Advanced Diploma of Professional Game DevelopmentGame Design & Production

Game designers are the visionaries and evangelists for a game development project.
They thrive on new ideas and are always thinking about how users will interact and enjoy the experience that they’ve created.

Overview

Shape the future of games with Game Design & Production

A great game designer possesses a combination of technical knowledge, artistic skill and most importantly, the ability to communicate and understand people.

Game designers spend significant amounts of time writing detailed documents specifying game mechanics, environments, playable characters and the game’s nemesis. This detail extends right down to how a particular item might behave, be animated and sound.

Game Design is a two year, full-time course written by experienced game designers, in consultation with local and international studios, to produce innovative graduates who will lead the next generation of game development.

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Course information

Get into the details

Overview

Length	2 year program
Curriculum	Practical skills and applied theory
Projects	3 Cross-stream game dev projects
Subjects	1 subject studied at a time, 4 per semester
Funding	Approved for VET Student Loans

The Advanced Diploma is a hands-on game design and production program design to meet industry needs. Over two years, graduates will develop innovative design skills and strong technical skills. Game Design students work on a series of game projects with Artists and Programmers to develop their game development and teamwork skills.

Qualification

YEAR 1:

Course Name	Diploma of Screen and Media
Course ID	CUA51020
CRICOS Course Code	106064C

Delivered in conjunction with the

Course Name	Diploma of Visual Arts
Course ID	CUA51125
CRICOS Course Code	119345J

YEAR 2:

Course Name	Advanced Diploma of Professional Game Development, Specialising in Game Design
Course ID	11151NAT
CRICOS Course Code	114805D

Course comparisions

Diploma or Degree See all our design courses

Career pathways

Learn about your career options

Level Designer...

Game Designer...

Subjects

Subjects and assessment

Students complete practical game design tasks and projects based on industry standards and briefs. Accompanying projects students record their process through development journals and other documentation.

Entry requirements

Advanced Diploma courses

We’re looking for passionate and creative students who are ready to take the next step towards their career goals through the Advanced Diploma.

To enrol into the Advanced Diploma you need to have completed Year 12 or achieve an Exit Level 3 score within the Australian Core Skills Framework assessments in reading and numeracy.

We’re interested in your creativity and commitment to learning – not your ATAR score.

An Exit Level 3 score within the Australian Core Skills Framework assessments in reading and numeracy will show that you have the capability to be successful in this course. AIE can assist you with this assessment process if required and results will be reported to you as soon as practicable. As per the Department of Education and Training guidelines, assessment results are also available to the Department Secretary on request.

Fees

Tuition fees - Diploma and Advanced Diplomas

The 2027 student course fees are located are located on the fees page.

VET student loans for diploma and advanced diplomas

AIE’s Diploma and Advanced Diploma programs are approved for VET Student Loans.

Eligible students in these courses can apply for a VET Student Loan to defer the cost of their tuition fees. It is important to note that VET Student Loans will not be approved for students who do not meet eligibility requirements. A VET Student Loan gives rise to a VETSL debt that continues to be a debt due to the Commonwealth until it is repaid. A VET Student Loan is repaid through the Australian tax system
once a person reaches the minimum income threshold level of repayment.

To be eligible for a VET Student Loan, a student must meet eligibility criteria which includes citizenship, academic and other requirements. For more information about VET Student Loans visit aie.edu.au/vet.

Software

Industry software you will learn

Unreal Engine
for game development

Unity Engine
for game development

Maya for 3D Modelling, rigging, animating, lighting and rendering

ZBrush for High-detail sculpting and texturing

Substance Suite for High detail materials and texturing

Adobe Photoshop for Concept art and texture maps

Visual Studio
for programming tools

MonoDevelop
for programming tools

Perforce
for project management and version control

Git
for project management and version control

Source Tree
for project management and version control

Microsoft Office
for project management and planning

Why AIE

What makes AIE different

Practical Skills

Develop the skills demanded by industry making you immediately employable.

Specialists

Learn from experienced industry professionals who have insights and connections.

Equipment

AIE provides state of the art, cutting-edge, game technology.

Start your own studio

AIE is going beyond providing digital media training.

Not for Profit

AIE is the world’s first non-profit specialist games and visual effects educator.

Career Placement

Follow in the footsteps of graduates working on the top games and films worldwide.

Mentors

Educators with real industry experience

When you learn at AIE, you’re learning from people that know the industry from the inside — because they’ve worked in it.

Testimonials

What our graduates say

"I will never forget the amazing time and valuable experience AIE have given me, they really helped me shine to be more than who I thought I was, I am now a Game Designer creating fun innovating games for the future generations"

CEO
Dark Shadow Studios

Casey Thomas

"Game development for many graduates is just a dream. AIE provided me with the skills and knowledge to realise that dream. With such close ties to industry, AIE is a foot in the door to network directly with game companies to help land that elusive job."

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
League of Geeks

Tom Johnstone

"AIE gave me the opportunities to learn industry relevant skills that made it possible for me to get a job in the industry. The teachers were fantastic and incredibly motivated."

LEAD MODELLER
Scanline VFX (Oscar winning VFX studio)

Damien Lam

"AIE was the best choice I made when deciding my career path, the course structure and the connections I made there is what put me in the position for most of the jobs I've gotten. The teachers go above and beyond for their students!"

CHARACTER ARTIST
SMG studio (indie game studio & creators of death squared)

Kellie Lautier

"What I enjoyed about AIE the most was being taught by people that actually have industry experience. My teachers at AIE really helped me figure out the necessary paths and helped me be the best that I could be when I graduated."

SENIOR ENVIRONMENT ARTIST
Cloud Imperium Games (Creators of Star Citizen)

Josh Van Zuylen

"AIE provided me with the building blocks to take my art career to the next level. I learned about the industry, made connections, mentors and friends, asked questions, and viewed my work as an evolution rather than a destination."

OUTPUT DESIGNER
Funko Inc (creators of funko pops)

Beverly Crock

"AIE gave me the specific tools to learn what I needed to know to get into the games industry. AIE taught me a valuable skillset which I have been able to apply to my career."

LEAD CHARACTER ARTIST
Splash Damage

Ben Davis

"AIE has proved to be an invaluable catalyst for my career. The industry veteran teachers and staff went above and beyond. I would not be anywhere near where I am if it wasn't for my AIE family."

VISUAL EFFECTS ARTIST
Bungie

Vinessa Mayer