| Overview and Aims of the Program |
Interactivity and Games is a major within the undergraduate Bachelor of Art degree which focuses on analysing, understanding and producing interactive media and video games. With the rise of interactive technologies such as the internet, social networks, and smart phones we are seeing new social practices, dynamics and formations emerge. Likewise video gaming is fast becoming the most popular and lucrative media form, reshaping how we as a society relax and entertain ourselves. The Interactivity and Games major is designed to give students the skills and knowledge they require to navigate this rapidly changing media landscape.
The unique focus of the Bachelor of Arts with a major in Interactivity and Games aims to give students both the practical skills and the theoretical knowledge to produce complex, original and innovative interactive media products. Students will learn the production skills needed to create their own websites, video game designs, three-dimensional digital models and other interactive media forms. They will also learn sophisticated media theory to help them analyse and critique the cultural, political and technological contexts and impacts of contemporary interactive media and video games. Taught by leading researchers and media producers, students will develop the critical and practical skills needed to be successful in the interactive media and video gaming industries. As the Interactivity and Games major is part of the Bachelor of Arts, students have enough flexibility in their degree to undertake an additional major to further expand and diversify their skill-set. |
| Graduate Capabilities |
The Graduate Capabilities Framework articulates the fundamentals that underpin all of Macquarie’s academic programs. It expresses these as follows:
Cognitive capabilities
(K) discipline specific knowledge and skills
(T) critical, analytical and integrative thinking
(P) problem solving and research capability
(I) creative and innovative
Interpersonal or social capabilities
(C) effective communication
(E) engaged and ethical local and global citizens
(A) socially and environmentally active and responsible
Personal capabilities
(J) capable of professional and personal judgement and initiative
(L) commitment to continuous learning |
| Program Learning Outcomes |
By the end of this program it is anticipated you should be able to:
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
1. identify, articulate and adapt the key methodologies, theories and practices involved in interactive media and video game design, analysis and production (K, T, P, C, L)
2. critically analyse and evaluate contemporary interactive media forms in context of historical, cultural and technological processes and precedents (K, T, P, L)
3. compare and evaluate the design principles used in different examples and types of contemporary interactive media (K, T, P)
SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES
4. identify and reflect upon the ethical issues that arise in the development, application and use of interactive technology (K, T, E, A, J, L)
5. implement the principles of project management to work as part of a team of peers on a large project (P, C, J, L)
APPLICATION
6. apply current design skills, practices, and knowledge to the production of creative works (K, P, I, C, J, L). |
| Learning and Teaching Methods |
The BA Interactivity and Games major brings together a range of learning and teaching methods to give students the knowledge and skills they need to have a successful career in contemporary media. Interactivity and Games use both face to face and digital teaching techniques to help students develop their conceptual and practical expertise.
The program has a strong focus on online learning with a number of units offering pre-recorded lectures for download at the student convenience. Where possible, face to face lectures are also recorded and made available to students online. These online lectures can be streamed or downloaded as a podcast/vodcast . These delivery methods are designed to give the students the flexibility to engage with the lecture material at a time that suits them, and to be able to revisit the lectures throughout semester.
All units in this program use the Macquarie online learning system iLearn to give students access to unit details, required and supplementary material, assignment information (and where appropriate online submission options) as well as a range of other useful resources. Many also offer open forums which offer students the chance to discuss material, debate the issues, assist in each other’s learning, or just get to know their classmates and talk about all things interactive and games related.
While there is a strong emphasis on online learning in Games and Interactivity, face to face teaching is also integral to the students’ experience. In particular tutorials and practical workshops offer students the opportunity to participate in detailed discussion and analysis of theoretical material and receive direct instruction and guidance for using a range of production software and digital platforms. Tutorials are designed to encourage students to engage with the unit’s reading material, and, alongside classmates, to explore and scrutinise complex conceptual ideas guided by an experienced teacher. The workshops are designed to give students the broad understandings and specific skills they need to produce their creative work; skills taught include: HTML coding, video game design, and 3D modelling and animation. |
| Assessment |
As an interdisciplinary program the BA Interactivity and Games major uses a range of assessment techniques to assist students in developing their critical and practical competencies:
• Academic writing tasks: students will be required to develop skills in academic writing, they will be asked to produce essays, research projects and critical engagements that demonstrate the ability to analyse and evaluate contemporary interactive media, and understand, synthesise and contextualise relevant academic material.
