July 11th, 2002 (12:00am) - PITTSBURGH - July 11, 2002 - The Art Institute of Pittsburgh announced today that it plans to begin offering a bachelor of science degree in Game Art & Design beginning on October 7, 2002. Game Art & Design will be offered exclusively through The Art Institute Online, a division of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, located at 420 Boulevard of the Allies.
Game Art & Design aims to bring a new generation of talent to the computer and video gaming industry, with 2001 sales that hit levels of $6.35 billion with 225 million units sold. The curriculum is focused on providing art and design skills with emphasis in character development, visual storytelling, game design strategy, 3D animation and texture-mapping.
"Our program is rooted in the design and creative element of the electronic gaming industry, rather than in computer programming," said Ken Sutton, President of The Art Institute Online. "We think that this program meets an important employment need that we expect will continue to grow."
The multi-billion dollar gaming industry has been termed "a mega force in the new American economy" by the Interactive Digital Software Association. According to Forrester Research, approximately 49 million American homes have at least one video gaming system, with an anticipated 75 million homes expected to have a system by 2005.
The Game Art & Design degree program was created under the careful analysis and direction of industry specialists. Professionals with work experience at Sega of America, Macromedia, Konami, Pixar, LucasArts, Sonique, PDI Dreamworks and Apple assisted in developing career-focused courses.
"Graduates of our programs will be prepared for entry-level positions such as 2D conceptual artist, 3D character builder, interactivity designer, background artist, character animator and art director," said Brad Tompkins, Game Art & Design Department Chair.
Through the convenience and image-rich technology of a fully virtual campus, students or professionals interested in this unique market niche can enroll and complete a bachelorŐs degree from any location in the world. In addition, students interested in a combined experience can complete some traditional on-ground coursework at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh while pursuing Game Art & Design at The Art Institute Online.
"Virtual students," those enrolled exclusively at The Art Institute Online, receive personalized, accelerated instruction in a challenging, six-week format. And while students can log on any time day or night, attendance requirements include participation five out of every seven-day period.
The Art Institute Online began enrolling students in Graphic Design and Multimedia & Web Design degree programs in 2000. Their multimedia-rich online classes enable anyone with an Internet connection to continue their education on a time schedule that is convenient for them.
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh offers bachelorŐs degree programs in Media Arts & Animation, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Digital Media Production, and Multimedia & Web Design. AssociateŐs degree programs are also offered in Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Multimedia & Web Design, Photography and Video Production. Twelve-month diploma programs are available in Digital Design, Residential Design, and Web Design. All Graphic Design and Multimedia & Web Design programs are also available online through The Art Institute Online, a division of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is accredited by The Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). The Art Institute of Pittsburgh also offers customized workforce training and non-degree professional development courses.
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), a system of 24 education institutions located nationwide, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals. The parent company of The Art Institutes, Education Management Corporation (www.edumgt.com) is among the largest providers of private post-secondary education in North America, with 40 primary campus locations in 26 major cities, and with approximately 39,000 students as of fall 2001. EDMC’s education institutions offer doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s, associate’s and non-degree programs concentrated in the creative and visual arts, the behavioral sciences and education fields. EDMC has provided career-oriented academic programs for 40 years, and its education institutions have more than 135,000 alumni.
