Online Game Art Degree Bachelor of Arts in Game Design

Flexible

With no set class meeting times, you can learn on your schedule and access online course materials 24/7.

Affordable

Take advantage of some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation, plus financial aid for those who qualify. We also make it easy to transfer to SNHU by accepting up to 90 credits from your previous institution.

Respected

Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with over 160,000 graduates across the country. SNHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), a regional accreditor, which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality.

Recently, SNHU has been nationally recognized for leading the way toward more innovative, affordable and achievable education:

• “Most Innovative” regional university honors from U.S. News & World Report each year since 2015
• A $1 million grant from Google.org to explore soft skills assessments for high-need youth
• Recognition as a 2017 Digital Learning Innovator by the Online Learning Consortium

Network

At Southern New Hampshire University, you'll have access to a powerful network of more than 200,000 students, alumni and staff that can help support you long after graduation. Our instructors offer relevant, real-world expertise to help you understand and navigate the field. Plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities.

96.5% of students would recommend SNHU.³ Discover why SNHU may be right for you.

Part of our mission to expand access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. That’s why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials.

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 6 (8-week) undergraduate terms.

Simply contact an admission counselor, who can help you explore financial options, answer all your questions and walk you through the application process. Start by:

• Completing a free undergraduate application
• Providing previous institutions attended – so SNHU can retrieve transcripts for you at no cost

Test scores are not required as part of your application.

Notes: 

• Laptop or desktop?  Whichever you choose depends on your personal preference and work style, though laptops tend to offer more flexibility. 

• Note:  Chromebooks (Chrome OS) and iPads (iOS) do not meet the minimum requirements for coursework at SNHU. These offer limited functionality and do not work with some course technologies. They are not acceptable as the only device you use for coursework. While these devices are convenient and may be used for some course functions, they cannot be your primary device. SNHU does, however, have an affordable laptop option that it recommends: Dell Latitude 3301 with Windows 10. 

• Office 365 Pro Plus is available free of charge to all SNHU students and faculty. The Office suite will remain free while you are a student at SNHU. Upon graduation you may convert to a paid subscription if you wish. Terms subject to change at Microsoft's discretion. Review system requirements for Microsoft 365 plans for business, education and government. 

• Antivirus software: Check with your ISP as they may offer antivirus software free of charge to subscribers. 

Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suite

This package includes Maya, 3ds Max, Motion Builder and Mudbox. Students can download these products for free under an educational agreement through Autodesk.

System Requirements

• Operating system: Windows 10 64-bit operating system
• CPU: Intel i5/i7/Xeon technology or AMD equivalent
• Graphics hardware: Refer to Autodesk's recommendations for Maya and Mudbox
• RAM: A minimum of 16GB of RAM is required, but 32GB is highly recommended and will become increasingly necessary with each annual release of new versions of Autodesk applications.
• Disk space: 19GB free disk space

Note that some Autodesk products included in the Entertainment Creation Suite may be available for Apple^® Mac OS^® X operating systems. Students may elect to run non-native software (most notably 3ds Max) on Windows^® through Apple's Boot Camp^® or Parallels Desktop^® systems. Students who wish to obtain Windows^®10 may do so through Azure Dev Tools. 

Adobe Creative Cloud

This package includes Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat and more. Students can download these products for a reduced monthly cost through SNHU's OnTheHub store.

System Requirements

The requirements below are listed for Photoshop and Illustrator. Given that current system requirements can change without notice from Adobe, it is best to consult the most up-to-date requirements on the Adobe website.

There isn't one defined path to becoming a game artist. Some earn a game art degree, while others pursue a graphic design degree. Others may major in computer graphics or animation.

No matter what degree you choose, the program should help you:

1. Master the tools you need to create standout character, creature and environment designs
2. Collaborate to create projects that can capture the eyes and imagination of employers
3. Develop the confidence and connections you need to get ahead in the industry

Fortunately, our bachelor's in game art can help you do all 3.

"Our BA in Game Art & Development prepares students for careers in game and simulation development," said Max Callahan, associate dean at SNHU. "The experience students gain with 2D and 3D graphics software and game engines allows them to apply those creative and technical skills to exciting and challenging creative projects."

A game art degree is what it sounds like: a program that helps you specialize in making artwork for video games.

With a game art degree, you'll learn how to create the parts of a game people see. You could design the leading heroine in a first-person shooter or the final boss in an action adventure. You might create the coins players collect to advance to the next level of a mobile puzzle game, or a fantastic steam-punk world in an RPG.

By exploring areas like digital sculpting, 3-D modeling and animation, and environment design, you'll learn how to create industry-ready work. And, with any luck, you'll knock the socks off gamers, too.

Of course. Whether you're looking to start your career, or pivot to a new one, learning online can help unlock your future potential.

Our game art degree can be completed 100% online, giving you the flexibility you need to advance your career without putting your life on hold.

That's what motivated SNHU game art graduate John Lanier '20 to take the leap. "I’d been meaning to complete my bachelor’s since leaving the military," he said. "But I had a hard time finding a program tailored to game development [that was] also flexible and affordable."

When he found SNHU, John suddenly had a platform to step back into the world of higher education. But with so many years out of the game, it wasn't without hesitation.

"I was worried about the time commitment, workload and seemingly large number of different classes that lay before me," he said. "I’ve also been out of school for a very long time, so the fear of getting back into a classroom was very real."

