MEVIT2725 – Video Games: Aesthetics, Industry and Culture
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
Video games are one of the most popular and most important modern cultural forms and entertainment media, and offer a wide variety of content, genres and forms of interaction and participation. This course is a comprehensive introduction to video games’ technological and aesthetic forms of expression, and industrial and cultural contexts. How are games similar to and different from other media? What are the most important developments in game history, and what are their impact on games, game development and society? How do we analyze, interpret and understand games? How do games explore, reflect and challenge culture through representations of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, ethics, politics and ideology? What are the central possibilities and challenges for contemporary game industry and game culture?
In this course, you learn about theories, terms, concepts and models from game studies and game design literature. You learn to analyze and interpret structure, content, meaning and interaction in different types of video games and to discuss critically the game industry and game culture. You will practice the ability to convey academic and professional knowledge about video games in discussions, presentations and in writing. The course is well suited if you want in-depth academic and professional insights into video games as a phenomenon and field of research, and if you wish to work with or research games further.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
When you have completed the course, you will be able to understand, discuss and critically reflect upon:
- Important developments in game history and their impact on games, game development and society
- Video games’ technological and aesthetic forms of expression, including structures, mechanics, interfaces, interaction, worlds, storytelling, characters, fiction, simulation and genre
- Representation and cultural contexts in video games
- Contemporary game industry, game journalism and game culture
Skills
When you have completed the course, you will be able to:
- Write academic game analyses in which you critically interpret content and meaning in video games
- Write academic essays on the game industry and game culture
- Conduct written peer reviews
General competence
When you have completed the course, you will be able to:
- Understand and critically discuss video games from aesthetic, industrial and cultural perspectives
- Use academic and professional research and knowledge about video games in both written and oral formats
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for?in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures.
Recommended previous knowledge
It is strongly recommended that you have completed introductory level media studies/humanities/social science courses (like eme:MEVIT1010, MEVIT1110 – Audiovisual Aesthetics, MEVIT1700 – Digital kultur, MEVIT2710 – Medietekstanalyse or similar), and that you are familiar and have practical playing experience with different types of video games and game genres.
Teaching
The course consists of workshops that combine lectures and student activities. Attendance is mandatory. The workshops alternate between lectures, individual and group assignments, game analysis, presentations, discussions and practical playing. The workshops require that you meet prepared and actively participate in class.
This course has two mandatory activities. In order to qualify for the exam, you must:
- Attend at least 80% of the teaching.
- Write and get approved an academic game analysis.
Approved obligatory activities are valid the semester you attend the course and the two following semesters the course is offered.
Examination
Three-day home exam of up to 10 standard pages (of 2,300 characters without spaces)
Front page, reference list and attachments should not be counted.
You need to have all mandatory activities approved in order to take the exam.
Previous exams and examiner guidelines for courses at IMK.
Language of examination
You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.