English Studies: Interactive Entertainment Design and Game Studies (SPRINT-WRITE) Programme code: W1-S1FD25.2025

The concept behind the degree programme English Studies: Interactive Entertainment Design and Game Studies (SPRINT-WRITE) is based on interdisciplinary education that integrates literary and cultural studies knowledge (especially in the field of traditional English Studies and game studies) and English language competences with practical skills in designing and creating digital games, translation competences related to game and software localisation, knowledge of media and cultural text analysis methods, and the development of digital and media competences. The modules are designed to allow flexible education pathways, responding to the diverse needs of students and the labour market. The study programme includes a group of programme modules, a group of field modules, a group of Programme co-related modules, a group of Open access modules (open university modules, foreign language courses, physical education), and student internships. Planned curriculum structure: 1. Programme modules: These modules cover basic and advanced topics related to the practical learning of English, culture, literature, and history of English-speaking countries, the creation of traditional and digital games, and game studies. These modules form the backbone of the major education and develop competences necessary for working in the broadly understood game industry, both in Poland and abroad. - Practical English language learning; the curriculum places significant emphasis on writing competences in English, a key competence for the digital game industry - Critical Analysis of Literary Text or Text of Culture (Elective) - Literary theory: Theory of narrative and plot - Game studies: Introduction to game analysis; Introduction to game studies; The game development industry – history and skills overview - Game design: Designing traditional games; Writing for media and games; Fundamentals of digital graphics; Graphics and development techniques lab; Game scripting; Level design; Game production organisation and documentation -Translation: Game and software localisation; Digital translation tools - Bachelor’s thesis: Academic writing methodology; Bachelor’s seminar - Linguistics: A module in contrastive linguistics for game creators a. Elective courses within the Programme modules group These modules allow students to deepen their knowledge and skills in selected areas, such as the cultural aspects of digital media, translation studies, or cultural theory, especially popular culture. Their completion enables individualisation of the study pathway. The modules will be offered within the group of English Studies programmes with literary studies as the leading discipline, with the proviso that for the SPRINT-WRITE programme, modules will be proposed in each academic cycle according to students' expectations and needs (e.g., concerning popular culture, digital media, etc.) - Culture: Elective modules - Literature: Elective modules - Media: Elective modules - Translation: Elective modules 2. Field modules: These modules cover topics in literary studies, the history of literature, and the culture and history of English-speaking countries, and are available to students from different fields of study, both within and outside the English Studies group. They are delivered with a unified number of hours and ECTS points across several study programmes: English Studies: Culture – Media – Translation, English Studies: Interactive Entertainment Design and Game Studies (SPRINT-WRITE), and English Studies: Literature and Culture. This enables efficient planning of teaching loads. - History of the English-Language Literatures: British Literature - History of the English-Language Literatures: American Literature - History of the English-Speaking Countries: History of the United Kingdom - History of the English-Speaking Countries: History of the United States - Culture of the English-Speaking Countries: British Culture - Culture of the English-Speaking Countries: American Culture 3. Group of Programme Co-related Modules: The curriculum includes area modules supporting the major field of study, comprising 120 hours, including a module on Legal Fundamentals and Entrepreneurship, as well as two modules without predefined areas, selected individually for each study cycle. 4. Open Access Modules: - Physical education - Foreign language course: Spanish or French, preferably run in English - Open University Module (OMU): 30 hours, preferably run in English 5. Professional internships: 80 hours Graduate profile: The programme aims to educate specialists prepared to work in the digital games industry, proficient in English and possessing competences in game design, localisation of games and software, and academic knowledge in game studies. The curriculum emphasises interdisciplinary content — both general humanities and content specific to the games sector. Special importance is placed on the knowledge of English, which serves as the primary language of communication within creative teams and in the process of developing narratives and scripts for games. Graduates of the programme possess humanistic, philological, and specialised education. They use English at a level of at least C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), enabling fluent communication in speech and writing, across different language registers. They have knowledge of English grammar, vocabulary, and stylistics, with particular emphasis on creative writing and writing for media purposes. They are prepared to work in creative teams, have humanistic knowledge of the theory and analysis of digital games, understand the principles of working on game projects, and are aware of the opportunities, challenges, and technical limitations associated with game production. They are also familiar with the operational mechanisms of the gaming industry. Graduates combine linguistic, humanistic, game studies, creative, and technical competences, allowing them to collaborate effectively in production teams, for example as narrative designers, game writers, world designers, character designers, level designers, and translators specialising in the localisation of games and software. Such a broad educational profile enables them to find employment in companies involved in the production and localisation of computer games, in editorial offices, cultural institutions, and in the service sector requiring advanced knowledge of English. The programme also provides an academic foundation in game studies, enabling further academic development in this field. Graduates of the English Studies: Interactive Entertainment Design and Game Studies (SPRINT-WRITE) programme are prepared to continue their education in second-cycle programmes, especially in English Studies or applied linguistics.

