Gaming Arts Minor
Learn how games are designed — gameplay, rules, narrative, and user interface — and customize the rest with electives in programming, writing, 3D, or music.
Program Overview
The Game Design Minor at Shawnee State University equips students with the foundational knowledge and creative skills necessary for designing interactive digital media. Game designers are responsible for creating gameplay experiences by establishing the rules, logic, and narrative that govern virtual worlds. This requires both technical and artistic thinking, as well as strong communication skills—verbal, visual, and written.
Open to students from all majors, this minor can also provide value and employment opportunities to those outside of traditional art and engineering fields who may be interested in entering the game or simulation industries. Students gain exposure to a professional game studio environment while customizing their path through electives in programming, writing, music, 3D modeling, and more.
Whether you’re a storyteller, developer, or creative thinker, this minor offers a gateway into the dynamic world of game development.
At A Glance
Gaming Arts Minor
Degree
Minor
Format
On campus
Length
Complete alongside your major
Credits
21
Class Size
12:1
Location
Main Campus, Vern Riffe Center for the Arts
Why Study Gaming Arts Minor at Shawnee University
You'll learn from a department that has been named a Top Game Design program by The Princeton Review for 15 years running — #2 in the Midwest, #1 in Ohio.
You'll work in a real game studio environment alongside Game & Simulation Arts and Game Programming students.
The minor is open to any major — game design is cross-disciplinary, and your background (programming, writing, music, business, education) shapes how you contribute.
Electives let you go where your strengths are — 3D modeling, programming, screenwriting, electronic music, recording studio work, and more.
The Gaming Arts Minor requires 21 credit hours — a 9-credit core in game design and 12 credits of electives chosen with the program.
- Game Design Core (9 credits): ARTG 1501 Game Studio; ARTG 3530 Game Design; ARTG 3540 UI Design for Games 1
- Choose one (3 credits): ARTG 4530 Game Documentation OR ARTG 4540 UI Design for Games 2
- Choose three electives (9 credits) from courses including ARTG 3601 Digital 3D Foundations Studio, ARTG 3611/3612 Hard Surface or Organic 3D 1, ARTG 4505 World Design and Creation, ARTS 1105 Digital Foundations, COMM 2121 Technical Communication, ETGG 1801/1802 Game Programming Foundations 1 and 2, ETGG 1803 Concepts of 3D Graphics, ETEC 1101 Structured Programming, MUSI 3611 Electronic Music, MUSI 3621/4621 Recording Studio 1 and 2, ENGL 2240 Screenwriting, ENGL 2245 Creative Writing (Fiction), or ENGL 3305 Creative Nonfiction
The Gaming Arts Minor is a strong fit for students majoring in:
- Game & Simulation Arts
- Graphic Design
- Computer Science or Game Programming
- Creative Writing or English
- Music or Music Technology
- Communication
- Business
- Education
Classes meet on the Shawnee State campus in Portsmouth, Ohio, in the Department of Fine, Digital and Performing Arts studios and labs.
Gaming Arts Minor Frequently Asked Questions
No. The minor is built to bring students from any major into game design. Your background — writing, programming, music, business — shapes how you'll contribute to a studio team.
Look at the B.F.A. in Game & Simulation Arts (art-focused) or the B.S. in Game Programming (engineering-focused). The minor is a strong second credential on top of either, or alongside another major.
Yes. Core courses are studio-based and produce playable work.
Some can, depending on your major and which electives you choose. Talk with your advisor and the program coordinator.
