Welcome to the Major Template

Study and Research Opportunities

• B.A.
• Year-long, team-based game design project
• The Center for Games and Playable Media. The center houses the school's five games-related research labs, including:  
  • Social Emotional Technology (SET) Lab -  the lab's mission is to design, implement, and study human-computer interaction technologies that enhance physical, social, and emotional experiences.  
  • ASSIST Lab - this lab focuses on helping people with special needs (PSN) maintain a high quality of life through technology. 
• The Ludo Lab Center for Games & Playable Media Research. The Ludo Lab seeks to approach the issues and opportunities that shape our collective future - including Social and Environmental Justice, Gender Equality, Identity, and Representation.

Information for First-Year Students

Students interested in entering the program as frosh are urged to make games — using any materials, from Javascript to cardboard — and carefully study game systems. Developing an arts practice in any medium is also helpful, including drawing, writing, music, sculpture, filmmaking, and others. Finally, deepening your understanding of technology is good preparation, including computer programming, participating in maker groups, or whatever else grabs your interest.

Information for Transfers

In preparation for transfer to AGPM, students are required to demonstrate proficiency in programming, visual art, and game design.

See department website for more information.

It is required that incoming transfer students complete all the necessary programming courses and have some experience with art or game design courses prior to entering UCSC. Students interested in entering as junior transfers, including from within UCSC, are urged to complete all general education requirements and as many appropriate foundation courses as possible.

Careers

The AGPM B.A. serves as the sister program to the Computer Science: Computer Game Design (CS:CGD) B.S. major. While the CS:CGD major prepares its students for engineering and developer roles, the AGPM program prepares students for taking an artist, designer, or producer role. Specific job titles/roles are listed below: 

• 2D / 3D Artist
• Game Designer
• Game Programmer
• Game Writer
• Producer
• Sound Designer
• User Interface (UI) Designer
• User Experience (UX) Designer

Facilities

• Digital Arts Research Center (DARC) – A multimedia complex housing extensive digital printmaking/photography facilities, faculty studios, and exhibition/media labs.
• The AGPM Game Lab is located within the DARC and serves multiple functions. The lab is a modular/dynamic space that can be used as a classroom, coworking space, and prototyping studio. 

Awards, Honors, and Recognitions

UC Santa Cruz is ranked 17th on the list of "Top 50" undergraduate Game Design programs by the Princeton Review.

Alumni Focus

• Our alumni have gone on to continue their games education through top graduate programs, such as the University of Southern California's Interactive Media & Games program.
• Those who choose to pursue the industry route have also found success in game studios throughout the country. Pixelberry is one of these studios and is best known for their mobile game Choices, which has close to 1 million users across both the iOS and Android platforms.