Start Date: September
Location: Prince of Wales Campus
Length: 2 Years
Credential: Diploma, Video Game Art and Animation
Program Availability: Fall 2025 Term
Canadian Applicants: Open
International Applicants with a Valid Holland College Study Permit: Open
Other International Applicants: Open
This art-based diploma program begins with the basics of art production for video games. Traditional drawing skills are taught alongside the latest software techniques.
You will examine the industry's history and look behind the scenes to see what goes into video game production. Develop the core skills needed to generate artwork using Adobe™ and Autodesk™ products, and the technical aspects required to integrate your work into the production pipeline.
The curriculum is designed to be flexible so that the program can be adjusted to suit trends in the video game industry.
This program is located in the Charlottetown Centre. Take a virtual tour.
The Videogame Art & Animation program is designed to build upon your artistic foundation to prepare you for a career as a commercial artist. Applicants are required to submit a portfolio of their best work when they apply to the program. Review our Portfolio Requirements.
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be able to:
This program has degree pathways, giving you the opportunity to receive credit for your Holland College diploma when you continue your education. For a complete list of agreements, visit the Degree Pathways page.
| Partner Institution | Credential | Details of Agreement |
|---|---|---|
| University of New Brunswick - Saint John, Saint John, N.B. | Bachelor of Applied Management | Graduates with a 70% average receive two years of credit toward a Bachelor of Applied Management degree. |
NOTES:
Tuition, fees, and other costs are listed in Canadian dollars. International tuition includes the International Student Fee.
Students are required to start the program with their own Apple iPad and the official Apple Pencil stylus. You must ensure that your stylus is compatible with your iPad. Visit this webpage to ensure compatibility: https://www.apple.com/ca/apple-pencil/
Fees are Course Based
|
1st Year |
Canadian |
International |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $4,650 | $10,770 |
| Fees | $1,403 | $2,153 |
| Other Costs | $1,075 | $1,075 |
| Total | $7,128 | $13,998 |
|
2nd Year |
Canadian |
International |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $4,650 | $9,650 |
| Fees | $2,328 | $3,078 |
| Other Costs | $100 | $100 |
| Total | $7,078 | $13,828 |
|
Tuition & Fees |
1st Year |
2nd Year |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $4,650 | $4,650 |
| Lab Fee | $675 | $1,500 |
| Student Association | $178 | $178 |
| Health Insurance Fee | $470 | $470 |
| Fitness Centre Fee | $80 | $80 |
| Graduation Fee | - | $100 |
| Total payable to Holland College | $6,053 | $6,978 |
| 1st installment due first day of first semester (fall semester fees) | $ 3,503 | $ 3,753 |
| 2nd installment due first day of second semester (winter and spring semester fees) | $ 2,550 | $ 3,225 |
|
Other Costs |
First Year |
Second Year |
| Books | 150 | – |
| Materials/Supplies | $100 | $100 |
| Equipment | $825 | - |
| Total | $1,075 | $100 |
| Grand Total | $7,128 | $7,078 |
|
Tuition & Fees |
1st Year |
2nd Year |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition* | $10,770 | $10,650 |
| Lab Fee | $675 | $1,500 |
| Student Association | $178 | $178 |
| Health Insurance Fee | $1,220 | $1,220 |
| Fitness Centre Fee | $80 | $80 |
| Graduation Fee | - | $100 |
| Total payable to Holland College | $12,923 | $13,728 |
| 1st installment due first day of first semester (fall semester fees) | $10,373 | $10,503 |
| 2nd installment due first day of second semester (winter and spring semester fees) | $2,550 | $3,225 |
|
Other Costs |
First Year |
Second Year |
| Books | $150 | – |
| Materials/Supplies | $100 | $100 |
| Equipment | $825 | - |
| Total | $1,075 | $100 |
| Grand Total | $13,998 | $13,828 |
*Includes the International Student Fee.
Many Holland College programs have degree pathway agreements with other post-secondary institutions. You can receive credit for your Holland College diploma toward a university degree or other post-graduate credential, saving you time and money! Find out more on the Degree Pathways page.
