The Cook Honors College at Indiana University of Pennsylvania will offer Design, Build, Play as the academic centerpiece of its 2026 Summer Honors Program from July 6 to 24. This course will be offered for dual enrollment instruction credits as HONR 281. This three-week H course will be comprised of two hands-on workshops for one week on campus, sandwiched between two weeks of online instruction that students will complete from home.
The total cost for room, board, programming, and three credits of instruction for in-state students is $745 ($886 out of state). However, all participants will receive free tuition and fees this year through a grant for dual enrollment support from the state. This brings the total program cost down to $312 for in-state and $453 for out-of-state students.
HONR 281 is split into two main areas of focus: games and storytelling with Mike Sell (English) and creative engineering in our STEAMSHOP with Rick Adkins (Mathematics). Students will learn the principles of good game design, memorable storytelling, and decision-making. They will apply these principles in a “game jam” format to see what they accomplish using a small-team, collaborative model for the conceptualization, construction, and testing of their gameplay narratives.
In the other half of the course, they will utilize STEAMSHOP, IUP’s state-of-the-art makerspace, while gaining hands-on experience with cutting-edge tools and technologies needed to bring their ideas to life, including digital design software, 3D printing, rapid-prototyping tools, electronics, and programming.