opportunity for students to acquire both a four year liberal arts degree and an in-depth technical education that will prepare them for media work in the real world.

  • GameZobmie.tv logo GameZombie is an award-winning, internationally recognized game industry web series, focusing on developer interviews and original shows. It is directed by UW-Whitewater MAGD professor Spencer Striker. go to GameZombie.tv »
  • Egg Lab The Engender Games Group (EGG) lab is a place for students, faculty and the broader Wisconsin community to come together and create compelling interactive media. Contact us if we can develop a project with you. more »
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Communication/Gaming

The communication/gaming major and/or minor concentrates on developing both the technical production skills and the communication strategies necessary for the successful implementation of digital interactive media. Students will learn to analyze and assess the quality and meaning of a variety of digital messages, including games, websites, web video, and interactive video and audio, employing these skills to create and deliver their own content while ensuring that the audience or user is able to understand, absorb, and utilize this content as intended.

Classes in the communication/gaming thread provide an opportunity for students to gain expertise in audio, video, writing for the new web, and games/ interactivity. Students learn how to build strong interfaces, compose storyboards, conduct usability assessments, and manage large-scale projects. Theory classes focus on the role of games in developing culture and communicating messages, intersections and interactions between audio and video, and approaches for the optimization of social media. Video games are evaluated as a cultural phenomenon equivalent to film, television, and radio. Practicum courses provide real-world opportunities for students to hone their skills in web video production, motion graphics, composition/scoring, producing, production management, advanced web development, public relations, marketing, and entrepreneurial business development for the new web. With a combination of practical experience and theoretical knowledge, the communication/gaming student will prepare for careers that focus on the successful implementation of a variety of media, with expertise including website design and construction, interaction and interface development, casual/serious/educational/mobile game design and development, interactive video and audio, usability testing, game media production, game theory, game analysis, writing for games, and game design documents.

Gaming/Communication Career Opportunities

  • Website developer/designer
  • Flash site developer/designer
  • Serious game developer
  • Interface designer
  • Usability engineer
  • Game producer
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College of Arts & Communication | CAC Majors and Minors

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