• Practical tasks: students will demonstrate their production skills with a range of practical assessments. These include designing and producing video games, websites, 3D models and animations, interactive stories and dramatic scripts. Many of these projects are done in groups helping students develop their teamwork skills and group management skills.
• Presentations: students will be required to give short presentations analysing, critiquing and expanding upon existing academic theory or specific case studies. These presentations will be designed to help students develop interpersonal and group communications skills.
• Participation: students will be required to demonstrate an ongoing engagement with unit materials through tutorial, workshop and online participation. Students will be expected to engage with lecture material, the unit readings, as well as with broader relevant research.
• Exams and quizzes: some units will require students to undertake formal exams and/or online quizzes. These are designed to assess the student’s knowledge and comprehension of key ideas from the unit.
• Other assessment tasks are used in a variety of units, including production diaries, online participation tasks, blog posts, written reflections and production journals.
This program offers opportunities for both formative and summative assessment. Many assessment tasks like the practical and research projects are designed to help the students to develop and familiarise themselves with ideas and skills. Other such as the exams and quizzes are designed to assess that the student has the required degree of knowledge or competency to move forward with the program. |
| Recognition of Prior Learning |
Macquarie University may recognise prior formal, informal and non-formal learning for the purpose of granting credit towards, or admission into, a program. The recognition of these forms of learning is enabled by the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy (see www.mq.edu.au/policy) and its associated Procedures and Guidelines. The RPL pages contain information on how to apply, links to registers, and the approval processes for recognising prior learning for entry or credit.
Domestic Students
For undergraduate RPL information visit www.goto.mq.edu.au/nonschoolrpl
For domestic postgraduate RPL information visit www.goto.mq.edu.au/pgrpl
International Students
For RPL information visit www.mq.edu.au/international/rpl |
| Support for Learning |
Macquarie University aspires to be an inclusive and supportive community of learners where all students are given the opportunity to meet their academic and personal goals. The University offers a comprehensive range of free and accessible student support services which include academic advice, counselling and psychological services, advocacy services and welfare advice, careers and employment, disability services and academic skills workshops amongst others. There is also a bulk billing medical service located on campus.
Further information can be found at www.students.mq.edu.au/support/
Campus Wellbeing contact details:
Phone: +61 2 9850 7497
Email: campuswellbeing@mq.edu.au
www.students.mq.edu.au/support/wellbeing |
| Program Standards and Quality |
The program is subject to an ongoing comprehensive process of quality review in accordance with a pre-determined schedule that complies with the Higher Education Standards Framework. The review is overseen by Macquarie University's peak academic governance body, the Academic Senate and takes into account feedback received from students, staff and external stakeholders. |
| Graduate Destinations and Employability |
The digital media and video gaming industries in Australia are rapidly changing. The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Interactivity and Games is designed to give graduates the skills they need to succeed in this rapidly changing field. The strong theoretical grounding and the production skills we offer will give graduates both the insight into contemporary media and the practical competencies needed to gain employment. On top of this, the core conceptual frameworks, principles, research skills and digital literacies students develop will allow graduates to understand, adapt and prosper as new technological, cultural and economic forms emerge.
Students who graduate this program will go on to work in areas such as:
• video game design
• website design
• video games journalism
• digital consultancy
• digital media policy and advocacy
• social media, viral and digital marketing
• digital art
• interactive sound design
• gamification
• and many others.
We also encourage students to enter the rapidly expanding field of digital media and video gaming academia. The high level theoretical content in this program gives students the perfect foundation for undertaking a Masters of Research and PhD in these fields. |
| Assessment Regulations |
This program is subject to Macquarie University regulations, including but not limited to those specified in the Assessment Policy, Academic Honesty Policy, the Final Examination Policy and relevant University Rules. For all approved University policies, procedures, guidelines and schedules visit www.mq.edu.au/policy. |
