Bring Virtual Worlds to Life with an Online Bachelor’s in Game Art & Development
Whether it's imagining rich virtual game worlds or designing creatures from another planet, you'll be on the right path to the fast-paced, exciting world of video game art and design with UMS's Bachelor of Arts in Game Art and Development.
As an online game design degree that zeroes in on game art, this program will help you build a portfolio of compelling front-end game designs. Use industry-standard tools such as Autodesk and Adobe Photoshop to learn and apply game design and game art principles such as:
- 3D modeling
- Lighting
- Shading
- Anatomy illustration
- Digital painting
- 3D mesh topology
- Texturing
- Rigging
See Yourself Succeed with a BA in Game Art & Development
Creativity, critical thinking and technical skills all come together in this highly sought-after undergraduate program. The convenience of UMS’s online offering means you can remain located in the areas of the country where the market is hotter – the West Coast or Florida, for instance – and emerge with the skills you need to enter an industry that's both fast-paced and always changing.
As a private, nonprofit university, UMS has one mission - to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of earning your bachelor's in game programming and development at UMS include:
- Affordability. Take advantage of some of the most affordable tuition rates in the nation
- Convenience. Attend class when it's convenient for you - online education means 24/7 access
- Efficiency and flexibility. Complete your undergraduate degree at your own pace, over six 8-week terms per year
- Expert instruction. Learn from instructors with relevant, real-world experience
- Networking. Tap into our nationwide network of alumni for internship and career opportunities
- Simple application process. Just fill out an online undergraduate application, and we'll retrieve U.S. transcripts from your previous institutions and automatically complete an official credit evaluation. Plus, there's no application fee
- Student support. Count on the ongoing support of dedicated academic and career advisors specialized in your area of study
- Transfer-friendly enrollment. Transfer up to 90 credits toward an undergraduate degree
Career Outlook
With market research firm Newzoo projecting a $128 billion global gaming market by 2020 and the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimating that job growth for multimedia artists and animators will grow 10% through 2026, it's the right time to be a game artist.* UMS offers a critical advantage in a highly competitive field, as our program uniquely hones in on today's industry standards and essential skill-building to excel in game design and game art.
Whether it's for games or movies, ed-tech or the military, here are just a few careers our online game design degree can land you:
- Lead artist
- Lead storyteller
- Modeler
- Animator
- Designer
Almost anything you need to build or create in the 21st century begins with a model or animation or both, because these tools can help pinpoint design flaws, identify areas of improvement and ultimately reduce costs.
Additionally, our expert faculty of gaming vets has broad experience within the gaming industry.
Curriculum
Our curriculum will help you become proficient with design tools like Adobe Software Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, In-Design) and 3DS Max. Armed with these tools, you'll build an eye-catching portfolio that includes original character and creature designs, along with demonstrated experience designing interactive 3D environments.
Courses mirror the standard workflow pipeline used in the industry for the production of art assets for multiple video game platforms, including web, console, PC and mobile, so you'll be ready to hit the ground running in a fast-paced industry.
Courses To Prepare You For Your Career
UMS's bachelor's in game art and development program includes:
- General education
- Degree-specific courses
General Education Program
Our programs are designed to equip you with the skills and insights you need to move forward. In recent years, employers have stressed the need for graduates with higher order skills - the skills that go beyond technical knowledge - such as:
- Writing
- Communication
- Analysis
- Problem solving
All bachelor's students are required to take general education classes. Through foundation, exploration and integration courses, students learn to think critically, creatively and collaboratively, giving you the edge employers are looking for.
Courses May Include
Program Outcomes
- Design and develop professional quality digital game and interactive media elements that combine technical and aesthetic design principles to create engaging and dynamic experiences
- Critically analyze and recommend strategies for addressing the impact of various physical, cognitive, cultural, and social factors that shape the design, development, and interpretation of digital games and interactive media
- Evaluate, select, and effectively apply tools and technology commonly used in the design and production of digital games and other interactive media
- Evaluate and respond to complex problems associated with the design and development of digital games through critical and creative thinking and collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of specialists and stakeholders
- Optimize the design of interactive media elements to the strengths and limitations of the processes and techniques used in the production of digital games
