Game - Design
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Program Overview
Game design is about harnessing creativity and building entire worlds for players to express themselves. The game design program is a three-year advanced diploma where you will develop your 2D and 3D skills by studying art and design theory, modelling, animation, texturing, anatomy and drawing. This program focuses on the tools and techniques you’ll need to start a career as a 3D modeller, concept artist, animator, level and game designer.
Program Details
Program Code
VGD2
Credential:
Ontario College Advanced Diploma
Duration
90 weeks
Start Dates
Locations
Availability
Full Time Offerings
2025 January
London - Downtown
Open
2025 September
London - Downtown
Open
2024 September
London - Downtown
Closed
Start Dates
Locations
Availability
Full Time Offerings
2025 January
London - Downtown
Open
2025 September
London - Downtown
Open
2024 September
London - Downtown
Closed
Your Learning Experience
The Game - Design program is an intensive three-year advanced diploma focusing on the tools and techniques necessary to gain employment in the video game industry. The goal of the program is to provide students with the professional and artistic skills necessary to create compelling and innovative games.
There are few professions as in-demand as video game designers, and London, Ontario is at the center of this vibrant and growing industry. You’ll study at Fanshawe’s London Downtown Campus, surrounded by leading gaming and tech industry firms. Through networking opportunities and live-client projects, these innovators will mentor you and critique you and show you how to advance in your career in the gaming industry. Our faculty are industry-trained and experts in the field, committed to connecting you with the industry’s finest.
Develop your 2D and 3D skills by studying art and design theory, modelling, animation, texturing, anatomy and drawing. You’ll then build on these basics for an understanding of the video game as a whole. At every step of the way, designers, animators, producers and art directors in the video game industry will make sure you know how your skills will be used in the real world.
Career Information
Graduates will gain the computer science, digital art and creative writing skills required to excel in the game design industry, enabling them to pursue careers as:
- character designer
- quality assurance
- level designer
- Junior game designer
- 3d modeller
- animator
- texture artist
- concept artist
- storyboard artist
Did you know Fanshawe consistently ranks high in graduation employment rates among large colleges in Ontario?
Here are some examples of career opportunities for graduates of Fanshawe’s Game Design program:
3D Modeller
Creation of props, environments and characters used in video games.
Game Designer
Responsible for the core user experience of a game including user interface, main character locomotion and combat, enemy locomotion and mini-games.
3D Animator
Create and modify lifelike animations to bring sci-fi characters and creatures to life on the screen.
Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to
1. analyze the differences in game genres in order to develop games that meet the needs of specific markets
2. analyze the history of video games to compare various approaches to game development
3. support the development of games by identifying and relating concepts from a range of industry roles—programming, design, and art
4. contribute as an individual and a member of a game development team to the effective completion of a game development project
5. develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance in the games industry
6. perform all work in compliance with relevant statutes, regulations, legislation, industry standards and codes of ethics
Related Programs
Academic School
Program Coordinator:
Robert Reichhardt (Year 1 and 2)
Jeffrey Champ (Year 3)
Admission Requirements
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent,
or a
mature applicant.
- In addition to meeting the academic requirements, applicants
must submit a supplemental form and receive a minimum score of 60
to be eligible. Applicants will be sent an email with instructions
for completion.
Students who do not have a high school diploma may wish to
consider taking the
Academic and Career Entrance (ACE) grade 12 Equivalency
Certificate.
International Admission Equivalencies
Admission equivalencies for Fanshawe depends on your country of study. Please enter your location to see the requirements for your country below.
English Language Requirements
English Language Requirements
| Test | Score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 79 |
| IELTS Academic | Overall score of 6.0 with no score less than 5.5 in any of the four bands |
| CAEL | Overall score of 60 with no score less than 50 in any of the four bands. score of 80 in listening |
| PTE Academic | 53 |
| Cambridge English | Overall score of 169 with no language skill less than 162 |
| ESL4/GAP5 | Minimum grade of 80% in Level 8, 75% in Level 9, or 70% in Level 10 |
| Duolingo | Overall score of 105, with no score lower than 95 |
Recommended Academic Preparation
Recommended Academic Preparation
- Grade 12 English (C) or (U) OR Grade 12 The Writer's Craft (C) OR Grade 12 Business and Technological Communication (O)
- Grade 11 or Grade 12 Communications Technology (M) OR Grade 11 Introduction to Computer Science (U) and Grade 12 Computer Science (U)
- Grade 11 Media Arts (M) or (O) OR Grade 12 Media Arts (M)
-
Grade 11 Visual Art (M) or (O) OR Grade 12 Visual Art (M)
Recommended Personal Preparation
Recommended Personal Preparation
A basic awareness of the graphics and 3D programs used in the industry. Experience playing a variety of video games. Using free trial software (3D Max, Maya, Adobe Photoshop) and doing free basic online tutorials in modelling, animating etc.Applicant Selection Criteria
Applicant Selection Criteria
Where the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available spaces in the program, the Applicant Selection Criteria will be:- Preference for Permanent Residents of Ontario
- Receipt of Application by February 1st (After this date, Fanshawe College will consider applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until the program is full)
- Achievement in the Admission Requirements
Courses
| Level 1 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
| MMED-1073 | 3D Intro | 3 | ||
| This course will introduce students to the 3D environment using an industry standard 3D application. Topics will include: modelling, animating, lighting and rendering techniques. This course is a means to teach fundamental concepts of 3D development with modeling, animation and rendering software. Both practical techniques and theoretical principles of 3D development will be explored. 3D modeling for game developers explores how to model and render 3D design projects. | ||||
| MMED-1023 | Digital Drawing 1 | 2.5 | ||
| This is an introductory course into the study of two-dimensional design. Focus will be on using digital drawing tools & techniques to help visualize ideas. Topics will include realism, shading, lighting, colour, analysis of form, and concepts of light, space and surface. Students will refine their abilities to conceptualize, and develop drawings for gaming purposes. | ||||
| HIST-1041 | Art & Design Survey | 3 | ||
| This course will focus on the art and design disciplines and movements of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Lectures include topics on art forms, industrial design, architecture, graphic design, typography and global design movements | ||||
| MMED-1027 | Animation 1 | 2.5 | ||
| In the course students will explore the basic foundation principles of 2D and 3D animation. Topics will include: stretch and squash, anticipation, timing and motion, space, etc. | ||||
| MMED-1026 | Character Design Anatomy 1 | 2.5 | ||
| This is a course designed to teach an introduction to human anatomy as it pertains to Game Character art (for modelling, cinematics, concepts and animation). It will cover human bone and musculature structures as well as individual body parts, skeleton mechanics, facial expressions etc. A strong emphasis on Character Rotations for the purpose of Modelling will also be covered. | ||||
| INDS-1033 | Video Game Theory | 3 | ||
| This course will analyze the cultural and artistic significance of video games, and also the ways gaming reflects our larger relationships with technology. This course aims to discuss the relationship between video games and other media; gamers and the gaming community; and the important sociological, cultural, industrial, and economic issues that surround gaming. | ||||
| WRIT-1037 | Reason & Writing 1-Contemporary Media | 3 | ||
| This course will introduce contemporary media students to essential principles of reading, writing, and reasoning at the postsecondary level. Students will identify, summarize, analyze, and evaluate multiple short readings and write persuasive response essays to develop their vocabulary, comprehension, grammar, and critical thinking. | ||||
Tuition Summary
London - Downtown
*Total program costs are approximate, subject to change and do not include the health and dental plan fee, bus pass fee or program general expenses.