Cost
- Daytime/non-residential: $595; $100 deposit due at time of registration
- Residential (on-campus room and board included): $1,395; $100 deposit due at time of registration
Date and Time
July 30–August 5 (residential), July 31–August 4 (daytime/non-residential)
Students have the option to live on campus while attending this program (residential) or commute from home each day (non-residential). The residential program will run from Sunday, July 30–Saturday, August 5, and will include evening and weekend activities. The non-residential program will be held from Monday, July 31–Friday, August 4, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. each day.
Program Registration
Applications are viewed on a rolling basis, and seats in the program are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Location
Mies Campus
Program Description
Learn the basics of game development from the ground up. No coding experience is necessary. You will develop games for various coding and scripting languages and frameworks. You will also learn about the logic of game development including graphics, sound, and player interactions while adhering to a desired game objective and theme.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn to create your own video game by planning its development, including graphics, audio, and music. During this workshop, you’ll:
- Learn to develop a game concept, create a prototype, test its functionality, and iterate on your ideas
- Expand on your development environment by adding multiplayer and enhanced gameplay features
- Bring your game ideas to life by learning JavaScript, develop video games for your computer and web browsers with our hands-on projects, and eventually create your own video game
Sample Schedule
8 a.m.: Breakfast (only for residential students)
9 a.m.–noon: Instruction
Noon–1 p.m.: Lunch
1–5 p.m.: Instruction
5–6 p.m.: Activities and downtime with Illinois Tech summer interns (only for residential students)
6–7 p.m.: Dinner (only for residential students)
7–10 p.m.: Activities and downtime with Illinois Tech summer interns (only for residential students)
10 p.m.: Residential hall check-in for the night (only for residential students)
Sample weekend activities: A beach day at Lake Michigan, visiting Navy Pier, visiting Millennium Park, taking in a Chicago White Sox game, and more! (only for residential students)
Sample weekday activities: Game night, bowling at Illinois Tech’s The Bog, and gaming at the Esports arena (only for residential students)
Eligibility and Prerequisites
Rising ninth–12th graders (ages 14–17); students must be at least 15 years old to stay on campus
Instructor
James Papademas is an industry professor of information technology and management at Illinois Tech. He has taught the game development and programming course for several years.
Questions?
Questions about the application process? Email them to precollege@iit.edu.