About the Program
The Game Studies Minor focuses on the analysis, history, and theory of games as cultural, artistic, and technological forms as well as on game design, with a strong emphasis on games as a narrative and world-making medium. Courses in the Minor adopt humanistic and social science approaches to studying the evolution of games, the game production industry, games as rhetorical devices, and the diverse communities who make and play games. As they become sophisticated critics of games, students learn fundamental principles and methodologies in the creation and testing of tabletop, role-playing, and digital games and gain practice in the use of game engines.
Honours Bachelor of Arts
After completing your first year, you'll be asked to confirm what program(s) you wish to study – your Programs of Study. They can be integrated in unique ways to obtain your U of T degree, but must be one of the following three combinations: one Specialist; or two Majors; or one Major and two Minors. You don't need to worry about that now, but if you'd like to learn more about this process, watch our handy video (7 min).
Admission Requirements
You apply to an admission category, which is a collection of similar programs. Once you've accepted an offer of admission to our campus, we go into greater detail about specific program and course selection options.
At the end of your first year, you will choose your program(s), which means that your first year is an excellent opportunity to explore the full breadth of offerings.
Regardless of what you study, remember that you will receive a prestigious University of Toronto degree when you graduate that tells everyone that you are ranked among the best in the world!
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The admission average is calculated with English (ENG4U) plus the next best five Grade 12 U or M courses. Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee you admission to the University. Admission is subject to space availability and competition.
The content in this section is based on requirements in the Ontario curriculum.
Find requirements to other common curricula:
- Canadian High School
- International Baccalaureate
- U.S.-Patterned Education
- British-Patterned Education
- French Baccalaureate
- Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE)
Please visit the Admissions section of our site for full requirements.
Discover Your Potential
The University of Toronto Mississauga acquired a massive collection of over 14,000 video game titles, 5,000 magazines, and various consoles, known as the Syd Bolton collection. This extensive collection, one of the largest in North America, will be a boon for academic research, course development, and public access, enhancing the study of video game history and its societal impact.
Omar Khan participated in a UTM work-study program, assisting in the development of the new game studies minor and researching the potential for a local observatory. He also contributed to the "Black at UTM" website and highlighted the program's balance between work and study.
A research project by U of T Mississauga student Amrita Maharaj and assistant professor Cosmin Munteanu, aims to develop a new ratings system that will help gamers at opposite ends of the age spectrum find appropriate games that they can play together.
Student Experience
Courses You Would Love
This course examines the deep history and extraordinary diversity of interactive storytelling, with a focus on narrative art in digital games, transmedia/cross-platform projects, alternate reality and pervasive games, theme parks, and immersive performances, as well as literary texts and films.
This course explores the fundamentals of the process of game design through prototyping. It focuses on the contexts and components of game design, such as design iteration and user testing along relevant dimensions such as art style, narrative, and game balance.
Students will develop skills in the areas of bitmap/vector graphics, audio/visual production and editing, 2D/3D modeling and animation, and video game design. Students will produce immersive environments while addressing and engaging issues of remix culture and intellectual property.
Planning Ahead
Whether you want to land your dream job, conduct groundbreaking research, or start your own business, we can get you there. Here are resources to help you explore your career options.
Career Options
Created by our Career Centre, the Careers by Major database identifies some potential career fields, how to gain related skills and experience, and useful resources and job samples. But always remember, your program of study doesn't have to determine your career!
Program Plans
Program Plans are quick and accessible overviews of the many academic and co-curricular opportunities available to help you get the most out of your UTM experience.
Tip Sheets
The Career Centre offers dozens of tip sheets with helpful information about topics related to searching for work, planning your career, and pursuing further education.
View to the U: An eye on UTM research
View to the U is a podcast that features U of T Mississauga faculty members from a range of disciplines who will illuminate some of the inner-workings of the science labs and enlighten the social sciences and humanities hubs at UTM.
Comics, gaming, visualizations, healthcare, learning, and communication integrated via visual media in science and medicine. On this edition of VIEW to the U we will explore all of these concepts with another trip down the hall to the Biomedical Communications department here at U of T Mississauga.
Learn More About this Program
Other Programs to Consider
English
This program specifically focuses on how literature in English has developed through the centuries, all over the world, and in a rich variety of different forms and modes, from oral recitations to digital media. Students will be introduced to the full range of literary genres and traditions.
Creative Writing
Minor in Creative Writing is designed to allow students to focus on either the literary or dramatic arts, or to integrate their work in both these areas of creative expression.