Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Design
Program Overview
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Design at LTU is a project-focused program that emphasizes game system design, level design, and game assembly. Students participate in game studios to gain professional practice and develop critical thinking skills in visual communication, industry analysis, and design principles. The program prepares graduates for careers in game design, project management, 3D modeling, animation, and other related fields.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Design
is a project-focused, multi-disciplinary degree program that emphasizes game system design, level design, and game assembly. The program curriculum adopts an industry-applicable approach that encompasses art asset creation and integration, narrative and storytelling definition, and collaborative development practices between designers and programmers. During their time at LTU, game design students participate in a series of game studios that serve as a platform for professional practice. These studios integrate various disciplines to produce and release games within the curriculum itself. Throughout the program, students are encouraged to develop critical thinking skills as they visually communicate concepts, analyze industry trends, and apply design principles and patterns to their work, which is encouraged to align with their individual talents and interests in the multifaceted field.
Outline:
Freshman Year:
- First Semester: College Composition (COM 1103), Design Principles (DES 121), Introduction to Design (DES 102), Drawing & Design Geometry 1 (IDD 181), Geometry in Art (MCS 125)
- Second Semester: World Masterpieces 1 (LLT 121), Foundations of American Experience (SSC 241), Design Methodologies (DES 122), Drawing & Design Geometry 2 (IDD 182), Introduction to Game Systems (GAM 151)
Sophomore Year:
- First Semester: Level Design (GAM 225), Digital Drawing & Painting (GAM 212), Scripting for Interactive Technologies (MCS 219), 3 Credit Concentration Elective, 3 Credit Concentration Elective, 3 Credit Concentration Elective
- Second Semester: World Masterpieces 2 (LLT 122), Sophomore Portfolio Review (DES 202), History of Game Design (GAM 221), Special Topics in Tech (TIE 492), 3 Credit Concentration Elective, 3 Credit Concentration Elective
Junior Year:
- First Semester: Technical and Professional Communication (COM 210), Creative Writing (CRW 251), Game Systems (GAM 251), Visual Culture (GRA 222), 1000-4000 level Natural Science Lab
- Second Semester: Multi-Disciplinary Design (DES 362), Development of American Experience (SSC 242), Integrated Game Studio (GAM 252), UX/UI Design (IDD 382), 3 Credit Concentration Elective
Senior Year:
- First Semester: Design Leadership (DES 411), Game Systems Senior Project 1 (GAM 451), 1000-4000 level Natural Science Lecture, 1000-4000 level Natural Science Lab, 1000-4000 level CoAD elective, 1000-4000 level CoAD elective, 1000-4000 level CoAD elective, 1000-4000 level CoAD elective
Careers:
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Design program prepares students for a range of career opportunities, including:
- Game design
- Project management
- Storyboarding
- 3D modeling
- Concept art
- Illustration
- Animation
- Motion graphics
- Game development
- App development
- Art direction
- Game writing
- User experience/user interface design (UX/UI) Graduates of the program have found employment at local and national companies, including:
- Ford
- Jackbox Games
- Chimera Labs
- Dead Art Games
- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
- Mackevision
- Seventy 7
- Flyover Games
- Quicken Loans
- Pluto
- FanLabel
- Pixo
- 3DExcite
- Dreaming Door Studios