Universities and Online Degrees Guide

University of the Witwatersrand

Bachelor of Engineering Science in Digital Arts

The Bachelor of Engineering Science in Digital Arts in Engineering and Technology is offered by University of the Witwatersrand.

Program Length: 3 YEARS.

Subjects: 20.

Bachelor of Engineering Science in Digital Arts offered by the University of the Witwatersrand

As an Engineer focusing on Game Design, you’ll be afforded the chance of combining more traditional aspects of Electrical and Information Engineering with the creative and functional aspects of games – creating a truly unique opportunity to apply your skills in a unique and challenging environment.

At Wits, Game Design courses can be taken in two specialist degree programmes: For students interested in creative production there is the Bachelor of Arts in Digital Arts, which is hosted in the Wits School of Arts. Catering for aspirant developers is a degree hosted in the School of Electrical and Information Engineering, the Bachelor of Engineering Science in Digital Art – BEngSc (Digital Art).

The BEngSc (Digital Arts) is intended to produce graduates that can become specialist practitioners in the technological arena of software development within a game context. You will attend half of your courses in the School of Electrical and Information Engineering. Here you will do Physics, Maths, Electric Circuits, Software Development, and Electromagnetic Systems with Game Design as the core subject.

This degree aims to give you an introduction into both the hardware and software environments. A key focus of the course is the development of a portfolio of both analogue and digital games with which you can approach industry. For example, one of the more interesting avenues of exploration within the course entails the development and prototyping of alternative game controllers, using the knowledge you’ve garnered from circuitry as well as your programming skills to build alternative ways to interact with games, further enhancing the nature of play and exploration.

On completion of the degree you may wish to further your studies by pursuing an Honours in Digital Arts or by entering into the 3rd year of a professional Electrical and Information Engineering degree.

Curriculum

First year

• Engineering Analysis and Design IA and IB
• Engineering Mathematics IA and IB
• Engineering Physics IA and IB
• Applied Physics
• Key Concepts in Game Design IA and IB

Second year

• Data structures and algorithms
• Electronics I
• Electric and magnetic systems
• Software development I
• Microprocessors
• Electric Circuits
• Mathematics II
• Digital Art Design Project
• Introduction to Game Creation IIA and IIB

Third year

• Electrical and Magnetic Systems
• Signals and Systems I
• Professional Practice and Software Development
• Introduction to the World Wide Web as Creative Medium III
• Game Design IIIA
• Game Design IIB