General information
Video games are more than entertainment—they are profitable digital products, powerful communication tools, and popular art forms at the heart of the global creative industries. As a leading edge of technological innovation, a dynamic means of cultural storytelling, and a source of fun, joy and play for billions, video games exert far-reaching economic, social and cultural influence in the digital age.
The Video Games, Creative Industries and Society specialization in the Bachelor of IT in Game Development and Interactive Media (GDIM) offers students a unique interdisciplinary education that integrates the professional, sociological, cultural, and ethical frameworks and skills of communication and social media studies alongside the entrepreneurial, technical, and creative dimensions of interactive game development, design and storytelling.
Students will take most of their courses through the Faculty of Business and Information Technology’s GDIM program, complemented by specialized courses in the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities Communications and Digital Media Studies (CDMS) program. Through this specialized interdisciplinary program fusing development, communication, design, entrepreneurship, art and creativity, students will learn about video games and other digital products in relation to: the industries that produce and sell them, the technologies that we use to interact with them, the legal, policy, and ethical frameworks that shape them, the stories they tell and the representations they communicate, and the broader psychological and social impacts they have on everyday life. This specialization’s professionally and socially relevant curriculum provides students with a strong foundation in applied theory, research, analysis, and communicative, creative and digital literacies and practices, with a focus on video games and the wider creative industries.
Rooted in Ontario Tech’s commitment to ‘tech with a conscience’, the program challenges students to think professionally, act creatively, and engage ethically with the fast-changing world of digital media, including video games, Hollywood films, TV series, advertising, podcasts, and social media such as Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. Graduates will be well-prepared for diverse careers across the creative and digital media sectors—as developers, digital storytellers, social media managers, online community organizers, entrepreneurs, content creators, researchers, and critics—ready to lead and shape the future of media in society.
Admission requirements
Admission is competitive. The specific average or standing required for admission varies from year to year. Students are selected by taking into consideration a wide range of criteria including school marks, distribution of subjects taken, and performance in subjects relevant to the academic program. Possession of the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Preference will be given to applicants with the best qualifications.
Current Ontario secondary school students must complete the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) with six 4U or 4M credits including English (ENG4U) with a recommended minimum average of 60 per cent and one of Advanced Functions (MHF4U) or Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U) or Mathematics of Data Management (MDM4U) with a recommended minimum average of 60 per cent or Computer Science (ICS4U) with a recommended average of 70 per cent. All other applicants should refer to admissions for the requirements for their specific category of admission.
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