Entertainment Design Degrees: What Coursework is Included in a Typical Entertainment Design Program?

What is Entertainment Design?

Entertainment design is a relatively new field created in response to the rise of computer graphics and digital technologies in recent years. This interdisciplinary practice encompasses animation, film and video as well as character, game, graphic, motion, transportation, user interface, theme park, and product design.

What are the Types of Courses for Entertainment Design Programs?

Many top art and design schools such as Otis College of Art and Design, Ringling College of Art and Design, and ArtCenter College of Design offer entertainment design programs with a number of concentrations. Some colleges and universities such as University of Wisconsin-Stout and Cogswell Polytechnic College also offer programs and certificate programs are plentiful.

A certificate program is an intensive one-year program that typically skips general education courses such as history, math, and science. This allows students to dive right into major and elective coursework. Schools such as UCLA Extension, Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Games & Animation and Husson University offer entertainment design certificate programs.

Coursework for entertainment design programs varies by school, concentration, and other factors. The following are examples of the types of courses offered for several top entertainment design programs.

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• Advanced Tools and Techniques
• Animation
• CG for Digital Artists
• Character Design
• Character Sculpture
• Color Theory and Light
• Creature Design
• Design History
• Drawing & 3D Design
• Elements and Principles of Design
• Entertainment Design I-IV
• Environment Design
• Figure Drawing
• Game and Entertainment Design
• Graphic Design
• Immersive Media
• Materials and Processes
• Photoshop for Digital Production
• Product Design
• Project Management
• Spatial Environments
• Storyboarding
• Storytelling for Digital Artists
• The Visual Language of Film, Games and Design
• VFX and Game Production
• Visual Communications
• Worldbuilding
• Writing for Shared Worlds
• Zoological Drawing

What Can I Do With a Degree in Entertainment Design?

Entertainment designers work in animation, video games, theme park design, film and television, casino gaming, web design, theater, advertising, graphic design, multimedia, and many others. Potential job titles include:

• 3D Modeler
• Animator (2D or 3D)
• Art Director
• Casino Game Designer
• Concept Artist
• Creative/Art Director
• Design Principal
• Digital Illustrator
• Environmental Designer
• Experience Designer
• Game Designer
• Interaction Designer
• Producer
• Project Manager
• Stop Motion Animator
• Theme Park Designer
• User Interface Designer
• Visual Designer
• Visual Development Artist

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that employment of entertainment and sports occupations as a group is projected to grow five percent for the 2018-2028 decade, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations. Employment is projected to increase by about 42,600. While the median annual wage for entertainment and sports occupations was $42,940 in May 2018, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $38,640, salaries vary significantly by industry. For example, entertainment designers working in animation can expect to average $72,520 annually, with the potential to earn $124,000 or more.

Those working as art directors can expect to average $92,780 annually, with the potential to earn $172,000 or more. Entertainment designers working in the technology sector typically start out at six figures, while reported salaries for theme park designers are well north of $50,000 annually.