Computer students learn how to make a game of it

There are people whose careers are making sure video games work to perfection.

One of them, in the future, could be a Carroll University graduate. That's because the university will soon begin teaming with Milwaukee Area Technical College to offer a program in information technology with an emphasis on computer game development.

"This is a very exciting public/private, two-year/four year institution collaboration that will produce gaming professionals with strong technical skills, information technology knowledge and a grounding in the liberal arts," said Jane Hopp, dean of Carroll's College of Natural Science, Health Science and Business.

The Bachelor of Science degree will include two years of courses taught in Carroll's computer science program and the courses from MATC's two-year associate degree in applied science in computer simulation and gaming.

"They will get the computer science and information skills at Carroll and will get the game development skills at MATC as an added value," said John Symms, who serves as the chair of the department of Computational and Physical Science.

After this agreement was signed early last month, it became the first four-year program in southeastern Wisconsin that focuses on gaming.

The students in this program will learn the coding and the software development side of video games.

"We're not focusing on the artistic form or creating images," Symms said. "But what we're doing is learning more of the programming aspect of it.

Symms added that his students will go to MATC to learn "how to use a game engine and how to do various components of what you would see in a modern game."

In simplistic terms, they will learn the nuts and bolts in the making of a video game and what's underneath all its layers.Along those lines, this course will teach the students problem-solving skills that prepare them for a broad range of jobs in rapidly changing technology fields such as multimedia development, digital media and film production.

Symms said a few students are already enrolled in the class for next semester when it will start. He said that computer programming, which this program also teaches, is a growing career with many options.

For more information call (262) 524-729 or email jsymms@carrollu.edu.