BASPA Bachelor in Game Art and Animation
Bachelor in Game Art and Animation
- Number of credits180
- Part-time/full-timeFull-time
- Start semester2026 Autumn
- Language of instructionEnglish
- CampusHamar
This programme allows students to take charge and design their own learning path through a chosen specialisation from second semester.
These are the 4 specialisations the students can choose:
- Game Animator
- 3D Game Artist
- 2D Game Artist
- Technical Game Artist
Students across all tracks will have collaborations every semester through game projects together with students from Bachelor in Game Technology.
Focus areas:
- Game Animator - character animation in 3D spaces
- 3D Game Artist - 3D asset production
- 2D Game Artist - concept art and 2D asset development, UX and UI design
- Technical Game Artist - 3D rigging and visual effects for games
The first semester provides basic knowledge, an understanding of the different areas in Game Art, general content production and pipeline in a game production. From the second semester of studies, students choose their specialisation. In third year, the students study their specialisation further and in combination with project work.
The final project (Bachelor project), groups of students with different areas of competence from the Game School's bachelor programmes work together on a project. The project can be carried out in collaboration with the business sector.
All students gain comprehensive knowledge in their chosen track of focus, experience in production, and interdisciplinary group work.
The Bachelor in Game Art and Animation is a creative and production-oriented program that prepares students to design and produce visual content for games and interactive media. Combining traditional artistic foundations with modern digital tools, the program develops both the creative vision and the technical skills required to work in the fast-growing game industry.
Students gain experience in areas such as drawing and concept art, 3D modelling, texturing, lighting, animation, technical art and visual storytelling, while learning how to adapt their style to different genres and platforms.
Courses are designed to balance individual artistic development with collaborative, interdisciplinary projects, where game art students work alongside programmers and designers to produce playable prototypes and complete games.
The program offers students a broad understanding of digital art and game development and its applications across entertainment, learning, communication, simulation and visualisation. Skills acquired are relevant for games, animation, mobile applications, interactive installations, digital art, architecture, visual effects, and more.
For an artist, showcasing your work is crucial for success. It is a strong emphasis on boosting students' confidence and professionalism by regularly sharing their work with classmates. This helps them build their personal brand, which can improve their opportunities in their future careers, whether as employees or as entrepreneurs with their own businesses. The exposure training culminates in a yearly screening of student work.
Students develop holistic thinking, collaboration skills and problem-solving abilities through practical group work and cross-disciplinary projects.
Learning outcome
A candidate who has completed the programme has the following total learning outcomes, defined by knowledge, skills and general competence.
The candidate
- can recognize cultural, historical, and professional contexts of the game industry, including ethical and societal considerations
- can recognize the role of game art pipelines within game development, including collaboration with designers, programmers, and producers
- has insight into how games and visual storytelling can be used to communicate and promote sustainability awareness (e.g., SDGs such as climate action, responsible consumption, equality)
- understand game production pipelines, tools, and workflows, and how different disciplines integrate in game development
- can demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of artistic principles (composition, anatomy, color, perspective, visual storytelling) and digital production methods (2D, 3D, animation, technical art)
- is familiar with ethical guidelines and sustainable practices in creative industries, including copyright, fair use, and digital accessibility
The candidate
- can apply specialised tools and techniques within their chosen track to produce industry-quality assets, animations, and systems
- can design inclusive and diverse characters, environments, and visual narratives that contribute to social sustainability in games and interactive media
- can design, develop, and refine game art and interactive experiences, using iterative, user-centered, and feedback-driven methods
- can integrate artistic and technical outputs into collaborative projects, including serious games, multiplayer games, and professional productions
- can communicate and present creative solutions and production processes clearly in visual, written, and oral formats
The candidate
- can work independently and collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams, simulating professional studio practice
- can take responsibility for planning, executing, and reflecting on both individual and team-based projects
- can critically evaluate their own and others’ work, incorporating feedback to improve results
- can collaborate in interdisciplinary teams to develop game projects that incorporate sustainability goals into artistic and technical production
- can demonstrate professional readiness for careers in the game industry, animation, or related creative fields, or for further academic study
- can inspire and facilitate entrepreneurship, new thinking and innovation, and the involvement of local working, social and cultural life
- can participate in professional discussions within the field, and share their knowledge and experiences with others
The education is based on flipped and blended learning, practical exercises, study groups/group work, projects, presentations, workshops and self-study. An online learning platform is used in the teaching.
Most courses have a practical approach, with considerable emphasis on problem solving, and contain compulsory individual and group coursework requirements.
The education is based on flipped and blended learning, practical exercises, study groups/group work, projects, presentations, workshops and self-study.
Most courses have a practical approach, with considerable emphasis on problem solving, and contain compulsory individual and group coursework requirements.
In every semester the students work with projects together with students from Bachelor in Game Technology in interdisciplinary teams.
In fifth semester the students can choose internship in a company, work in an internal research project at the University or work with their own start up related to a production.
Supervision will be conducted both at an individual level and in groups or project teams.
