Brigham Young University · Computer Science Department

Computer Science: Animation and Games Emphasis

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Bachelor'sBSGame ProgrammingNamed concentration

Overview

A limited-enrollment BS in Computer Science emphasis that adds graphics, animation and game production to computer science fundamentals. Students take prerequisite courses, apply to the program, and collaborate each year with Animation BFA students on an animated film and a game.

Official program title: Computer Science: Animation and Games Emphasis
Exact award: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Source: catalog.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Degree level: Bachelor's
Discipline: Game Programming
Degree type: Named concentration“Animation and Games Emphasis” within the Computer Science (BS). The degree you receive is the parent degree; the concentration is how the school names the game-focused pathway.
School and department: Brigham Young University — Computer Science Department
Source: animation.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Location: Provo, UT

Why this program is listed

Officially named Animation and Games Emphasis within the BS in Computer Science, listed in the university catalog.

Source: catalog.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We list dedicated game degrees and officially named game concentrations at institutionally accredited US schools. Eligibility rules

Format, length and attendance

Delivery, campus attendance, schedule and study intensity are separate facts, each shown only as the school states it. Online coursework does not by itself mean there is no residency, exhibition, internship or proctored exam.

Delivery: On campusClasses meet on campus.
Source: animation.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Campus attendance: Regular campus attendanceClasses meet on campus (campus and hybrid programs).
Study intensity: Not published
Duration: Not verified
Credits: Major requirements: 77-81.5 credit hours
Source: catalog.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Entry routes

The pages we checked do not state whether first-year, transfer or degree-completion applicants are admitted to this program.

Prerequisite courses: RequiredPrerequisite courses (Intro to Computer Science, Exploring CS, Data Structures, Careers in CS, Intro to 3D Graphics, Intro to Animation) and admission to the program
Source: catalog.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Curriculum

What the school publishes about the program's game design, programming, art and production content. Tools and engines are listed only when the school names them — a program not listed as teaching Unity or Unreal may still use them, but we have not verified it.

Requirements include computer systems, algorithms, software construction, computer graphics and intermediate 3D graphics, a choice of Real-time Techniques or Materials and Surfacing, and 6 hours of animated film or video game production courses.

Programming content

Core includes Computer Systems, Discrete Structures, Advanced Software Construction, Algorithm Design and Analysis, Systems Programming and Computer Graphics.
Source: catalog.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Choice of Real-time Techniques or Materials and Surfacing.
Source: catalog.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Production and team projects

Six hours chosen from Animated Film Production 1-3 and Video Game Production 1-2.
Source: catalog.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Each year students collaborate with Animation BFA students to create an animated film and a game.
Source: cs.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Capstone

Student-led film and video game capstone projects; students may pitch a film or game idea and juniors vote on the project.
Source: animation.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tools and engines named by the school

Maya, Unreal Engine, Adobe products, Houdini and Storyboard Pro are available to students.
Source: animation.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Hardware and software requirements

No hardware or software requirement published on the pages we checked.

Admissions and portfolio

Required, optional and not-required items are shown exactly as the school states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.

Portfolio

Portfolio required

After acceptance to BYU, students declare pre-major intent, take DESAN 101, finish prerequisite classes and submit a portfolio for board review; passing the portfolio review admits them to the major. Students can apply twice.

Official portfolio instructions

Source: animation.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other requirement: RequiredAdmission to Brigham Young University must precede acceptance to the animation program; non-members must live the BYU Honor Code.
Source: animation.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

SAT/ACT and English-language test policy: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances. How to prepare a game design portfolio

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the intake the school printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

Application deadlines: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Tuition and costs

Each amount keeps its student category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-term and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other, and tuition is not the full cost of attendance.

Category	Amount	Basis and year
Undergraduate, Latter-day Saint, 12.0+ credit hours, Fall/Winter semesterFrom the school-wide rate table for this level	$3,548	per semester · 2026-2027Source: enrollment.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Undergraduate, non-Latter-day Saint, 12.0+ credit hours, Fall/Winter semesterFrom the school-wide rate table for this level	$7,096	per semester · 2026-2027Source: enrollment.byu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Understanding tuition and equipment costs

Scholarships, assistantships and funding

Awards published by the school for this program or for students at this level. “Guaranteed” only when the school says every eligible student receives it. Loans must be repaid and are not scholarships. Scholarships guide

Program-specific funding: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Accreditation and authorization

Institutional accreditation covers the school. Programmatic accreditation is shown only when it is named for this program — it is never transferred from another department or degree.

Institutional accreditation

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 12, 2026

Programmatic accreditation

None verified for this program. Game design degrees do not require one specific specialized accreditation.

International applicants

Not verified for this program.

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last checked October 12, 2026.

animation.byu.edu/facilities — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
animation.byu.edu/faq — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
animation.byu.edu/prospectivestudents — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
catalog.byu.edu/programs/34714 — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
cs.byu.edu/Undergraduate/cs-animation-and-games — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
enrollment.byu.edu/tuition — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 12, 2026
DAPIP — NWCCU institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-12) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 12, 2026

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