Game Art BFA, BA & Minor
Game Art BFA, BA & Minor
About this Program
Discover the Game Art BFA, Game Art BA and Game Art Minor, where you’ll create game art, experiment with game engines and develop the creative and technical skills for interactive media careers.
Whether you’re interested in immersive digital worlds, visual storytelling or interactive experiences, you’ll build a strong foundation in both artistic practice and game development while exploring games as a powerful form of cultural expression.
The Game Art curriculum takes an art-centered approach to game creation, combining visual design, creative problem-solving and technical production. You’ll develop skills in 2D and 3D game art, concept art, worldbuilding, interactive narrative design and creative writing while collaborating with artists and designers to bring original game projects to life. Along the way, you’ll gain experience with industry-relevant tools, adaptive workflows and portfolio development.
With flexible degree pathways, you can choose the level of depth and academic experience that best fits your goals, whether you’re seeking intensive professional preparation, a broader interdisciplinary education or a way to complement another area of study. No matter which path you choose, you’ll graduate with the creative, technical and collaborative skills to contribute to the evolving world of games and interactive media.
Quick Facts
Program Type
Major or Minor
Degree
- Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Bachelor of Arts
- Minor
School
Cornish College of the Arts
Campus
South Lake Union
Learning Format
In-Person
Duration
4 years
Start Date
August, January
Credits
120 semester credits
Find YOUR Creative Path
Our Game Art programs are designed with flexibility in mind. Students can explore different academic and creative paths early in their studies and, if their interests evolve, easily transition between the BFA and the BA without losing progress toward their degree. BA students benefit from the freedom to study across disciplines by pursuing a double major or minors, while students pursuing a BFA receive specialized training. This structure helps you find the program that best supports your artistic and professional goals as they evolve through your course of study.
At a Glance
Choosing a college is about finding the program that best supports your goals. At Cornish, we look for students who are passionate about their area of study and eager to grow.
Game Art BFA
The Game Art BFA offers an immersive, studio-based education for students who want to create compelling visual experiences for games and interactive media. You’ll combine artistic exploration with technical production as you develop 2D and 3D game art, concept art, worldbuilding, interactive narrative design and creative writing for games. Throughout the program, you’ll experiment with game engines and emerging technologies while learning to create original work that reflects a thoughtful understanding of games as a cultural and creative medium.
Collaboration is at the heart of the Game Art BFA experience. You’ll work alongside artists and designers from a variety of disciplines, participate in critiques, workshops and guest lectures with industry professionals, and build a portfolio that showcases your creative vision and technical expertise. By graduation, you’ll be prepared for careers as a game artist or creative designer in independent or major game studios, as well as other fields that rely on digital illustration, animation and interactive visual media.
Game Art BA
The Game Art BA provides a flexible pathway for students who want to combine game art with broader academic interests while developing the creative and technical skills needed for interactive media. You’ll learn to create 2D and 3D game art, concept art, worldbuilding, interactive narratives and games informed by a critical understanding of games as cultural media. Through an art-centered approach to game creation, you’ll explore game engines, creative technologies and collaborative design while developing your own artistic voice.
Designed for students seeking an interdisciplinary education, the Game Art BA offers the flexibility to pursue electives, double majors or complementary minors that align with your interests and career goals. You’ll collaborate with artists and designers on original game projects, build a professional portfolio through critiques and industry engagement, and graduate prepared for careers in game development, digital illustration, animation and other fields that create interactive visual media for entertainment, education and communication.
Game Art Minor
The Game Art Minor introduces you to the creative and technical foundations of game art while complementing a wide range of majors. You’ll develop skills in 2D and 3D game art, concept development, worldbuilding and interactive storytelling while learning to create games informed by a critical understanding of games as cultural media. Through collaborative projects and hands-on experience with game development tools and technologies, you’ll build valuable creative and technical skills that can enhance studies in fields such as computer science, film, animation, design, business and creative writing.
Core Skills & Techniques
- Create game art projects that support a variety of aesthetic strategies
- Collaborate with diverse artists and designers to realize game projects
- Design innovative game art that reflects a critical understanding of games as cultural media, including the historical, political, and aesthetic aspects of creating games
- Communicate effectively about game art to professional and public audiences
- Practice technically sound, adaptive workflows and revise artwork in response to game project constraints
- Develop career strategies informed by cultural research and analysis of the contemporary game industry
Connect Your Passion to New Possibilities
Explore purposeful academic combinations while pursuing a rigorous arts education to enhance your career preparation. At Seattle University, you can combine a Game Art BA with a wide variety of other majors or add any minor while staying on track to graduate in four years. You can also customize a Game Art BFA by pursuing any minor offered across Seattle University without extending your time to degree.
While this is not an exhaustive list, explore some of the many ways Game Art can be paired with other disciplines to enhance your academic journey and strengthen your professional preparation:
- Game Art BFA/BA + Japanese Minor
- Game Art BFA/BA + Marketing Minor
- Game Art BFA/BA + Business Administration Minor
- Game Art BFA/BA + Entrepreneurship and Innovation Minor
- Game Art BFA/BA + Global Business Minor
- Game Art BA + Computer Science BA
- Game Art BA + Creative Writing BA
- Game Art BA + English BA
- Game Art BA + Communication & Media BA
- Game Art BA + Film & Media BA
- Game Art BA + 3+3 Accelerated Law Pathway
Explore Facilities
Create with confidence in professional spaces that encourage experimentation, collaboration and artistic exploration.
State-of-the-Art Computer Lab
Use industry-standard iMac workstations, professional Epson scanners with advanced imaging software and high-quality large-format printers to create, refine and present your game art projects from concept through final portfolio.
Multimedia Checkout Center
Borrow professional-quality cameras, lighting, audio, film and photography equipment through MCC², giving you access to the tools you need to bring your creative projects to life.
Checkout CenterRaisbeck Auditorium
Experience your work on the big screen in Raisbeck Auditorium, where professional screening capabilities allow you to present game cinematics, animated sequences and digital projects in a theater setting.
Visit Cornish College of the Arts
For more than a century, Cornish College of the Arts has inspired artists, performers and designers to push creative boundaries and shape the future of their fields. Today, at Cornish College of the Arts at Seattle University, you can experience that legacy firsthand while exploring the studios, performance spaces and collaborative community where creativity comes to life. Schedule a campus visit, take a virtual tour or connect with our admissions team to discover how you can make this historic creative community your own.
Game Arts Faculty + Staff
Dedicated to mentoring the next generation of creatives, Cornish faculty combine extensive professional expertise with a passion for teaching students how to develop the skills, confidence and vision to succeed in the arts.