The target group for this programme is Norwegian and international applicants with an interest in animation, 3D visualisation, storytelling, digital drawing, visual content production for games, interactive experiences, and digital media development. The program will be suitable for creative students who want to focus on the use of various technologies and those who wish to develop their skills in digital artistic production within different focus areas, as well as those who want to enhance their understanding of production systems in digital content production.
Admission requirements
Admissions requirements to Bachelor in Game Art and Animation consists of three parts that all must be approved:
- General qualification for university admission / approved prior learning assessment.
- Passing the entrance examination. Information about the entrance examination is published at https://gameschool.no/admission
- Interview (in cases where the committee requires additional information to evaluate the entrance examination, applicants may be called in for a digital video interview).
Bachelor's programmes taught exclusively in English do not have Norwegian language requirements.
The general basis for admission to universities and university colleges in Norway is called Higher Education Entrance Qualification (GSI). For applicants with foreign education, the requirements are specified in the GSU list. The list will show if the English requirement is covered by your secondary school or higher education.
In addition, you will have proof of sufficient English proficiency if you:
- have Norwegian or Nordic upper secondary school: Passing grade in English equivalent to foundation/level 1 course at Norwegian upper secondary school (140 hours), or the equivalent from upper secondary school in one of the other Nordic countries
- are native speaker of English from UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand or Australia with English as a subject in their secondary education
- have a complete or incomplete undergraduate degree in English language and literature with courses in English language and literature that are equivalent to minimum 60 ECTS
- have completed a minimum of one year of upper secondary school or one year university studies taught in English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Great Britain or the USA
- have completed a master's degree taught in English
In exceptional cases applicants may provide proof of English proficiency in other ways.
Applicants who do not meet the English proficiency requirements may take one of the following tests/courses:
- TOEFL
- Minimum score required: 500 for a paper-based test (PBT) or 60 on an internet-based test (IBT).
- IELTS – Academic
- Minimum score required: 5.0
- Cambridge ESOL Examinations
- First certificate in English, Certificate in Advanced English, Certificate of Proficiency.
- PTE Academic
- Minimum score required: 51 on PTE Academic/PTE Academic Online.
- TELC
- Minimum scores required: all English certificates at C1-level.
Graduates will be qualified to pursue careers as concept artists, 3D artists, character or environment artists, animators, or technical artists in game studios, animation, and related creative industries. The competence is also suited in a broader context where gamification and more technical modelling and visualisations is used.
It is also possible to pursue relevant further educations nationally, abroad and through online courses in game development, animation, 3D modelling, technical art and concept art. At Inland Norway University it is possible to apply for the artistic master’s degree (In Norwegian), Master i film og beslektede audiovisuelle kunstformer. In this master’s degree the students can focus on their own discipline in different type of productions.
The Bachelor in Game Art and Animation is an international study program where all teaching materials are in English. Assignments are presented to students in English, but students can choose to submit their assignments in either English or Norwegian (bokmål/nynorsk).
Students can study at a foreign educational institution during the 3rd to 5th semester. The study abroad must be approved by Inland Norway University in advance, so that the courses done at the foreign educational institution can be incorporated into the student's study plan.
It is necessary for the exchange program to align with the Bachelor in Game Art and Animation at University of Inland Norway to ensure that the student stays on track with their study program.
Students interested in pursuing this opportunity must do so in collaboration with a supervisor.
Students will develop skills in searching for, assessing, and referring to information and subject matter in their academic work. This is a key piece of academic competence and the basis for lifelong learning. Therefore, in collaboration with the academic communities, the University Library offers instruction in searching for subject-specific information, referencing technique, source criticism and problems associated with plagiarism. It is expected that all students have a critical attitude towards sources of information and use these sources appropriately in all academic work throughout their entire course of study. Breaches of the rules regarding the use of sources are regulated in the Regulations relating to admission, studies and examinations at University of Inland Norway.
The programme is kept updated using new literature, research and methods. Students can work with internal and external parties on research and development projects.
- For students with permanent residency in countries within the EU/EEA and Switzerland/EFTA: Student Union Semester fee only.
- Applicants from countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland/EFTA, must be prepared to pay tuition fees. For more information, please see INN’s website: Tuition - English (inn.no) or study in Norway's website: https://studyinnorway.no/list-institutions-tuition-fees.
- All students are also expected to acquire their own laptop computer to bring to class. For some modules students may be required to buy/licence additional software. The Game School has its own list of requirements which the laptop should meet to ensure the students have the necessary computer power to do all assignments in the program. Updated list of technical requirements is found at https://gameschool.no/equipment
The students are also recommended to take on work practise through internship in a company. The students need to cover extra costs related to accommodation and travel.
Courses are assessed with pass/fail or alphabetical grades, on a scale from A to F, with E as the lowest passing grade.
Different forms of assessment are used, including individual written exams and individual and group-based portfolio assessments. Compulsory coursework, activities and attendance must be approved to take exams on the courses. The exam is a display of one's own development work. It is compulsory for the students to have three development talks with a member of staff regarding their progress plan and ambitions, to better help direct their efforts. These talks should take place throughout the bachelor; therefore, it is recommended to have one development talk a year.