The condition for admission to the diploma examination is to achieve the learning outcomes provided for in the study program, to obtain a certificate of an appropriate level of language proficiency in a foreign language and to obtain positive grades for the diploma dissertation. The condition for graduation is to pass the diploma examination with at least a satisfactory result. A graduate receives a higher education diploma confirming obtaining the qualifications of the appropriate degree. Detailed rules of the diploma process and the requirements for the diploma thesis are set out in the Rules and Regulations of Studies at the University of Silesia and the diploma regulations.

Internships are an integral part of the study program, carried out by students in individual fields, levels, profiles and forms of study. Internships are to help in confronting the knowledge acquired during studies with the requirements of the labour market, acquiring skills useful in the profession, learning about practical issues related to working in positions for which the student is prepared during the course of studies. The internship is to familiarize the student with professional language relevant to a specific industry and work culture. The rules for the organization of internships are set out in the Rector's ordinance. Detailed rules of apprenticeship taking into account the specifics of particular fields of study are set out in the field's of study apprenticeship regulations, in particular: learning outcomes assumed to be achieved by the student during the apprenticeship, framework apprenticeship program including a description of issues, dimension of apprenticeship (number of weeks of practice); form of internship (continuous, mid-year), criteria for choosing the place of internship, obligations of the student staying in the internship, obligations of the academic tutor, conditions for completing the internship by the student and conditions for exemption from the internship obligation in whole or in part. The number of ECTS and the number of hours are specified in the course structure.

The establishment of the English Studies: Interactive Entertainment Design and Game Studies (SPRINT-WRITE) programme aligns with the priorities of the Development Strategy of the University of Silesia in Katowice for 2020–2025. The programme will be based on the experience gained from running the first-cycle specialization “Interactive Entertainment Design and Game and Software Localisation (SPRINT-WRITE)” within the English Studies programme. This specialization has been popular among candidates for years and has earned recognition from graduates and industry partners representing the gaming sector. The new programme will enable more effective realization of the University’s strategic goals in the areas of staff development, research, modern education, cooperation with external stakeholders, and visibility. Staff The development of the academic staff will be supported by the creation of this programme through several interrelated effects: modernizing the educational offer by introducing innovative teaching methods along with a wide range of specialist modules will enhance the teaching competences of the staff; teaching will be even more closely linked to ongoing research in the fields of literary studies, cultural and religious studies, and linguistics, including research conducted by members of the University’s Game Studies Research Center, which will contribute to greater research activity (e.g., through the introduction of a larger number of monographic elective modules). Rational planning of teaching loads and the availability of shared disciplinary modules for different programmes will allow for efficient use of human resources. The new programme will also strengthen the potential of young researchers, creating better conditions for their academic careers. Research Building on the existing experiences of the English Studies programme, the new programme will directly contribute to the realization of the University’s Priority Research Area 4 (POB4): "Humanities for the Future – Interdisciplinary Research on Culture and Civilization." Combining educational activities with research will enable the development of interdisciplinary projects in the areas of culture, media, and translation, thereby increasing the research potential of the University of Silesia in Katowice. Many of the modules planned in the curriculum are monographic in nature. Their purpose is to encourage researchers to share research findings and inspire further scholarly inquiry. Modern Education The curriculum of the programme is designed to incorporate innovative teaching methods, such as classes in intercultural environments and international collaboration. Cooperation with foreign universities and exchange programmes, such as Erasmus+ and the Transform4Europe alliance, will allow students to develop in an international environment. Cooperation with External Stakeholders The programme will continue the