Video Game Production

The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Video Game Production provides students with the essential skill sets needed to plan, design, and produce video games. The program features interdisciplinary coursework and related studies to build a strong foundation bridging the art and science of video game production. The Associate in Applied Science in Video Game Production's curriculum brings together business concepts, game technology, game narrative, music, sound design, and animation to prepare students for entry-level careers as a Level Designer, Environment Artist, Production Artist, Character Modeler, Character Animator, Game Designer, Game Developer, Mobile Game Developer, Commercial Artist, Game Writer, Composer and/or Sound Designer. Embedded Certificates of Completion (CCL) are available in Video Game Production: Game Art, Video Game Production: Audio and Sound and Video Game Production: Narrative and Video Game Production: Scripting and Coding.

Details

Field of Interest
Computer and Information Technology
Degree Type
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
Academic Plan
Video Game Production (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
3890
Total credits required
62-79
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

Students interested in transferring should meet with an Academic, Faculty, or Program Director.

GST201 Game Studies is recommended for students who intend to transfer to Arizona State University.

Courses within any of the following prefixes must be taken within five (5) years prior to completion of the program to be applied toward this award: AIM, BPC, CIS, CLD, CNT, CSC, ITS, and MST.

What You'll Learn

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

  1. Analyze the electronic game industry, including history, markets, distribution, publishing channels, business models, team roles, and career landscape.
  2. Analyze commonly used game components and mechanics.
  3. Manage game development project resources, budgets, goals, and tasks.
  4. Evaluate software and hardware used for game design, development, and production.
  5. Apply advanced scripting and programming concepts in the creation and manipulation of interactive applications.
  6. Create planning materials such as sketches, character sheets, storyboards, prototypes, narrative scripts, audio, and design documents.
  7. Create a variety of media resources such as images, narratives, 3D models, animations, and audio.
  8. Construct a cohesive game experience using planning materials and media resources.
  9. Demonstrate effective written, oral, visual, and interpersonal communication skills.
  10. Collaborate in a culturally responsive manner in a team environment.
  11. Engage in ethical personal and professional creative practices, in accordance with copyright laws, intellectual property, civic responsibility, and standards of the field.
  12. Examine the implications of cultural values, individual beliefs, and biases as applied to game design, development, and production.
  13. Create a portfolio of work.

Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based annual median wages* for this program. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information.

* Wage information sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Program. Updated May 2022.

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Pathway Planner tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
  • Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.

Pathway Map Options

There are multiple options available for this pathway map. These options vary depending on the locations, partners, and available tracks of the award.

These pathway map options may share some common coursework. To explore what additional coursework may be required, select your desired option from the list below. Once selected, the list of courses and any associated details will be automatically updated in the course sequence below. The differences between individual pathway map options may only be a few courses.

Note: You will have to select one of the options below to view available course sequences.

Pathway Map Option Details

No pathway map option has been selected. Please select from the pathway map options listed above.

Full-time Sequence

To view course sequences, select one of the pathway map options above.

Part-time Sequence

To view course sequences, select one of the pathway map options above.

Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm13?id=182613).

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.