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Bachelor of Arts in
Game Art

Portrait of a gamer girl wearing headphones in dramatic orange lighting. She's wearing a jacket and a hat.
It's dangerous to go alone, take this degree!

Play games in your career

A white dragon with feathered wings spread, ready to take to the skies.

Hey future game artists, prepare to unleash your creative genius in our Bachelor of Arts in Game Art program! We’ll equip you with the fundamental artistic skills needed to crush it in the game development industry. 

PROGRAM OFFERED ON-CAMPUS AND ONLINE

Dive into art theory, design skills, game, and level design, 2D and 3D art, interactive audio production, and even writing for interactive media. Get ready for hands-on, studio-like projects in interdisciplinary teams using industry-standard tools and practices. Together, we’ll create mind-blowing games and interactive experiences that will make you more legendary than Zelda. GLHF!

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Game Art Degree Highlights & Outcomes

Articulate and demonstrate game design principles and best practices through the development of engaging, interactive media.

Develop and express a unique aesthetic and demonstrate clear comprehension of visual design principles.

Implement, test, and critique user-centered design experiences and interfaces within interactive media.

Collaborate effectively and ethically as part of multidisciplinary projects and demonstrate professionalism in diverse team environments.

Demonstrate a career-ready understanding of game design and production through a published portfolio and professional identity.

Join Our Alumni Ranks

USV Bachelor of Arts in Game Art alumni have gone on to work at some of the most prestigious studios in the video game industry. 

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Activision Blizzard logo
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Tech Pack™
Your Essential Creative Toolkit

Picture this: Your files, multimedia masterpieces, and coursework are all at your fingertips, 24/7. That’s the magic of Tech Pack™, available exclusively for Gaming Degrees and Audio Certificate & Diploma students.

What’s in the box? A sleek laptop and media creation software tailored to your program, keeping you in sync with the ever-evolving industry standards. And it’s yours to keep after you graduate, setting you up for success in the future. Whether you’re crafting the next big game or working on mind-blowing multimedia projects, Tech Pack™ has your back.

The exact components of your Tech Pack™ might vary based on what’s available when we ship it out. No worries – it’s all part of your total education cost. Oh, and about the software? You’ll need to do a quick download using your USV email. Just a heads-up, there might be a small cost involved. Keep it in the loop!

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What's included*:

Dell G15 Gaming Laptop (Processor13th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-13650HX, OS Windows 11 Home, Graphics NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4060, Memory16 GB DDR5, Storage1 TB SSD, Display 15.6-in. display Full HD (1920X1080) 360Hz)
Dell G15 Gaming Laptop (Intel® Core™ i7-13650HX, NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4060, 16 GB DDR5, 1 TB SSD, 15.6" 1080p Display, Windows 11 Home)
HUION Inspiroy H1060P Graphics Drawing Tablet
HUION Inspiroy H1060P Graphics Drawing Tablet

*Pricing and package specifications are subject to change.

Game Art Course Highlights

Character Rigging

Unleash your drawing superpowers with our structured approach to drawing that takes your skills to the next level. Observe and learn the techniques of representational drawing. We'll develop your artistic foundation from rendering to perspective, composition to analysis. Brace yourself for exciting critiques, discussions, and vocabulary-building adventures!

Introduction to Game Storytelling

Welcome to the realm of game storytelling, where imagination knows no bounds! This course dives into the theories and best practices behind crafting compelling fiction. Explore how these principles can be applied to your own game development journey. Let your creativity run wild as we uncover the secrets to bringing a video game story to vibrant life. Who knows, you could become the next Toy Storyteller.

Level Designer for Single-Player Games

Sharpen your game design skills and create epic gaming experiences! In our Level Design course, we'll guide you from concept to execution. Develop level ideas, bring them to life with executable level maps, and embark on the thrilling journey of implementation, playtesting, and iteration. Get hands-on experience with level editors and master the art of pacing, balance, difficulty ramping, level flow, hooks, and progression. With proper level design methodology, we'll build unforgettable single-player game levels together.

Game Art Student Work

Create Projects
for the Pros

Potential Game Art Career Options

Your Experience Just Got Real
  • 2D Animator
  • 2D Artist
  • 3D Animator
  • 3D Modeler
  • Character Artist
  • Concept Artist
  • Environment Artist
  • Game Designer
  • Level Designer
  • Narrative Designer
  • Game Writer 
Want to make the characters you'd like to play as?
Yes! Start My Application

Learn On-Campus
or Online

Our Bachelor of Arts in Game Art degree program is available on-campus or 100% online. Whether taking classes at the USV campus or learning from the comfort of your own home, you will experience multiplayer support of our award-winning curriculum.

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Ready to Join the Quest?

Learn more about our Game Art School

A game-changer school for gaming

Learn from the Best

View Our Faculty
"USV's level of staff is one of the highest in the Bay Area. My game design classes were taught by some of the best in the industry, and it felt like our instructors knew exactly how to guide us for our careers."
Bugi Kaigwa, Character Rigger, 2K Games
Bugi Kaigwa, USV AlumnusCharacter Rigger, 2K Games
"Hands-on projects and access to faculty with deep industry experience provide our students with an array of valuable skills, whether they are interested in becoming a game designer, artist, writer, or programmer."
Evan Skolnick, Professor of Practice, Game Design & Development
Evan SkolnickProfessor of Practice, Game Design & Development
"The only thing more fun than playing games is making them. All it takes is some time, a willingness to learn, and a passion to create."
Ricardo Kayanan, Department Director
Ricardo KayananDepartment Director

Real World Learning.
For Reels.

In Game Studio, students work in teams for external clients, adding actual games that ship to their portfolio. Project-based learning leads to real-world results. 

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Learn More
Video: Game Studio. Students working together on gaming PCs.
Play Video about Video: Game Studio. Students working together on gaming PCs.

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