Bachelor of Screen Arts - Game Design Major

Enrol in the Bachelor of Screen Arts Game Design Major and join a creative team dedicated to crafting rich, immersive experiences. You'll be part of a community that values collaboration and creativity-driven solutions. Develop practical skills in 2D and 3D art, animation, and game production, focusing on interactive storytelling with an audience-centred approach. You'll work on both solo and collaborative projects, gaining a diverse range of skills and experiences to prepare you for a rewarding and creative career in game development and the screen industries.

SIT now offers the Screen Arts programme in a HyFlex ('Hybrid-Flexible') format, combining face-to-face and online learning.

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Invercargill
Campus
Invercargill / Hyflex
Qualification
Degree
Level
7
Credits
360
Duration

Three years full-time,

Part time study is available.

Dates
Intake 1: 15 February to 19 November
Intake 1: 15 February to 19 November
Intake 1: 15 February to 19 November
Fees
This programme qualifies for SIT Zero Fees. Terms and Conditions apply. Click here for more information.
Tuition Fees

NO tuition fees

Direct Material Costs

Direct material costs of just $2745 (Y1), $2745 (Y2) and $2781 (Y3) (GST inclusive)

International Fees

https://sit.ac.nz/international/begin/subjects-fees-scholarships/


Course Outline

The Bachelor of Screen Arts is a three-year programme that allows you to express your creativity using the latest techniques and technology.

You will engage and develop skills from day one in team work and collaboration, building critical creative problem-solving skills vital to working in the screen and gaming industries. You will develop practical skills in both 2D and 3D art and animation production to develop rich immersive experiences for a diverse range of target audiences. You will be able to work on both solo and collaborative projects so you are exposed to a wide variety of skills and experiences which will prepare you for rewarding and creative future.

The Game Design major focuses on developing your creativity and technical skills to develop complex story-based interactive projects. You will be getting experience using techniques from the 2D, 3D game development.

You will learn:

 

  • Character development and Storytelling
  • Level and Game Design
  • 2D, 3D art and animation for Games and Cut Scenes
  • Studio and Digital Drawing
  • Develop skills in communications, project management, leadership, and team building.

 

While technology moves rapidly the skills in critical thinking, research, development, leadership, and storytelling are universally transferable and will give students a foundation which will endure the changing technologies.

Software includes industry standard applications such as: Maya, Zbrush, Houdini, Toom Boom Storyboard Pro, Toom Boom Harmony, Unity, Unreal, Vue, Corel Painter, Substance and Adobe collections and much more. You will be using HPZ series custom build workstations with every machine having a Wacom Cintiq along with a large range of equipment to help you on your journey.

Other majors in the Bachelor of Screen Arts:

 

Course Content

Year 1 Core Papers

BSA503 Cross-Disciplinary Workshops 1

Students will participate in cross-disciplinary workshops to gain an understanding of real-world creative industry practice and communication. Students will be introduced to industry-specific techniques, gaining knowledge and skills required to participate as part of a team. Students will develop research skills to identify and demonstrate historical and theoretical practice. Students will document and analyse the progression of their projects.

BSA542 Studio Digital 1 

Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of design within the current creative industries. Students will complete projects that meet the requirements of a design brief, implementing various software solutions to develop an understanding of how to read and use imagery. Students will also explore and create digital artworks which apply the fundamentals of design principles. Students will investigate and a diversity of historic and contemporary digital design practices.

BSA 528 Game Art and Design 1 

Students will develop the skills to design and produce a 2D game which is user experience driven. Students will gain the skills in the latest technology in 2D game development to design a story and character driven game with responsive gameplay and mechanics. Students will be able to demonstrate their abilities to design experiences which combine elements such as animation, physics, sound design, and coding to create immersion. Students will develop their communications and creative thinking skills to deliver a diverse project in a time driven environment.

BSA 529 Storyboarding

Students will be introduced to the process of drafting and planning story driven short form screen arts projects. Students will learn basic screenwriting skills for short form narratives and how to design for a target audience. Students will gain an understanding of the creative process and apply visual language and film grammar to produce a completed storyboard and animatic project for the creative industries.

BSA 526 Principles of Animation

Students will be introduced to the principles of animation and apply them to a contemporary pipeline. Students will create a visually appealing character with a unique biography and storytelling poses and expressions. Students will use industry standard software to bring their character to life through paperless 2D animation techniques. Students will discuss relevant existing practices, and reflectively document their project progress.

BSA527 2D Animation

Students will combine visual storytelling skills and the principles of animation to produce a short 2D animated project with a proposed purpose, narrative, and target audience. Students will apply a range of 2D animation techniques and implement a 2D animation production pipeline. Students will discuss relevant existing and practices, and reflectively document their project progress.

BSA515 Studio Drawing 1

Students will develop fundamental skills in drawing, both digitally and physically. Students will participate in a variety of different drawing methods such as life drawing, mural design, and prompt illustrations. Students will develop visual storytelling skills through producing a narrative-driven short, illustrated project. Students will discuss relevant existing and emerging practices, and reflectively document their project’s progress.

Year 2 Core Papers

BSA603 Cross-Disciplinary Workshops 2

Students will participate and collaborate across disciplines to engage in a series of innovative and contemporary creative industry driven projects. Students will collaborate developing skills in versatility and adaptability within a visually creative environment. Students will research and develop an analytical understanding of emerging disciplines within the creative industries. Students will research and develop communication skills in leadership, decision-making, and group dynamics.

