Course: Game studies

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Course title Game studies
Course code KZU/GSMN
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Master
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter and summer
Number of ECTS credits 3
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Course availability The course is available to visiting students
Lecturer(s)
  • Libicher Miroslav, Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
Course Content: 1) Introduction: Overview of the Field, Course Syllabus, Assignments, and Grading Criteria 2) Play, Games, and Digital Media: Ontological Nature, Characteristics, and Theoretical Frameworks 3) Game Studies as an Academic Field: Origins, History, and Contemporary Trajectories 4) Interdisciplinary Approaches to Game and Play Theory: Insights from Psychology, Sociology, Pedagogy, and Aesthetics 5-6) Game Design: History, Contemporary Practices, Methodologies, and Key Concepts 7-8) History of Video Games: Key Milestones in the US, Japan, and Europe 9) History of Video Games in Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic 10-11) Contemporary Gaming Cultures: Global and Regional Perspectives 12) Specialized Game Categories: Genres, Educational Games, Serious Games, and Games as Art 13) Games Journalism, Criticism, and Public Discourse on Video Games

Learning activities and teaching methods
Lecture, Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook)
  • Preparation for the Course Credit - 10 hours per semester
  • Homework for Teaching - 6 hours per semester
  • Attendace - 26 hours per semester
Learning outcomes
The course focuses on game issues, especially on video games, and will offer students a basic introduction to the gradually emerging direction of so-called game studies. The aim of the course is to present the basic currents and topics of the research field of social sciences and humanities.
Upon completing the course, students will be able to: - Demonstrate familiarity with key theoretical approaches and current research topics in Game Studies. - Explain the concepts of play and game, with a specific focus on digital media environments. - Apply theoretical frameworks from the humanities and social sciences to the analysis of digital games. - Critically evaluate the specific characteristics of the gaming medium within a broader socio-cultural context.
Prerequisites
Students are capable of reading academic literature in English and possess basic computer literacy.

Assessment methods and criteria
Dialog, Seminar Work

To successfully complete the course, students are required to: 1) Actively participate in seminars. 2) Deliver at least one prepared presentation during the semester on a selected and pre-consulted topic. 3) Write and submit a seminar paper on a selected and pre-consulted topic, drawing upon scholarly literature and other relevant sources (the retrieval of which constitutes part of the assignment).
Recommended literature
  • Bendová, H. (2019). Co je nového v počítačových hrách. Praha.
  • Bendová, H. (2016). Umění počítačových her.
  • Egenfeldt-Nielsen, S., Smith, J. H., & Tosca, S. P. (2014). Understanding video games: The essential introduction.
  • Švelch, J. (2023). Jak obehrát železnou oponu: Počítačové hry a participativní kultura v normalizačním Československu.
  • Švelch, J. Počítačové hry a jejich místo v mediálních studiích. 2007.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Media Studies - Media Analysis specialization (2019) Category: Journalism, library science and informatics - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Media Studies (2019) Category: Journalism, library science and informatics - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Media Studies - Communication Studies specialization (2019) Category: Journalism, library science and informatics - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Media Studies - Journalism Studies specialization (2019) Category: Journalism, library science and informatics - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Media Studies - Cultural Studies specialization (2019) Category: Journalism, library science and informatics - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -