A proposal for the development of digital game design undergraduate program

With the increase in digitalization, the digital game industry has secured its place among the rapidly growing sectors. The swift rise in the economic scope of the digital game industry has not only created new job opportunities but also underscored the need for development teams composed of experts in various fields due to the comprehensive nature of game development, which brings together different disciplines, as a result, many countries have found it necessary to establish digital game design programs at the undergraduate level. Digital game design education is structured flexibly to meet the multidisciplinary requirements of the industry and to adapt to the rapidly evolving technological landscape. For digital game design programs, it is crucial to have a curriculum that can quickly respond to the ever-updating developments of the era, the demands of the gaming industry, and the potential challenges faced during the teaching-learning process. This research outlines the process of developing a proposed undergraduate curriculum with such qualities. The proposed curriculum aims not only to assist undergraduate students in adapting more easily to the industry but also to serve as a reference for both newly established and currently active Digital Game Design departments in their curriculum development and updating efforts. In the first phase of the research, conducted using the Design-Based Research Method, curricula of Digital Game Design and equivalent programs in Turkey and the United States were examined, and preliminary content was prepared to create a draft curriculum based on the data obtained. In the second phase, the preliminary content was presented to participants, including representatives of digital game companies, heads of Digital Game Design departments, and undergraduate students. Thematic analysis of the data collected through semi-structured interviews revealed findings, which were used to improve the draft curriculum, leading to the presentation of the final curriculum proposal. Throughout the study, the theme of "project-based digital game development courses" emerged as a key focus. In the second phase of the curriculum, a structure based on field-specific project courses was adopted, with special emphasis on the project-based learning approach in the preparation of course content. Each course was enriched with theoretical and practical content that students could directly benefit from during the game development process. Additionally, participants focused on critical themes such as internship opportunities, the importance of team culture, keeping up with new technologies, and improving communication skills. In this context, the educational plan and course content were developed by considering the participants' needs regarding these themes and by referencing the latest literature.