Making interactive content and engaging with others is at the heart of the Media Arts and Game Development program at UW-Whitewater — or MAGD, as we call it on campus.
This degree combines classes from communication, art, music, computer science and other academic areas, and it also provides the in-depth technical education today’s media jobs require.
This versatile degree will prepare you to take on a number of roles including multimedia producer, game developer, usability engineer, motion graphics artist, interface designer, 3D artist and animator, and mobile app developer.
What’s more, is that concepts and skills learned in media arts and game development can apply to everyday life — and a variety of career paths.
Our program is a collaboration between several departments and programs on campus, and that means the Media Arts and Game Development degree is extremely flexible.
We often see students combine majors, minors and bachelor’s degree programs into a unique package targeted just toward their career goals — such as adding the MAGD minor to a degree in computer science , graphic design, electronic media, or film studies.
To help you focus your degree, you’ll choose from one of three emphasis areas:
Media Arts
Learn to produce original, creative digital content for interactive computer games, animation, special effects, 3D , motion graphics and more.
Communication/Gaming
Gain practical skills in audio, video , and writing for digital media while also explor ing the role games and emerging technology have in today’s culture.
Gaming Technology
Hone the programming and software development expertise needed to work with real-time interactive graphics and game development.
Other reasons to study Media Arts and Game Development at UW-Whitewater:
As a Media Arts and Game Development major at UW-Whitewater, you can take part in many hands-on learning opportunities, including creator, production, and leadership roles at campus media outlets.
Study abroad and exchange program
We’re proud to offer an exchange program with the game development program at HAN University in Holland. Throughout the academic year, we collaborate with HAN students on a team game project and then travel to Holland in the spring to complete the game with them.
Undergraduate research
Many MAGD students participate in UW-Whitewater’s Research Apprenticeship Program, or work on their own projects and creations under faculty mentors.
Internships
You have the option to complete an internship as part of the MAGD program, whether it’s on campus in the Digital Media Lab or off campus for a media or production company.
GAMED — Game and Media Entertainment Developers — is a student organization for students interested in designing their own games.
The hallmark of GAMED is Game Jams: a “hack-a-thon” type event where students receive a theme on Friday, break into teams and, by Sunday, create a game. This weekend-long challenge allows our students to extend their creativity, build coding knowledge and learn to work effectively in teams.
Other video game development and related campus groups include:
The program includes four dedicated teaching labs — with a combination of PCs and Mac computers and drawing tablets.
Our Motion Capture Studio is open to all students and faculty members and features an Optitrack system optimized just for our location.
The program also has additional equipment and facilities available for student use:
We also have a room with gaming consoles that serves as a meeting space for our student organization, GAMED, and our weekend-long game jams.
Our graduates are doing — and making — exciting things. Here are a few positions and organizations recent Media Arts and Game Development majors found after graduation:
Media Arts and Game Development majors also go on to graduate school, such as at UW-Whitewater’s Master of Computer Science program.
On our Media Arts and Game Development faculty members are from across disciplines and bring a wide range of career and life experience. They’re also creators themselves: composers, authors, designers and musicians.
Faculty research interests include:
Want to learn more about earning a Media Arts and Game Development degree?
262-472-2874 | millera@uww.edu »
UW-Whitewater offers the following Media Arts and Game Development degrees:
MAGD majors can choose from three emphases:
In addition to UW-Whitewater’s general education requirements, all Media Arts and Game Development majors will take a set of core courses, including:
The rest of your required and elective courses will vary based on your emphasis area, personal interests and career goals. MAGD students have access to an incredible amount of courses from across programs and departments at UW-Whitewater, from communication and computer science to art and music. Here are just a few course titles you might explore:
To apply, you’ll complete the UW-Whitewater application for admission and indicate your interest in the Media Arts and Game Development degree.