Animation and Game Development, B.S.
Visit the Digital Media Department page for more information on the program and access to advising.
Program Description
UVU’s Animation and Game Development B.S. combines creative and technical expertise to prepare students for animation, visual effects, game development, and XR careers. Students specialize in 2D Animation, 3D Animation & VFX, or Game & XR Development, gaining industry-relevant skills in storytelling, modeling, and animation. Through hands-on learning, they develop professional portfolios, collaborate in production environments, and use industry-standard tools such as Maya, Unity, Unreal Engine, and Houdini. Graduates are equipped for careers as animators, game designers, VFX artists, and XR developers in an evolving digital landscape.
Matriculation Requirements
Portfolio Review Acceptance
After completing first-year courses students may submit a portfolio to one of three Animation and Game Development Tracks. Students are accepted for matriculation into their chosen track based on the quality of work found in their portfolio. A student may only apply twice for program matriculation.
Acceptance criteria varies for the three academic tracks available. Please meet with an academic advisor to learn more.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
| General Education Requirements | 30 Credits | |
| ENGL 1010 | Introduction to Academic Writing | 3 |
| or ENGL 1005 | Foundations of Academic Writing | |
| ENGL 2010 | Intermediate Academic Writing | 3 |
| Complete one of the following: | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning (3) (recommended for Humanities or Arts majors) | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning with Integrated Algebra (undefined) | ||
| Introduction to Statistics (3) (recommended for Social Science majors) | ||
| Introduction to Statistics with Algebra (5) | ||
| College Algebra (4) (recommended for Business, Education, Science, and Health Professions majors) | ||
| College Algebra with Preliminaries (5) | ||
| College Algebra for Business (3) (recommended for Business majors) | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 3 | |
| US History to 1877 and US History since 1877 (6) | ||
| American History (3) | ||
| US Economic History (3) | ||
| American Heritage (3) | ||
| American National Government (3) | ||
| Distribution Courses: | ||
| Biology | 3 | |
| Physical Science | 3 | |
| Personal, Professional, and Civic Growth | 3 | |
| Humanities Distribution 1 | 3 | |
| Fine Arts Distribution 2 | 3 | |
| Social/Behavioral Science | 3 | |
| Discipline Core Requirements | 22 Credits | |
| DGM 1110 | Digital Media Essentials I | 4 |
| DAGV 1200 | 3D Modeling Essentials | 3 |
| DGM 3120G | Digital Media for Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| DAGV 3470 | Animation Story Development | 3 |
| DAGV 3480 | Writing for Technical Directors | 3 |
| or DGM 3110 | Corporate Issues in Digital Media | |
| DAGV 4900R | Senior Capstone | 6 |
| Animation and Game Development Tracks | 68 Credits | |
| Students must complete one of the following tracks | 68 | |
| --2D Animation TRACK REQUIREMENTS | ||
| Take the following courses: | ||
| Animation Essentials (2) | ||
| Animation Essentials Lab (1) | ||
| Concept Essentials (3) | ||
| Studio Technology Essentials (3) | ||
| 3D Modeling and Animation (3) | ||
| Animation I (2) | ||
| Animation I Lab (1) | ||
| Character Development (3) | ||
| Introduction to Rigging (2) | ||
| Introduction To Rigging Lab (1) | ||
| Digital Storyboarding (3) | ||
| Introduction to Compositing (3) | ||
| Technical Design and Direction (3) | ||
| Animation and Game Production I (2) | ||
| Animation and Game Lab I (1) | ||
| Advanced Character Rigging (3) | ||
| Animation and Game Production II (2) | ||
| Animation and Game Lab II (1) | ||
| Advanced Technical Direction I (3) | ||
| Advanced Technical Direction II (3) | ||
| Performance Animation (3) | ||
| Includes 36 credits of upper-division | ||
Complete 20 additional advisor-approved credits (4 credits must be upper-division) 3 | ||
| --3D Animation and Visual Effects TRACK REQUIREMENTS | ||
| Take the following courses: | ||
| 3D Animation Essentials (3) | ||
or DAGV 1300 | Animation Essentials | |
| Game Development Essentials (3) | ||
| 3D Modeling and Surfacing (3) | ||
| 3D Modeling and Surfacing II (3) | ||
| 3D Animation Project I (3) | ||
| 3D Character Development (3) | ||
| 3D Character Development II (3) | ||
| 3D Animation Project II (3) | ||
| 3D Rigging I (3) | ||
| Animation and Game Group Project (1) | ||
| 3D Animation Project III (3) | ||
| 3D Animation Project IV (3) | ||
| 3D Visual Effects I (3) | ||
| 3D Visual Effects II (undefined) | ||
| 3D Rigging II (3) | ||
| Portfolio Development (6) | ||
| Includes 40 credits of upper-division | ||
Complete 14 advisor-approved approved credits. 4 | ||
| --Game and XR Development TRACK REQUIREMENTS | ||
| Take the following courses: | ||
| 3D Animation Essentials (3) | ||
or DAGV 1300 | Animation Essentials | |
