New Zealand Diploma in Screen Production (Game Design) (Level 5)
Creative Media
A course by
SIT
Develop creative and practical skills in 2D art, animation, and game design for immersive storytelling and collaborative game production. Delivered in a flexible HyFlex format, this NZQA Level 5 diploma prepares you for roles in game development and screen industries.
Blended study
This is a mix of online learning & face-to-face sessions
Invercargill / Hyflex, Invercargill
It will take a total of 1 year
Core skills this course teaches
Develop practical skills in 2D game design and animation
Demonstrate ability to design and produce 2D games and animated experiences for a range of audiences using the latest techniques and technology.
Apply storytelling and character development in screen production
Create engaging narratives, design compelling characters, and apply audience-centred interactive storytelling principles.
Collaborate and communicate in creative teams
Work both individually and collaboratively, participating in cross-disciplinary creative teams and effective communication throughout the creative process.
What You're Signing Up For
Join a creative, collaborative community and learn to craft rich, immersive experiences for games and screen media. Over one year of full-time study, you’ll develop practical skills in 2D art, animation, digital design, storytelling, and game and level design. The programme emphasizes hands-on solo and team projects, interactive and audience-focused storytelling, and industry-relevant skills including communication, project management, and collaborative production processes. Graduates will be capable of producing compelling, user-driven games and animated narratives, with experience in both the creative and technical facets of screen production.
Course Content
- Cross-disciplinary workshops (creative industry practice, communication, research)
- Fundamentals of digital design in the creative industries
- Studio-based digital art production
- 2D game design: user experience, story and character-driven design, gameplay mechanics
- Storyboarding and drafting for screen arts projects
- Screenwriting for short form narratives
- Principles of animation and 2D character creation
- Production of 2D animated projects using industry-standard pipelines
- Fundamental skills in physical and digital drawing (life drawing, mural, illustration)
- Visual storytelling and narrative illustration
- Project documentation and analysis
What you need to know first
University Entrance: NCEA Level 3 with three subjects at Level 3 (14 credits each)
Literacy: 10 credits at Level 2 or above (5 in reading, 5 in writing)
Numeracy: 10 credits at Level 1 or above (specified standards)
Portfolio of creative work with application (5-10 artworks/animation/game samples or equivalent)
Mature applicants: Age 20+, aptitude and evidence of Level 3 or higher study
May require interview with programme staff
What sort of industry will this job lead to
Game Development
Screen Production
Creative Media
Future employment opportunities might be
2D artist
Game designer
Animator
UI artist/designer
Other multidisciplinary roles in game development and screen industries