Game Design |
Art & Animation for Games |
Game Programming |
Music & Sound Design for Games
SUMMER
PRE-COLLEGE
PROGRAMS
As the first college in the world to oer a bachelor’s
degree in video game technology and development,
DigiPen is an educational pioneer. Today, we oer a
wide range of technology-focused programs, all with
an eye toward the career opportunities of tomorrow.
Through a combination of academic rigor and
interdisciplinary team-based projects, our educational
model empowers students to be active learners, bold
problem-solvers, and creators.
Our programs are designed to reflect the standards
and practices of the professional industries:
Small teams with dierent backgrounds and skills
collaborate to apply their knowledge, overcome
challenges, and build amazing projects together.
These teams form the core of our tight-knit student
and alumni community.
Over the past three decades, DigiPen’s students
have continued to garner awards and recognition
at international competitions and festivals for their
outstanding student work. Graduates, go on to
rewarding careers at some of the world’s leading tech
companies, game studios, and startups.
If you play video games, you’ve probably played at
least one of the more than 2,000+ commercial titles
developed by a DigiPen graduate.
As of 2022:
Ranked in the top 5 of The Princeton Review’s
Top Game Design Schools for over 13 years
Ranked in the Top 50 Best Computer Science and
Engineering schools by Business Insider
DigiPen student games have won 57
Independent Games Festival awards (more than
any other school)
About DigiPen Institute of Technology
Learn more at: digipen.edu
About:
Students in the Pre-College Program get a feel for what
it’s like to take college courses at DigiPen while also
learning what it takes to succeed in the game industry.
There are four Pre-College tracks:
Game Design
Art & Animation for Games
Game Programming
Music & Sound Design for Games
During this four-week online program, mornings are
dedicated to learning core concepts from our faculty-
level instructors, and afternoons are spent in the
project lab, where students immerse themselves in the
roles of programmers, game designers, artists, music
composers, and sound designers.
Faculty:
Our Pre-College instructors are outstanding, highly
trained and passionate about their respective fields.
Instructors impart their years of knowledge and
experience to teach and inspire the next generation
of innovators.
Schedule:
9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (PT)
Monday through Friday
Credits:
Students receive grades for their Pre-College classes,
plus a final transcript to include in their college
application.
Any student who successfully completes the Pre-
College Program and matriculates to DigiPen Institute
of Technology within three years will receive a credit
equal to the Pre-College Program tuition to apply
toward their first-semester tuition as a freshman.
How to Register:
For a complete list of requirements and to register
online, please visit:
academy.digipen.edu/academic-programs/
pre-college-program/
ONLINE
PRE-COLLEGE
PROGRAMS
ENTERING GRADES 11–12+
A good game designer must understand the
fundamental principles of game design to bring
video games to life, including the computer science
that goes into programming a video game, the
art and animation production process, and the
storytelling and character creation skills. Strong
knowledge of all technical and creative aspects
of the game development process is essential in
creating the engaging, interactive experiences
today’s players expect.
During this four-week program, students experience
what life is like for DigiPen college students who are
working on their Degree in Game Design. Students
in this track take three core academic classes plus
the game project lab that involves students from
all Pre-College tracks working together to complete
a game.
Classes:
GD: Principles of Game Design
CS: Applied Computer Science for Designers
(with Lab)
GAT: Interactive Narrative and Character
Creation (with Lab)
GAM: Game Project Lab
Additional Technical Requirements:
Students will need a “Tabletop Simulator,” which can
be purchased at the STEAM Store.
Additional Prerequisites:
No prior experience required.
Game Design
Even with all the amazing advancements in digital
art tools, the key to success for production artists
is still a strong visual development process and
the foundational art skills to execute that process.
This track prepares students for the rich and
rewarding experience of being a production artist
for video games, animation, and more. Within your
project lab, students in the art track serve as the
game team’s resident artist, developing characters,
backgrounds, and other essential components for
their game.
During this four-week-long program, students
experience what life is like for DigiPen college
students working on completing their Fine Arts
in Digital Art and Animation Degree to become
game artists. Students in this track take three core
academic classes plus the game project lab that
involves students from all Pre-College tracks to work
together to complete a game.
Classes:
ART: Art Foundations
ANI: Animation Techniques (with Lab)
CG: Computer Graphics Tools (with Lab)
GAM: Game Project Lab
Additional Technical Requirements:
Drawing Tablet OR iPad with Procreate for use when
digital painting.
Additional Prerequisite:
No prior experience required.
Art & Animation for Games
Programming software for today’s gamers requires
a deep understanding of computer science,
advanced mathematics, and physics. During this
four-week program, students experience what life
is like for DigiPen college students working on their
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.
Pre-College students in this track take three core
academic classes plus the game project lab that
involves students from all Pre-College tracks to work
together to complete a game.
Classes:
CS: Applied Computer Science for Games
MAT: Applied Math for Games (with Lab)
PHY: Applied Physics for Games (with Lab)
GAM: Game Project Lab
Additional Prerequisite:
Expected to have successfully completed Algebra 2.
Game Programming
Audio professionals play an important role on any
game production team. Whether composing the
musical score that sets a game’s mood or recording
the sound eects that give players moment-to-
moment game-play feedback, it’s a job that requires
both musical knowledge and technical expertise.
During this four-week program, experience what
student life is like for DigiPen college students
studying to become audio professionals through
DigiPen’s Bachelor Degree of Music and Sound
Design. By focusing on the theory, history, and
techniques of music and sound design, students
in this program gain an understanding of what
elements make a video game’s soundtrack and
sound eects a compelling experience.
Students in this track take three core academic classes
plus the game project lab that involves students from
the Pre-College tracks to work together to complete a
game.
Classes:
MTM: Music Theory and Musicianship
MHL: Music History and Literature (with Lab)
FMSD: Fundamentals of Music and Sound
Design (with Lab)
GAM: Game Project Lab
Additional Technical Requirements:
MIDI keyboard controller.
Additional Prerequisite:
Students should have some experience playing a
musical instrument to gain maximum benefit from
this program.
Music & Sound Design for Games
General Technical Requirements:
Please note that not all programs are Mac
compatible.
Windows PC or Mac computer
Display with a minimum resolution of 1024 x 768
While not mandatory, it is recommended to have
a second monitor connected to the computer
to extend the desktop. This allows students to
easily follow what the instructor is demonstrating
while concurrently seeing the software
environment the student is working within
Headset with microphone
Three-button mouse
Broadband internet connection
Current, major internet browser (Chrome, Firefox)
Latest version of Adobe Reader
Printer
Additional Technical Requirements:
Game Design:
Students will need a “Tabletop Simulator,” which can
be purchased at the STEAM Store.
Music & Sound Design for Games:
MIDI keyboard controller.
Art & Animation for Games:
Drawing Tablet OR iPad with Procreate for use for
digital painting.
Prerequisites:
Participants must be at least 16 years of age, entering
their Junior or Senior year of high school, or have
graduated high school within the last 18 months.
Game Programming students are expected to have
successfully completed Algebra 2.
It is recommended music students have some
experience playing an instrument.
Prerequisites & Technical Requirements
