A young video game enthusiast tries his hand at a game (Photo : (REUTERS/MARIO ANZUONI))
Morningside College in Sioux City is offering young gamers in Iowa the chance of a lifetime, to hone their skills through a new major in animation and video game development.
It was announced in February that the college will offer the 56-credit programme in the fall for youngsters who were keen in delving into this sphere of the entertainment industry.
The major aims to teach students the basics of programming, animation and game design, but at the same time, hopes to coincide classes with practical and applicable lessons in mathematics and physics.
Morningside College Professors' Dean Stevens and Rich Yates, the brains behind the major, told the Sioux City Journal that the idea came to life after having examined the video game industry.
Professor Yates who will overlook the animation and interactive design classes is an assistant professor in arts. Speaking to the Sioux City Journal he said it was only a matter of time, considering the needs of the ever expanding video game industry.
Dean Stevens who is a professor of computer science will oversee the programming coursework. He believes the course will test students in every subject as the programme draws from a wide framework.
From imaginative story lines to hardcore science, art and physics the course work for the animation and video game development major, aims to challenge students across a diverse range of disciplines.
"It's great because you can pull across all disciplines and integrate it into a major like this," Professor Stevens told the Sioux City Journal.
The professors said the major will involve the development of a video game from conceptualisation to programming.
By the end of the programme, students will possess the know-how to develop a game from scratch across various platforms, be it for a smartphone app or a gaming console.
With video games still in its infancy in terms of a career for youngsters, Professor Stevens told Sioux Land Matters it was the perfect time for students to be a part of this programme and to have a say as to which direction the industry should move towards.
