Certificate in Game Design
Turn a gaming passion into a career.
According to employment data firm IBISWorld the game industry has 322,503 jobs this year growing from 298,217 jobs last year.
If you grew up passionate about gaming, becoming a professional game designer might be your dream job. But being an avid gamer isn’t enough of a credential to break into the industry. You’ll need to show that you have specific knowledge of game systems and game design, as well as broader awareness of the development process and how major game studios operate.
Turn a gaming passion into a career. Earn a certificate in Game Design at WKU in as little as 2 semesters!
Careers in Game Design
Graduates of WKU’s game design certificate can apply their knowledge to several careers. Potential career outcomes include:
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Required Courses
The game design certificate includes six courses totaling 18 credit hours. Classes include computer science, art, communication, and a wide variety of electives. The program takes about a year to complete. More information about each course may be found in Course Descriptions.
Game Design Certificate: 18 hours
Computer Science (6 hours)
CS 146 “Introduction to Programming” (existing Colonnade course) OR CS 170 “Problem Solving and Programming” (existing course) OR CS 180 “Computer Science I” OR CS 239 “Problem Solving with Computational Techniques”
CS 301 “Game Programming”
Art (6 hours)
ART 130 “Design” OR 131 “3D Design” OR 140 “Drawing”
ART 244 “Computer Animation I”
Communication (3 hours)
UX 380 “Gaming: Culture, Theory and Practice”
Restricted Elective, select from (3 hours):
ANTH 448 Visual Anthropology
ART 105 Art Survey: Prehistory to the Renaissance
ART 106 Art Survey: Renaissance to Contemporary
ART 344 Animation II
ART 390 Contemporary Art
ART 405 Art Theory and Criticism
ART 431 Illustration
ART 436 Electronic Illustration
BCOM 264 Digital Video Production and Distribution
CS 270 Introduction to Web Programming
CS 290 Computer Science II
ENG 203 Creative Writing
ENT 312 Entrepreneurship
MUS 120 Music Appreciation
POP 201 Introduction to Popular Culture Studies
THEA 101 Acting I
THEA 303 Acting for the Camera
SOCL 245 Sociology of Popular Culture
UX 330 Interactive Design
Or another selection from:
CS 146 Introduction to Programming
CS 170 Problem Solving and Programming
CS 180 Computer Science I
CS 239 Problem Solving with Computational Techniques
Upcoming Courses
If you begin in Fall this certificate can be completed in as little as one year.
Suggested course progression: FALL: CS 146; ART 140; ART 244 and SPRING: CS 301; UX 380; elective
| Course | Offered | Colonnade? | |
| Pick One: | ART 130/131/140 | Fall/Spring | No |
| Required: | ART 244 | Fall/Spring | No |
| Pick One: | CS 146/CS 170/CS 180/CS 239 | Fall/Spring | CS 146- QR |
| Required: | CS 301 | Fall | No |
| Required: | UX 380 | Spring | No |
| Pick One: | Restricted Elective (see list above) | Varies | Varies |
Game Design Club
Admission Requirements
In order to apply to WKU’s game design certificate program, new students must Apply to WKU.
Current students who would like to add the game design certificate must login to TopNet and complete a Change of Major form to add the program. A signature from the certificate coordinator kristina.arnold@wku.edu on this form is required. After the form is signed the addition of the certificate will take up to 2 weeks to show up in TopNet.
*NOTE: a Change of Major form will not change your major, in this case it is simply used to add this program.
If you have questions about applying please contact Kristina Arnold by emailing kristina.arnold@wku.edu or by phone 270-745-6566.
Costs & Financial Aid
WKU’s staff is available to work with students to discover available financial aid options.
Students can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to find out what scholarships, grants, loans and payment plans are available for them. There are numerous options available, and not all financial aid is based on need.
The Transfer Center is the one-stop location for students interested in transferring to WKU. The Transfer Center can assist students with transfer admission, credit evaluation, advising, and much more.
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