Game designers using virtual reality gear

Bachelor's Degree in Digital Tech and Game Design Online

Put your love of games into action with a career in online game design. Learn sought-after skills such as 2D and 3D animation, iOS app development, and app interface testing. As part of the coursework, create a board or card game and complete a portfolio website that highlights career-related capabilities.

Next Apply Date: 8/5/26
Next Class Start Date: 8/19/26
Apply Now
Next Apply Date: 8/5/26
Next Class Start Date: 8/19/26
View Important Information for Students Starting Fall 2026 or Later +

Beginning Fall 2026, Game Design and Animation & Motion Graphics students will complete 81 credit hours of major-specific courses (69 credit hours of core courses and 12 credit hours of emphasis courses).

Because these courses make up the full degree plan, there will be limited flexibility for electives. Careful planning and adherence to the required course sequence will help ensure timely graduation.

Program Overview

What our online B.S. in Digital Technology & Design – Game Design offers you

Use your love of gaming to build an in-demand skillset that you can use to enter the fast-paced game design industry. With a Bachelor of Science in Digital Technology and Design with a Concentration in Game Design online degree from Arkansas State University, you will delve into all the features and functionality of the making of games—from concept to release—even creating your own 2D and 3D board or card game.

This A-State online program teaches you to identify and implement effective design principles across a variety of digital assets as well as understand the role of culture on people's attitudes and behavior. Expert instructors are ready to guide you with a hands-on approach. Plus, you can participate in game jams, a series of virtual events where you team up with other students to create video games in friendly competitions.

Throughout your coursework, you will learn the foundations of game design, development and application as well as 2D animation and graphics and basic 3D animation design for use in interactive digital environments. You will culminate your bachelor's education with the creation of a professional portfolio website—ideal for presenting to prospective employers the transferable game design skills you learned during your college program.

In this program you will:

  • Understand and apply the foundations of game design, development and application
  • Be able to design 2D animation and graphics along with basic 3D animation
  • Be able to design and create a game or game concept
In this program you will:+
  • Understand and apply the foundations of game design, development and application
  • Be able to design 2D animation and graphics along with basic 3D animation
  • Be able to design and create a game or game concept

Land these top jobs:

  • Video Game Designer
  • Multimedia Designer/Animator
  • Artist/Illustrator
Land these top jobs:+
  • Video Game Designer
  • Multimedia Designer/Animator
  • Artist/Illustrator

Gain these in-demand skills:

  • Game design, development and analysis
  • 2D animation and graphics
  • Digital 3D animation content creation
Gain these in-demand skills:+
  • Game design, development and analysis
  • 2D animation and graphics
  • Digital 3D animation content creation

Also available:

A-State offers a variety of undergraduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online undergraduate programs.

Per Credit Hour: $302
Transfer Credits: Up to 90 hours
Credit Hours 120
Apply Now

Need More Information?

Call 866-621-8096

Call 866-621-8096

Top 10 reasons why you should enroll in a 100% online Undergraduate degree program at A-state — watch this!

Tuition

Pay for your online B.S. degree by the course

Our B.S. in Digital Technology & Design – Game Design online program offers the same affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition to all U.S. residents. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.

Tuition breakdown:

Per Credit Hour: $302
Tuition Per Course: $906

Transfer your credits for lower tuition

Use our Tuition Estimator to see how affordable your degree could be. Slide the notch to the number of credits you've already earned—which may qualify for transfer credit—to get an estimate of what your degree might cost.

0
90
Transfer Credits: 0
Your Estimated Tuition: $Your Estimated Tuition:
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Transcripts sent from other colleges and universities will be evaluated, and accepted credits will be added to the student's A-State record. The Tuition Estimator is not a guarantee or predictor of the number of credit hours that will be accepted.

You may be closer to Graduation than you think!

A-State-approved credit for prior learning recognizes your previous accomplishments, reducing your tuition costs and time to graduation.

Calendar

Dates and deadlines to keep in mind

Designed to be flexible for your schedule, the B.S. in Digital Technology & Design – Game Design online program features multiple start dates and accelerated courses.

View full calendar +

TermProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class Day
Summer 15/11/264/27/264/27/265/7/265/8/266/26/26
Summer 26/29/266/15/266/15/266/25/266/26/268/14/26
Fall 18/19/268/5/268/5/268/13/268/14/2610/2/26
Fall 210/12/269/28/269/28/2610/8/2610/9/2612/4/26

Now enrolling:

Next Apply Date 8/5/26
Start Class 8/19/26

Have questions or need more information about A‑State online programs?

Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from A-State?

Apply Now

Admissions

Review the details for admission to A-State  

Review the admission requirements for the online B.S. in Digital Technology & Design – Game Design program and take the next step toward earning your degree.

Applying to A-State Online is simple. Our streamlined process and dedicated enrollment specialists are here to help you complete your application quickly and confidently.