BSA642 Studio Digital 2

Students will extend their understanding of project-focused research through creative industries practices. Within their fields, students will develop a body of work that reflects an in-depth investigation relevant to their research focus. Students will gain an understanding of the practical and theoretical implications of proposing, developing, and resolving a creative industries project. Students will engage in historical and contemporary research relevant to their research focus. Students will demonstrate experience evaluating a range of practical and digital materials and processes to engage with target audiences. Students will also utilise documentation as a key research method.

BSA626 3D Animation Production

Students will develop and manage a story and character driven 3D project for a short film or a game cut scene. Students will research and develop a workflow management strategy to ensure an effective, quality-driven, production pipeline. Students will develop and apply a range of current best practices from the gaming and animation industries. These will include techniques such as hard and soft surface modelling, look development, rigged and dynamic animation, and traditional and Realtime rendering. Students will develop their creative thinking and analytical problem-solving skills to deliver a complex project in a time-intensive environment.

BSA615 Studio Drawing 2

Students will develop both physical and digital drawing skills. Students will explore their drawing methods by participating in a variety of group and individual exercises such as mural design, life drawing, and prompt illustrations. Students will produce a narrative-driven illustrated project, such as a graphic novel, children’s book, motion comic, manga, or comic, that distinguishes their own creative voice. Students will also examine relevant existing and emerging practises, and document project progress through self-reflective commentaries.

BSA 628 Game Art and Design 2

Students will develop the skills to design and produce a 3D game with a defined user experience. Students will gain skills in the latest technology and techniques used within the 3D game development industry. Students will research best practises in asset optimisation to ensure peak performance on a chosen platform. Student will engage, design, and implement a management system to ensure reflective and iterative practises are developed into quality user experiences.

BSA612 World Building

Students will develop their narrative and conceptual art skills to create an original fictional world. Students will be introduced to tools to articulate and demonstrate their world to an audience.Students will also examine relevant existing and emerging practices, and document project progress through self-reflective commentaries.

Year 3 Core Papers

BSA701 Studio Project 1

Students will build knowledge and skills in communications and management strategies to lead a deadline-driven creative project within a team environment. Students will explore and research relevant existing and emerging practices. Students will develop and produce a project utilising and challenging each member’s current technical and aesthetic talent base. Students will explore pipeline/workflow and time management models, while maintaining best health, wellness and safety practices while observing legal and ethical considerations. Students will explore and critically engage in audience research to ensure all concepts and designs are user centric. Students will critically analyse and execute transmedia approaches to release the final project.

BSA702 Studio Project 2

Students will build knowledge and skills in communications and management strategies to develop or produce a creative project. Students will develop individual or collaborative projects with peers or external partners but must implement individual processes with legal considerations. Students will plan and implement pipelines/workflows that embed researched and evaluated ethics, health, safety, and wellbeing procedures. Students will identify audience to ensure all concepts and designs are user-centric and have clear approaches to brand development and product release. Students will critically analyse and execute transmedia approaches to release their final project.

Career Opportunities

When you complete the programme you will have the broad range of skills necessary for an industry that increasingly asks for people with a multidisciplinary approach. Depending on the specialisation chosen, you will be able to look for work in numerous roles within the Game Development and Design industries. These roles could include 3D artist, 2D artist, designer, animator, environment artist. The real strength of the programme is that graduates will have had some experience in many of these areas, a quality that will become increasingly important as technologies converge.

Application Criteria

Entry requirements

School leavers

You’ll need University Entrance (NCEA Level 3), including:

  • 14 credits in each of three approved Level 3 subjects
  • Literacy: 10 credits at Level 2 or above, including 5 credits in reading and 5 in writing
  • Numeracy: 10 credits at Level 1 or above from approved achievement standards, or all three numeracy unit standards: 26623, 26626 and 26627

Mature applicants

If you’re 20 or older when the programme begins, you may apply based on your skills and relevant work or other experience.

An equivalent external or overseas qualification may also be considered, subject to approval by the Head of Faculty.

Special admission

If you’re under 20 and don’t meet the standard entry requirements, you may still be considered in exceptional circumstances if you can demonstrate your ability to succeed in the programme.

You’ll need to have successfully completed an approved course or programme that prepares you for the required academic level.

If you don’t meet the academic criteria, you may also be able to enrol provisionally in one or more Year One courses. After successfully completing these, you can apply for special admission or mature entry.

Portfolio requirements

You’ll need to submit a portfolio with your application that includes:

  • A short introduction about yourself and your interests in your chosen field
  • A link to or digital samples of your creative work, such as:
  • 5 to 10 pieces of digital or traditional artwork
  • A short film, animation or game you’ve worked on
  • Photographs of a small garment collection or design specification sheets

You may also be asked to attend a short interview with the Programme Manager or an appropriate staff member.

Please submit digital copies, photographs or links to your work. Do not submit original physical items.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide evidence of your English language ability.

Accepted evidence may include eligible previous study completed in English in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States, or an approved English language test.

Common test requirements include:

  • IELTS Academic: 6.0 overall, with no band below 5.5
  • TOEFL iBT: 60, with a writing score of 18
  • TOEFL pBT: 550, with TWE 5
  • PTE Academic: 50, with no band below 42
  • Cambridge English: B2 First, B2 First for Schools, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency, score 169, with no skill below 162
  • OET: Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests
  • NZCEL: Level 4 Academic
  • LanguageCert: C1 Expert International ESOL Written (LRW) Pass, with at least 25/50 in each skill, and Spoken (S) Pass
  • Trinity ISE: ISE II, with at least Distinction in each band

Other recognised evidence of English proficiency may also be accepted. Test scores must be achieved in a single test within the two years before enrolment.

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