Online Game Art and Development Degree Bachelor of Arts in Game Design

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 game 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, 3D 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 $99,060 in 2023.¹

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 2023 survey by International Game Developers Association found that 31% of respondents in the gaming industry identified as women and 8% identified as gender non-binary, gender fluid, genderqueer or two-spirited.²

But at SNHU, we're committed to helping our diverse student body succeed.

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."

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.