Admission Requirements:

  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • 2.0 GPA for transferring credits
View all admission requirements +

Admissions Requirements Details

Arkansas State University offers multiple admission pathways for undergraduate students, based on your academic background and prior college experience.

Transfer Students (13+ College Credits)

You may be admitted as a transfer student if you:

  • Have 13 or more transferable college credit hours
  • Earned a 2.0 cumulative GPA or higher on all transferable coursework

First‑Time Freshmen (0–12 College Credits)

All freshman applicants are required to submit official ACT or SAT scores.

Recent High School Graduates (within the last 5 years)

You may be automatically admitted if you meet one of the following criteria:

  • 3.0 cumulative high school GPA (or equivalent GED score), or
  • ACT 19+ (super score) or SAT 990+, or
  • Top 20% of your high school graduating class

Applicants who do not meet automatic admission criteria may still be considered through an admissions appeal process.

Non-Traditional Students (Out of High School 5+ Years)

If you have been out of high school five years or more and have completed 12 or fewer college credit hours, you may be admitted if you:

  • Hold a high school diploma or state‑approved equivalent
  • Submit official Accuplacer, ACT or SAT scores
  • Have not previously enrolled at Arkansas State University

High school GPA is not considered for this admission pathway. Applicants are admitted based on diploma status and test scores.

Note: Regardless of admission type, if you have 0-12 transferable college hours, test scores will still need to be submitted for reporting purposes to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE). Although test scores are not needed for an admission decision, they are needed to register for your first course. Accuplacer test scores are an acceptable alternative to ACT/SAT scores and must be dated within the past five years.

Application Submission Requirements

Submitting your application takes three easy steps: filling out the application, submitting your documents and paying the application fee.

  1. When completing the online application, select 100% online student and then complete all the steps on the online application.
  2. Pay $30.00 non-refundable application fee.
  3. Submit all official college transcripts.
  4. Submit official high school transcripts (if applicable).
  5. Submit official ACT/ SAT test scores (if applicable).

If you have any questions along the way, call us at 866-621-8096 and we’ll be happy to help answer questions.

Document Submission Address

Submit all documents to:

A-State Online
P.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467

Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]

For Non-US Postal Mail Overnight Delivery Only:

A-State Online
c/o Central Receiving
2713 Pawnee St.
Jonesboro, AR 72401

Courses

Topics you will study in your online B.S. in Digital Technology & Design – Game Design program

Students in the B.S. in Digital Technology & Design – Game Design online program must complete a total of 120 credit hours of coursework. The program includes 38 credit hours of general education courses, 25 credit hours of major courses, 12 credit hours of concentration courses and 45 credit hours of elective courses. Students can finish faster by transferring previously earned credit hours. Transfer credit hours will be evaluated during the admission process.

You can view your schedule of courses for this degree through the Course Smartsheet:

View the AOS Course Smartsheet

How to Use the Course Smartsheet


View Important Information for Students Starting Fall 2026 or Later +
Beginning Fall 2026, Game Design and Animation & Motion Graphics students will complete 81 credit hours of major-specific courses (69 credit hours of core courses and 12 credit hours of emphasis courses). Because these courses make up the full degree plan, there will be limited flexibility for electives. Careful planning and adherence to the required course sequence will help ensure timely graduation.
Expand All
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will learn basic computer skills that can be used immediately, throughout college and beyond. Emphasis is on learning basic office applications in word processing, spreadsheets, databases and presentation graphics.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Issues of how human culture impacts the individuals behavior, attitudes, and mental health.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to Windows programming using Microsoft Visual Studio or a similar integrated development environment. Students learn to write programs using an object oriented programming language and incorporating sequence, selection, and repetition structures. Prerequisite, ISBA 1503. Fall.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to design literacy, color theory, typography, composition, and digital design software.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Instruction and practice in the writing of poetry, fiction, and drama. May be repeated with change of literary category.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to design literacy, color theory, typography, composition, and digital design software.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Course features app design concepts, prototyping app interfaces and user testing.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The internship features supervised work in a professional graphic design setting. May be repeated for credit.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This is an advanced project-based course for creating applications for Android and IOS devices. Students use their knowledge from previous courses to develop fully publishable applications within small teams. (students take twice)
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Course focuses on the creative workflow of iOS app development.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on issues of how human culture impacts the individuals behavior, attitudes, and mental health.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Foundational principles and theories of Game Design, development and analysis. Students create their own board games and concepts. This course requires three or more hours per week outside of class.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Foundations in creating 2D content for ani­mation, interactive content, and game design, including vector art, frame by frame, sprites, and other methodolo­gies. Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in DIGI 1113 or GRFX 1413.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Advanced study including research and experimentation, culminating in a fully realized game or game concept. This course requires three or more hours per week outside of class. May be repeated for credit.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Advanced study including re­search and experimentation culminating in a fully realized game or game concept. This course requires three or more hours per week outside of class.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Course features foundational instruction in the art of creating digital 3D content for applications in animation, interactive and game design and in the production of physical objects utilizing 3D printing and laser cutting technology.