Course Code:SAFE-1005
An overview of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Prince Edward Island. Students examine the legislation, how PEI employees are protected while on the job and the responsibilities of employees and employers.
Credit Value:0
Course Code:VGAA-1101
Artists working in the video games and visual FX industries need a good understanding of 3D modeling techiques and strategies. In this course, students will be introduced to the core features of 3D software, using it to create a range of assets that would be found in typical video games and/or other media.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-1102
Game engines render 3D models with an infinite number of materials and shaders. In this course, students will use 2D and 3D software to create some basic maps and materials for their models.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-1103
In the video games industry, it is not just animators who need to know about animation. Anything that moves needs careful consideration during its design, development and creation. In this course, students will gain a basic understanding of some animation principles and use 3D software to bring their models to life.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-1104
Video Game Artists must possess the ability to conceive ideas and solve problems creatively. In this course students will use a sketchbook to plant the seeds of ideas and grow them into finished pieces of digital Concept Art. There will also be Figure Drawing sessions with professional models.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-1105
It's never too early to start planning your career as a commercial artist! In this course, students will look at the past and present of the games industry and be introduced to some basic themes of game development and design. Students will also begin to collect examples of their work, and prepare them for display.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-1201
In this course, students will expand their knowledge of 3D modeling, tackling complex forms and creating highly detailed game assets.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-1202
The Surfacing 201 course develops and expands the skills covered in the previous semester. Students' knowledge of image creation and editing tools will allow them to make full sets of maps for their own library of Physically Based Rendering (PBR) shaders.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-1203
Animation requires a strong foundation in methods and basic principles of animation. In this course, students hone their observational skills for general bipedal movement and manipulation within 3D space over time.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-1204
In Creativity 201, students will expand and refine their inventiveness, drawing, and digital art skills. Figure Drawing sessions will have a focus on the human face and the use of colour to represent the human form.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-1205
In this course, students will begin to develop a professional online presence and an awareness of how long tasks take to complete so that accurate plans can be made. There are opportunities to practice teamwork while contributing to large group projects. By the end of the semester, students will have a professional online presence with examples of work hosted on various websites.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-2301
Building on to skills developed in the previous courses, 301 arms students with distribution for defined features like animation, lighting, and more complex UV's. A 3D modeler must understand the difference and demonstrate how high poly models and game ready models differ in purpose and result.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-2302
Maps for characters often have different stylistic choices, this course will focus on pursuing a variety of methods that help achieve different looks.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-2303
Creating believable animations involve breaking down complex action into movements the viewer will recognize immediately. For an animation to be interpreted correctly, it requires a proper hierarchied rigged body that students will create.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-2304
Creativity grows with influence and study, through critique and review of artist styles and human anatomy, students will boost their concept art with inspiration and color.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-2305
Professionalism in a team setting requires good communication and interpersonal skills, project management strategies, and personal development. Students will prepare for a job working in a studio by assessing team work strategies and developing self awareness of areas to improve and how to access useful resources.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-2401
A 3D modeler creates geometry that accurately depicts the design and they must know how their decisions affect later stages in development. This course continues with modeling for animation and examines how choices made early on can impact the efficiency of the geometry.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-2402
Surfacing is a speciality that takes time and this course will work with techniques that can be used to create appealing maps efficiently and effectively for games and rendering. Students will spend time building maps and examining them on different rendering platforms.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-2403
In the final animation course, students will apply and expand their rigging knowledge to 2D and 3D characters. Continuing to refine the animation principles, facial expression and body language will be animated for readability and timing.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-2404
Concept art and design are building blocks for the entertainment industry and this course will expand into some scene and story telling illustration.
Credit Value:3
Course Code:VGAA-2405
In this course, students will prepare themselves for employment as a commercial artist. By the time they graduate students will have a professional online presence and a strategy for applying for their first job. Opportunities are provided to continue to develop teamwork skills. Time is also available for specializing in areas of expertise and developing a personal style.
Credit Value:3