Still, John went for it. He enrolled, worked hard, established his voice as an artist and came out the other side a proud graduate.

"My proudest accomplishment is now seeing my bachelor’s degree on the wall," he said.

While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not specifically report game design or art salary data, special effects artists and animators reportedly earned a median annual wage of $78,790 in 2021.²

It should be noted, however, that salaries can vary greatly by geographic location, experience level and work environment.

Plus, with highly specialized roles within the gaming industry, each of which requires different subsets of skills and responsibilities, wage estimations are often difficult to predict.

The gaming industry is attractive to many people. It can be highly collaborative, creative and rewarding. That said, it's also very competitive and difficult to break into. This is especially true for those in underrepresented groups, such as women and people who are non-binary.

In fact, a 2019 survey by International Game Developers Association found that 24% of respondents in the gaming industry were women, 3% identified as non-binary and 2% preferred to self-describe.⁴

But at SNHU, we're committed to helping our diverse student body succeed. Whether it's empowering women leaders in our gaming and STEM programs or we provide opportunities to not only succeed – but to excel.

As one former game design student, Grace Tay '17, put it: "We need to get to a point where, if a woman is leading in a video game, it's normal. The only way we're going to do that is if women see themselves in these positions. So my advice is: Don't let statistics discourage you, use them as fuel. If you are passionate about this field, and you apply yourself, you can do it."

A game art degree can help prepare you for a handful of different roles in the gaming industry. You could become the concept artist who creates the characters, environments, vehicles and creatures that define the overall look and feel of a game. As a modeler or animator, you could be responsible for building 3D models along with the animated assets to put them motion.

You can also apply these skills outside of the gaming world. Just ask John Lanier '20, a game art graduate who now works with a large manufacturer of aviation aircraft.

"The BA in Game Art and Development degree at SNHU has given me the tools to expand and evolve what I can do for my company," Lanier said. From designing beauty renders and concept art to modeling assets, he applies what he's learned every day.

"I’m now trying to create an interactive spec tool with the Unreal Game Engine that customers can use to select materials and veneers for an aircraft interior," Lanier said.

He's also noticed a trend – he's not the only person with a background in video games. "There are two of us now with GA&D degrees that work here… it’s kind of a jack-of-all-trades degree."

As complex as the process of making a game can be, it's important to note the responsibilities of each team member involved. Here's a quick breakdown of some key jobs in the gaming world:

• Game artist. Game artists are specifically responsible for the front-end designs in games. This may include 2D or 3D models of characters, creatures, vehicles or virtual environments.

"In the online BA in Game Art and Development degree program, we'll teach students how to create art designs and assets for game design concepts," said Max Callahan, associate dean at SNHU.

A game art degree is designed to help you fill any number of roles as a game artist – including concept designer, modeler, texture artist, rigger and animator.

• Animator. An animator is someone who takes a static drawing or 3D model and brings it to life. As mentioned before, animation is a sub-specialization of game art.

Like many roles in gaming, this is a highly collaborative job. In many cases, your designs will come from a 3D modeler. You'll then likely work with designers under the direction of an art director to figure out exactly how a character, creature or object should move.

You'll almost act as a stagecoach – helping understand a character's motivations and giving personality to the way they move. Plus, your skills will be transferable to a number of other industries – such as film, television, marketing and more.

• Game designer. What does a game designer do? These are the pros who have a deep understanding of their industry and what gamers want.

As a game designer, you'll spend a lot of time analyzing and talking about competitors' games. It can be helpful to start out as a QA tester or production assistant, as a good portion of your job will be dedicated to noticing design flaws to help improve gameplay mechanics.

Game designers may also specialize in a particular area of a game. You could be a level designer – where you essentially create blueprints of level maps. As a content designer, you could help create the narrative of a game, including character names, dialogue, quests and stories.

• Game producer. Every team needs a person to keep projects on task – in the gaming world, that's the producer.

These are the folks who schedule out the work, communicate with stakeholders, manage budgets and check in with teams to make sure everything's running smoothly. It's all about communication and organization.

Those in the entry level are often given the title of associate producer. Upon reaching a more senior level, you'll likely become a product owner.

• Game programmer. We've talked about the artists of the gaming world – now let's talk about the scientists.

Programmers are highly technical. They'll use programming languages like C++, C# and Java to define the mechanics and logic of a game. They'll build their work on a game engine like Unreal for various platforms.

Specialized game programming roles include tools programmer, simulations programmer and software applications developer.

¹ Newzoo; The Games Market's Bright Future: Player Numbers Will Soar Past 3 Billion Towards 2024 as Yealry Revenues Exceed $200 Billion; on the internet at https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/the-games-markets-bright-future-player-numbers-will-soar-past-3-billion-towards-2024-as-yearly-revenues-exceed-200-billion/ (viewed Aug. 18, 2021)

² Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the internet, at:

• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/multimedia-artists-and-animators.htm (viewed Oct. 27, 2022)

Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

³According to survey responses from over 9,200 SNHU online students conducted in the fall of 2019.

⁴International Game Developers Association; Developer Satisfaction Survey 2019 - Summary Report; on the internet, at: https://s3-us-east-2.amazonaws.com/igda-website/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/29093706/IGDA-DSS-2019_Summary-Report_Nov-20-2019.pdf (viewed Aug. 19, 2021)