tradition of the specialization within English Studies in establishing and maintaining partnerships with companies from the gaming industry (gamedev), other technology-oriented companies, and cultural institutions. These partnerships, strengthened by the creation of an independent programme, will facilitate the development of collaboration with regional and international partners, including innovative projects in game creation and game research. Visibility A strategic goal of developing the programme will be to increase the visibility of the achievements of both staff and students beyond the University. A smaller number of graduates from a single programme will allow for more precise tracking of their career paths, which will contribute to more effective improvements of the curriculum and easier acquisition of certifications and accreditations. Establishing a standalone programme will enhance the visibility of the educational offer previously implemented within the SPRINT-WRITE specialization, both within the Polish academic game studies community and among potential candidates for game studies and game creation programmes. Socio-economic Needs The English Studies: Interactive Entertainment Design and Game Studies (SPRINT-WRITE) programme addresses socio-economic needs, particularly those arising from the development of the digital and traditional games industries, as well as broader needs in the fields of digital media and culture. The development of technology and the sustained importance of the gaming sector are clearly visible both globally and locally – particularly in Silesia – through the activities of numerous game studios, the organization of global-scale e-sports events in Katowice, and the establishment of initiatives such as the emerging gaming industry hub in Katowice. With the increasing complexity of contemporary games and the narratives they convey, along with the internationalization of the industry, there is a clear demand — as expressed by representatives of the gamedev sector — for specialists who combine English language competences (now the primary language of game creation both in Poland and internationally) with technical skills, critical thinking abilities, and literary-cultural knowledge. At the same time, the growing importance of game studies, particularly within the humanities (especially in Poland), clearly indicates that digital games are today important carriers of ideas and narratives (storytelling), and that research and education in this area are academically significant. Teaching that includes the analysis, interpretation, and theorizing of games has important social and cultural value, and graduates of humanities programmes focused on game studies are capable not only of enriching games with complex narratives and cultural understanding but also of critically and consciously analyzing gaming culture and the impact of its narratives on audiences. The knowledge and skills acquired during the programme will thus provide graduates with unique creative and critical tools, which translate both into practical work in the gaming industry and into conscious participation in contemporary culture. A degree programme dedicated to these issues becomes, in this context, a crucial response to contemporary socio-cultural realities. Although the existing specialization “Interactive Entertainment Design and Game and Software Localisation (SPRINT-WRITE)” is highly valued by game industry representatives, as evidenced by their positive opinions, longstanding cooperation with specialists from the specialization, and the successful careers of its graduates (most of whom are employed in the gaming industry or in technology-related companies), recent changes — especially the emergence of AI-based technologies and tools — clearly show the need for educational solutions that allow for greater flexibility in the curriculum and a stronger emphasis on digital competences and technological awareness developed within a humanities framework focused on digital games. Establishing an independent programme will therefore allow for a more precise adaptation of learning outcomes to current socio-economic needs, taking into account the specific characteristics of these sectors. In several cases, these outcomes will be modelled on the existing learning outcomes of the English Studies programme, but the new programme will allow for greater flexibility and concentration on competences crucial for functioning in today’s technological and cultural contexts. Thus, by transforming the existing humanities-focused game creation education (previously offered within the English Studies programme), strengthening it through the University’s ongoing game studies research, and systematizing cooperation initiatives with the gaming industry, the establishment of this programme will reinforce the position of the University of Silesia in Katowice both in the field of training game creators and specialists in new technologies, and as a leader in modern humanities education.