Curriculum Framework

The curriculum framework presented by the IGDA Education Committee is a conceptual guide for game-related educational programs.

Though the field of game studies is young, the number and variety of game-related educational institutions is already vast. No single curriculum can apply to them all. The Committee therefore presents a modular curriculum framework, not a single detailed curriculum. We have described knowledge areas and practical skills required to make and study games, in a format that can be adapted to the resources and curriculum offerings of a range of institutions.

We have not suggested specific courses, appropriate credit hours or specific degree program requirements. Nor is this framework an attempt to tell developers what areas of knowledge should be important to them. Instead, this framework proposes a set of Core Topics -- a list of general areas relevant to the construction of a game-related curriculum. We intend for you to mix and match the Core Topics according to your needs, to include and exclude as you see fit. Rather than a menu of necessary ingredients, the Framework lists possible ways to grow or focus your program.

As a practical document, the Framework is designed to assist educators and students on a variety of levels -- from the creation of individual courses to the development of full degree programs, within a single department or across several. It is also a guide for students creating individualized courses of study at institutions without game-related majors.

In such a complex set of fields, there is no “silver bullet” approach. It is our hope that individual teachers, administrators and students can adapt appropriate aspects of this framework to their particular educational needs and institutional contexts. Please refer to Appendix A for some example “usage” cases of the Framework.

Download

The current and previous versions of the Curriculum Framework can be downloaded in pdf format:

Game_Edu Mailing List

The IGDA hosts the Game_Edu Mailing List to assist in the ongoing discussion and evolution of game development curricula. This list is focused on the teaching of the disciplines that go into making a game, along with covering teaching/teacher issues, book and material needs, links for professional developers, etc. Note, this is NOT a list for games as traditional learning tools (ie, serious games) or for game studies and research.