Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Game Design

Students from the Academic Year 2020/2021 cohort onward will enroll in the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in Interactive Media and Game Development degree program, jointly offered by DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore and Singapore Institute of Technology. The core curriculum is equivalent to the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Game Design degree and has been developed to meet the industry’s evolving needs.

Behind every sword swing, item drop, and hit point in a video game lies a complex system of rules embedded within the game’s code. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Game Design teaches you to become a versatile software developer with the knowledge and ability to design, program, and implement these systems.

You’ll be balancing coursework in computer science with design classes that will challenge you to create a constant flow of game prototypes and mechanics. By the time you graduate, you will be a hybrid programmer and designer who can navigate both ends of the scientific and creative spectrum on any software development team.

If your passion for computers and technology is only matched by your love of creating games, DigiPen (Singapore)’s BS in Computer Science and Game Design program may be an excellent fit for you.

For Degree Requirements and Sample Course Sequence, please refer to the Course Catalog.

Topics Covered

Students in the BS in Computer Science and Game Design program concentrate on the following subjects:

Game design and development, including game design theory and history, design documentation, 2D and 3D level design, game mechanics, playtesting, and team game project implementation.
Computer science, mathematics, and physics, including programming in core languages like C and C++, scripting languages, data structures, artificial intelligence, algorithm analysis, linear algebra, calculus, and Newtonian dynamics.
The humanities and arts, including the fundamentals of writing, psychology, communication, architecture, drawing, and 2D and 3D art.

Student Projects

Multidisciplinary team projects make up a core component of the BS in Computer Science and Game Design curriculum. As a student in the program, you will work with your classmates on a series of original game projects. In addition to building your own tools and software systems, you’ll have the chance to flex your skills as a designer of gameplay, mechanics, user interfaces, and more—applying both your computer science and design knowledge toward tangible game products. These are just a few examples of what students in the program have created.

KASA

A 3D action-platformer game in which your trusty umbrella is your sole weapon for both gliding and fighting four immortal beasts.

A girl in a red-and-black uniform kicks at blue-eyed robotic beasts of varying sizes in a dark hallway.

Sticker Animal Defense

A 2-player cooperative tower defense game that has you and a friend strategically producing and placing animal stickers to fend off waves of enemies.

In a top-down underground game level, vibrant animal stickers surround a large, central heart shape with a smiley face.

Alpacalypse

A 2D platformer-shooter game that pits you and your ballistic spit against a horde of grass-hoarding aliens.

A small, white, two-dimensional alpaca flips through the air spitting at orange drill-shaped and worm-shaped enemies.

Career Outlook

BS in Computer Science and Game Design alumni can pursue a number of career paths in game and software development and experience design.

Potential Careers

Systems Designer

The systems designer helps lay the groundwork and design specifications for other developers to build large sections of a game or other application. A systems designer must rely on careful testing and have a solid understanding of technical limitations and efficiencies. They must be able to communicate well with an interdisciplinary team.

Game Designer

Game design is a broad term that can encompass many unique job types. In general, a game designer works to create and refine the interrelated systems that make up a game playing experience, from the mechanics of combat in a fighting game to the complex menu navigation in an online RPG. They often work closely with engineers and people from other disciplines to implement and fine-tune their design concepts.

Gameplay Programmer

The gameplay programmer is responsible for implementing the mechanical features and systems of a video game, often working with designers to turn ideas into working, moving parts.

Entry-Level Job Titles

Software Engineer
Software Development Engineering in Test
Software Analyst
Computer Programmer
Gameplay Programmer
Artificial Intelligence Programmer
User Interface Programmer
Tools Programmer
Game Scripter
Technical Designer
System Designer
Level Designer
Content Designer
Encounter Designer
Game Designer

Senior-Level Job Titles

Lead Engineer
Lead Designer
Technical Director
Creative Director
Director

Other/Related Job Titles

Producer
Program Manager
Technical Program Manager

Bachelor of Science inComputer Science and Game Design

Topics Covered

Student Projects

KASA

Sticker Animal Defense

Alpacalypse

Career Outlook

Potential Careers

Entry-Level Job Titles

Senior-Level Job Titles

Other/Related Job Titles

Alumni Stories

Alumnus Lim Kay Hwee Empowers Companies to Work More Efficiently at Zendesk

Graduates Develop Tech Solutions at DBS Bank

Introducing the Fourth DigiPen (Singapore) Alumni Committee

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