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Scripps College of Communication
Schoonover Center
1 Ohio University
Athens OH 45701-2979
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VR & Game Development Program Overview

The VR and Game Development (VRGD) program is a flexible major allowing students to choose exciting courses to match their career goals. In addition to a core set of virtual reality and game development classes, VRGD electives within the McClure School introduce our students to the information networking systems and coding required to solve problems and implement VR and game systems within a larger context. Within the 120 total credit hours needed to complete their undergraduate degree, the students’ business or communication courses (two minors from which they must choose) prepare our students to become effective leaders, entrepreneurs, and/or creative problem solvers in a wide variety of industries. Our VRGD major is designed to teach students to use emerging technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and digital games specifically for communication purposes – to inform, to persuade, to entertain, and to educate an audience. Students in this major pride themselves on the use of emerging technologies for social improvement in educational, governmental, corporate, entrepreneurial, and/or entertainment venues. Our program’s emphasis on ethical applications and social improvement goes hand-in-hand with our cutting-edge production approach. Students in the McClure School learn to create innovative immersive content that also makes a difference in the world. Many of our majors also choose to pursue additional credentials such as a certificate in esports, entrepreneurship, or social media.

Note: The McClure School program in VR and Game Development will replace, starting in the Fall 2022 semester, the old program in Games and Animation offered in cooperation with the School of Media Arts and Studies. The old Games and Animation program will only cover Media Studies and Animation after Fall 2022.

Admissions Information

Freshman admission to our VR and Game Development degree has no requirements beyond University admission requirements.

If you are interested in transferring or starting the degree, please contact our undergraduate director Dr. Charles Linscott.

To transfer into any McClure School program, students need a minimum GPA of 2.5. To complete this program, students must meet all University wide graduation requirements and the  College-Level Requirements for the Scripps College of Communication. The major code is BC5384.

Course of Study

Through our degree in VR and Game Development, you will gain both a foundational and advanced skill set to plan, create and communicate through immersive experiences using new media such as virtual reality, augmented reality or games. As we are the school of Emerging Communication Technologies, we are constantly working and experimenting with new types of media and incorporating it to our curriculum.

Through our curriculum, in addition to Ohio University's general education courses, you will have the opportunity to take:

  • An 9 course sequence that will let you develop from foundational to advance skills in the planning and creation of immersive experiences through the use of VR, games and other media. This sequence includes:
    • ECT 1210 Understanding VR Technology
    • ECT 1700 Foundations of VR and Game Design
    • ECT 1710 Digital Tools for VR and Game Development
    • ECT 2210 Introduction to VR Production
    • ECT 2401 Digital Game Design: Concepts
    • ECT 2750 New media storytelling
    • ECT 3260J VR Critical Analysis and Evaluation
    • ECT 3401 Game Development I
    • ECT 4440 Capstone class for Emerging Communication Technologies
  • 3 courses in VR Production/Game Development (select 3) that will allow you to develop skills to create advanced, professional quality, immersive VR experiences.
    • ECT 3210 VR Production: Immersive Audio
    • ECT 3220 VR Production: CineVR
    • ECT 3230 VR Production: Interactive
    • ECT 4401 Game Development II
  • 3 courses, to gain expertise in areas that will help you complement education in your major and your professional goals:
    • COMS 1030 Public Speaking
    • ITS 2140 Introduction to Information and Telecommunication Systems
    • ITS 2801 Scripting Projects
  • 1 of the following classes in Statistics or reasoning:
    • PSY 1110 Elementary Statistical Reasoning
    • PSY 2100 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences
    • PHIL 1200 Principles of Reasoning
  • You will have the opportunity to select 9 credit hours from approved elective classes in ECT, Information and Telecommunication Systems (ITS), Media Arts and Studies (MDIA), Communication Studies (COMS) or Engineering (ENG). 9 credit hours typically corresponds to three, 3 credit hour courses.
    • Areas in these classes cover topics such as in virtual world creation, augmented reality, animation, communication studies, communication technologies or storytelling.
  • All VR & Game Development students will have the opportunity to select either a Business Minor or a Communication Studies Minor. Depending on your interest and professional goals, either of these minors will provide you with a strong foundation to join the growing field of immersive communications

The details of our VR and Game Development program are available in the catalog entry here. The details of all the new ECT courses are already available through this link to the latest undergraduate catalog.

Please feel free to contact us for more information about a degree that will enable you to build a career around emerging communication technologies.

The Facts

  • Demand for future workers with experience in virtual reality & game development is growing according to grandviewresearch.com.
  • The United States games market is the world’s second largest and is valued between $25.1 billion & $43.4 billion depending on sources.
  • According to Hired.com, 75% of software engineers predict that their own companies will feel the effects of virtual reality and augmented reality, with nearly half saying it would be a skill they would like to learn. 
  • GRID Lab Director John Bowditch has noted that alumni of the program have found employment at top companies such as  Walt Disney Company & Imagineering, EA, Ubisoft, Unity, Bungie, Apple, Sony Santa Monica, Google and Activision/Blizzard. 

Find Out More

To find out more about the opportunities in the McClure School and about financial aid possibilities, as well as to schedule a campus visit, contact:

Prof. Charles Linscott
Director of Undergraduate Studies
J. Warren McClure School of Emerging
Communication Technologies
20 E Union Street
360 Schoonover Center
Athens, Ohio 45701-2979

phone: 740-593-4862
email: mcclure@ohio.edu