| Game Development Essentials (3) | ||
| 3D Modeling and Surfacing (3) | ||
| 3D Modeling and Surfacing II (3) | ||
| 3D Character Development (3) | ||
| 3D Character Development II (3) | ||
| Game Development I (3) | ||
| Game Development II (3) | ||
| 3D Rigging I (3) | ||
| Animation and Game Group Project (1) | ||
| Mixed Reality Experiences (3) | ||
| Game Development III (3) | ||
| Game Development IV (3) | ||
| Game Engine I (3) | ||
| Game Engine II (undefined) | ||
| 3D Rigging II (3) | ||
| Portfolio Development (6) | ||
| Includes 40 credits of upper-division | ||
Complete 14 additional advisor-approved credits. | ||
| --Approved Electives | ||
| Current Topics in Animation and Game Development (3) | ||
| Mixed Reality Essentials (3) | ||
| Special Topics in Animation and Game Development (3) | ||
| Motion Graphics for Digital Media I (3) | ||
| Motion Graphics for Digital Media II (3) | ||
- 1
ENGL 2200G Introduction to World Literature or ENGL 2130 Science Fiction recommended
- 2
THEA 1023 Introduction to Film recommended
- 3
2D students may take any 3D class as an approved elective.
- 4
3D students may take any 2D class as an approved elective.
- 5
One Global/Intercultural,
DGM 3120G Digital Media for Intercultural Communication
- 6
Two Writing Enriched are Required Per Track, three listed are:
DGM 3110 Corporate Issues in Digital Media
- 7
-
This program includes a minimum of 40 upper-division credits in the 3D animation and Game Development tracks. 36 upper-division in the 2D animation track.
-
Graduation Requirements
- Completion of a minimum of 120 semester credits, with a minimum of 40 credit hours of upper-division coursework.
- A minimum of 2.5 GPA in all discipline core courses with no grade lower than a C- is required for graduation. To qualify for the portfolio review, DGM courses must be completed with a grade of B or higher.
- Residency hours -- a minimum of 30 credit hours through course attendance at UVU, with at least 10 hours earned in the last 45 hours.
- Completion of GE and specified departmental requirements, which include a portfolio review and acceptance into the degree.
- Successful completion of at least one Global/Intercultural course.
- Successful completion of at least two Writing Enriched (WE) courses.
Graduation Plan
This graduation plan is a sample plan and is intended to be a guide. Your specific plan may differ based on your Math and English placement and/or transfer credits applied. You are encouraged to meet with an advisor and set up an individualized graduation plan in Wolverine Track.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Credit Hours | |
| DAGV 1200 | 3D Modeling Essentials | 3 |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| ENGL 1010 or ENGL 1005 | Introduction to Academic Writing or Foundations of Academic Writing | 3 |
| Math Distribution | 3 | |
| Personal, Professional, and Civic Growth | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| DGM 1110 | Digital Media Essentials I | 4 |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DAGV Elective | 2 | |
| Social/Behavioral Science Distribution | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Semester 3 | ||
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| American Institutions | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| Biology Distribution | 3 | |
| ENGL 2010 | Intermediate Academic Writing | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Semester 5 | ||
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| Science Distribution | 3 | |
| DAGV 3480 or DGM 3110 | Writing for Technical Directors or Corporate Issues in Digital Media | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| DAGV 3470 | Animation Story Development | 3 |
| DGM 3120G | Digital Media for Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| Fine Arts Distribution | 3 | |
| Humanities Distribution | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Semester 7 | ||
| DAGV 4900R | Senior Capstone | 3 |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DGM 3110 or DAGV 3480 | Corporate Issues in Digital Media or Writing for Technical Directors | 3 |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 8 | ||
| DAGV 4900R | Senior Capstone | 3 |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| DAGV Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Program Learning Outcomes
- Apply the Principles of Animation to create compelling and engaging visual narratives
- Design and produce 2D, 3D, and hybrid assets—including characters, environments, props, and effects—for various media.
- Animate sequences that effectively convey storytelling, timing, and motion principles across different formats.
- Develop interactive mechanics, immersive environments, and simulations using industry-standard tools and workflows.
- Collaborate in team-based production environments by planning, communicating, and executing tasks to create professional-quality projects.
- Optimize assets, animations, and code to improve performance and efficiency across various media platforms.