You must complete 40 credit hours of electives to satisfy the 120 credit hours required for this program. Courses must be chosen with the assistance of an advisor and per your degree plan. Electives can come from any courses offered as long as prerequisites are met.

Students must take the following courses.

First-year course - Students must take the following Making Connections online course. If you transfer in more than 12 credit hours, you will not be required to take the Making Connections course. You may replace that 3-hour course with a 3-hour elective course.

First-year course (3 hours)
UC 1013

Departmental (3 hours)
COMS 1203

Communication Requirement (6 hours)
ENG 1003
ENG 1013

Mathematics Requirement (3 hours)
Students must take MATH 1023 or any MATH course that requires MATH 1023 as prerequisite.

Arts and Humanities Requirement (6 hours)
ART 2503
MUS 2503
THEA 2503

Social Sciences Requirement (9 hours) 

MDIA 1003
POSC 2103
PSY 2013

Life Science Requirement (4 hours)
Students must complete BIO 1003 with BIO 1001 lab.

Physical Sciences Requirement (4 hours)
Students must complete CHEM 1043 with CHEM 1041 lab.

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to visual art for all students regardless of background or experience. Students learn how to develop cognitive and experiential responses to works of art. This course is for non-art majors and does not meet general education requirements for any degree in Art. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Laboratory, must be taken with BIO 1003. There will be a fee when purchasing the LabKit. Please visit the tuition and fees page for pricing.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The major characteristics and processes of life emphasizing the human organism. Promotes understanding of diversity and unity among living organisms with focus on ecological interactions and responsibilities of people within their social and natural environment. Lecture three hours per week. Special course fees may apply. Must be taken with BIO 1001.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Special course fees apply. Prerequisite or co-requisite of CHEM 1043. Fall only.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Study of the important scientific, principles of individual human behavior from biological, cognitive, social, and behavioral perspectives.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The scientific study of society: Social institutions, social interactions, social inequality, social organizations, and social change.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
FINE ARTS. Introduction to major artists, media, styles and works of art within their cultural and historical contexts for the non-art major. Note, this course does not meet general education requirements for any degree in art.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Required course for all first semester freshmen. Course content is centered around the skills and knowledge needed to be a successful ASU student, including academic performance, problem solving, critical thinking, self management and group building skills, university policies and other relevant issues.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Special course fees ap­ply. Corequisites: CHEM 1043.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
AMERICAN POLITICS. The con­stitution, government, and politics of the United States.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A one semester chemistry survey course introducing selected fundamental concepts including dimensional analysis, mole concept, atomic and molecular structure, nomenclature, chemical reactions, thermochemistry, intermolecular interactions, gases, mixtures, kinetics, equilibrium and acid base chemistry. Prerequisites: completion of MATH 1023, MATH 1043, or a MATH course for which these are a prerequisite. Corequisites: CHEM 1041.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The theory and practice of communication in interpersonal, small groups, and public speaking contexts, emphasizing proficiency in message organization, delivery, and critical thinking.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to selected fundamental concepts including dimensional analysis, mole concept, atomic and molecular structure, nomenclature, chemical reactions, thermochemistry, intermolecular interactions, gases, mixtures, kinetics, equilibrium and acid base chemistry. Fall only.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The theory and practice of communication in interpersonal, small groups, and public speaking contexts, emphasizing proficiency in message organization, delivery, and critical thinking.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Study and practice of fundamentals of written communication, including principles of grammar, punctuation, spelling, organization, and careful analytical reading. Prerequisite, with grade of C or better, for ENG 1013.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Continues the practice of ENG 1003 to develop further the skills learned in that course. Based on reading and discussion of various types of writing, the students’ essays will provide practice in different kinds of rhetorical development, including research and documentation.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Equations and inequalities, functions and graphs, polynomial and rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, systems of equations and inequalities, matrices, and miscellaneous topics. No credit given if taken following MATH 1054.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of the interaction between society and mass communication through the lenses of history, theory, economics, culture, law, and technology.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an introduction to music for the listener who has had no formal training or experience. By exploring the history of Western Art music, learners will begin to connect the development of music with the changing of society and culture.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
American politics. The constitution, government, and politics of the United States.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Study of the important scientific, principles of individual human behavior from biological, cognitive, social, and behavioral perspectives.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Human society and social behavior.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Provides students with an appreciation of how various artistic elements combine to produce theatrical productions. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Required course for all first semester freshmen. Course content is centered around the skills and knowledge needed to be a successful ASU student, including academic performance, problem solving, critical thinking, self-management and group building skills, university policies and other relevant issues.

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