Paying For College
NHCC's tuition is among the most affordable in Minnesota.
Financial Aid
- Scholarships are money you don't have to repay
- Grants are money you don't have to repay
- North Star Promise - Free College Tuition for eligible students
Program Roadmaps
Program roadmaps provide students with a guide to understand the recommended course sequence to complete their degree.
Video Game Studies Curriculum
| Course Code | Title | Course Outlines | Goal Areas | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMM 1210 | Small Group Communication and | View-COMM 1210 | n/a | 3 |
| COMM 1610 | Introduction to Mass Communication and | View-COMM 1610 | n/a | 3 |
| COMM 1550 | Video Game Entertainment or | View-COMM 1550 | n/a | 3 |
| ART 1550 and | ||||
| MUSC 1370 | Video Game Music and | View-MUSC 1370 | n/a | 3 |
| ART 1401 | Drawing I and | View-ART 1401 | n/a | 3 |
| CSCI 1035 | Introduction to Computer Programming with Games and | View-CSCI 1035 | n/a | 4 |
| ENGL 1200 | Gateway College Writing or | View-ENGL 1200 | n/a | 4 |
| ENGL 1201 | College Writing I and | View-ENGL 1201 | n/a | 4 |
| ENGL 2020 | Writing Stories and | View-ENGL 2020 | n/a | 3 |
| ART 2900 | Studio Arts Capstone Practicum or | View-ART 2900 | n/a | 1 |
| COMM 2900 | Communications Capstone | View-COMM 2900 | n/a | 0 |
Course Title: Introduction to Computer Programming with Games Goal Areas: n/a Credits: 4
Course Description: This is an introductory computer programming course. The students will engage in hands-on implementation of games and simulations in a graphics-enhanced development environment. The students will learn how to transform game scenarios into algorithms and programs, create user interfaces, and incorporate multimedia. Basic computer skills are necessary for success in this class.
Course Title: Gateway College Writing Goal Areas: 01 Credits: 4
Course Description: This class provides extended practice in critical reading, writing, and thinking skills. Students will develop an effective writing process and work to achieve college-level competence in reading and responding to texts, visuals, events, and ideas in a variety of written formats, with an emphasis on the academic essay. Audience awareness, interpretation and analysis, logical reasoning, and persuasive and argumentative skills will be developed. MLA style documentation of primary sources will be included.
Course Title: College Writing I Goal Areas: 01 Credits: 4
Course Description: This class provides extended practice in critical reading, writing, and thinking skills. Students will develop an effective writing process and work to achieve college-level competence in reading and responding to texts, visuals, events, and ideas in a variety of written formats, with an emphasis on the academic essay. Audience awareness, interpretation and analysis, logical reasoning, and persuasive and argumentative skills will be developed. MLA style documentation of primary sources will be included.
Course Title: Small Group Communication Goal Areas: 07,01 Credits: 3
Course Description: This course examines communication in small groups. Students will participate in and analyze how small groups function, how leadership roles evolve, how decisions are made and how conflicts can be resolved. Students will work in small groups, complete group projects, and analyze group interaction.
Course Title: Video Game Music Goal Areas: 06 Credits: 3
Course Description: This course will examine the evolution of music in video games, beginning with the earliest use of sound in games such as PAC Man and Space Invaders and progressing to the more complex soundtracks of modern day titles such as Halo & The Legend of Zelda. Students will follow the artistic & technological advances of this unique media form, gaining a greater understanding of how music helps shape the overall gaming experience.
Course Title: Drawing I Goal Areas: 06 Credits: 3
Course Description: This course introduces basic drawing concepts such as line, value, gesture, proportion, composition, and space; and techniques using traditional and contemporary drawing media. A variety of subjects from still life, architectural forms, nature and the human figure are used as inspiration for the student's drawings. Students will also be introduced to the art of important artists who have used drawing successfully in their work.
Course Title: Video Game Entertainment Goal Areas: 06,01 Credits: 3
Course Description: This course will examine the development of the video game industry and research on social effects of video game play. Issues discussed include video game violence, effects of gender and cultural representation, visual messages in gaming, pro-social relationships, and emerging technologies in gaming.
Course Title: Introduction to Mass Communication Goal Areas: 01,09 Credits: 3
Course Description: This introductory course is intended to develop critical and analytical skills for understanding mass media; for recognizing messages, making deliberate choices about them, and evaluating the effects of these messages in both an individual and societal context. Students will examine the history, evolution, and societal impact of a wide variety of media, including print, film, and social media and will develop skills to make informed, ethical evaluations of the mediated messages they receive.
Course Title: Writing Stories Goal Areas: 06 Credits: 3
Course Description: This course offers beginning instruction in the art of writing fiction. Exploring techniques for generating material, engaging in writing exercises, and critically examining contemporary short fiction are important aspects of this course. Students will develop a portfolio of their writing and will critique others' work in a writing workshop environment.
Course Title: Studio Arts Capstone Practicum Goal Areas: 06 Credits: 1
Course Description: This course is intended for students who have completed a significant portion of coursework in the Studio Arts AFA program and are within a semester of completion. It is a capstone experience in which students will refine their skills in portfolio building, artistic presentation in the professional arts world, resume building, critique skills, exhibition preparation, and use of web resources for artists' representation. Students will work closely with faculty to integrate concepts learned throughout their program into a final portfolio of work in preparation for continued study or work. Prerequisites: Art 1301, Art 1310, Art 1340, and Art 1401
Course Title: Communications Capstone Goal Areas: n/a Credits: 0
Course Description: The communication capstone course is intended for students who want to engage in a professional application of communication skills gained from their prior coursework. This could range from social media internships, public speaking events, communication campaign work, or other projects within the scope of communication studies.Students must take one COMM course and have instructor permission.
| Total Credits Required | 27 |
2024-2025
The Video Game Studies Certificate centers on artistic design, visual narratives, communication skills, and critique of games, at both a personal and societal level. Students will develop audience analysis and teamwork skills, engage in the development of game narratives, and learn to analyze the impact of existing and emerging game technologies.
1.
Articulate the connections between different professional roles within the
video games industry, including but not limited to artists, coders, promoters,
and reviewers (ELO 2a, 4d).
2. Explain the impact of the history and development of the video games medium
on social and cultural interactions (ELO 2a, 3b).
3. Demonstrate how to adapt game development related messages to different
audiences (ELO 2b, c).
4. Compare and contrast different games in terms of formats, narratives, and
design (ELO 2a, 4d).
5. Analyze video game narratives as they relate to communication processes and
cultural variations in use and representation (ELO 4b, d).
6. Develop an artistic, communicative, and narrative concept for an original
video game (ELO 4b, d).
Program roadmaps provide students with a guide to understand the recommended course sequence to complete their degree.
Information on careers, including career descriptions, salary data, and employment outlook is available on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website and O*Net Online website.
If you are planning on transferring to another institution, follow the guidelines available on our transfer resources web page to help you plan the process: Transfer Information
Developmental Courses Some students may need preparatory course(s) in Math and/or English. Courses numbered below 1000 will not apply toward a degree.
Equal Opportunity Employer and Disability Access Information North Hennepin Community College is a member of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and an equal opportunity employer and educator. This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities by calling 7634930555 or through the Minnesota Relay Service at 18006273529.
North Hennepin Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
30 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60602-2504
1-800-621-7440
Get Started
If you're ready to get started, apply to NHCC. If you'd like to learn more, you can visit campus or request information.
