TRAINING SPOTLIGHT This month: The Norwegian School of Information Technology
THE NORWEGIAN SCHOOL of Information Technology, based in Oslo, provides students with bachelor’s degrees in subjects such as games design and programming, as well as other relative industry courses such as 3D graphics, mobile app development, interactive design and E-Business. Assistant professor Charles Butler
says that the games design program is very hands-on, with students taught design theory, which is then immediately applied to the creation of games and content. He adds that the curriculum also exposes students to a significant amount of mathematics and physics, as well as AI and graphics programming. To help students achieve a good education, Butler says students start the courses with a core set of IT skills including Java and database management, and then move into game development with a variety of technologies including Flash, Unreal Development Kit and Unity. Students are also free to choose
their own technology on a number of projects, while pupils are also offered the opportunity to learn to use 3DS Max or XNA.
fluctuation, and emerging trends such as mobile and browser taking the sector by storm, Butler says students must be prepared to enter a workforce that can be unstable even at the best of times.
“At the practical level, we endeavour
to prepare them by creating a broad range of proficiencies throughout the program,” he says. “By getting practical experience in a number of areas that are very relevant in the game industry – the creation of original games for