BA in Art and Design - Games and Playable Media in Santa Cruz United States | University of California, Santa Cruz

The Art & Design: Games & Playable Media (AGPM) program is an innovative undergraduate offering within UCSC's Department of Performance, Play, and Design.

AGPM students earn a degree centered on crafting games as artistic expression and social commentary, emphasizing groundbreaking, imaginative creations spanning board games, RPGs, immersive installations, and digital experiences. The curriculum explores game creation addressing themes like environmental activism, African American artistic traditions, and LGBTQ+ narratives. The program examines interactive art forms through the lens of feminist theory, racial equity, and queer-positive game design.

The AGPM curriculum emphasizes these core study areas - prospective students should anticipate coursework focused on:

Games as artistic expression and tools for social change
Inclusive game design addressing gender, race, and sexuality
Participatory gaming experiences including RPGs, location-based games, and theatrical play
Emerging interactive technologies like virtual and augmented reality
Presenting games in artistic venues and public environments

Educational Approach
At its core, the program teaches game-making as an artistic practice, with instruction from faculty who exhibit in galleries and create educational games. Students explore how art movements - from conceptual art to feminist installations - evolved into interactive media and ultimately game-based art. The major involves both solo and collaborative projects in game design and interactive experiences. Many courses are jointly offered with Theater, Critical Race Studies, and Feminist Studies departments, fostering rich interdisciplinary partnerships.