The creative industries are changing quickly. Animation is no longer limited to films, visual effects are becoming an essential part of digital storytelling, and games have evolved into a major form of interactive entertainment. At the same time, technologies such as real-time rendering, immersive media, virtual production and game engines are changing how creative content is produced.
For students who want to build a career in these areas, choosing a design programme now involves more than learning drawing or visual communication. Students need opportunities to understand storytelling, technology, interaction, production workflows and the professional standards used by creative studios.
GLS University, through its GLS Institute of Design (GLSID), has introduced a distinctive international pathway in this space: the Global Bachelor of Design (B.Des Hons.), developed in academic collaboration with SAE Institute, Australia. The current programme includes specialisations in Game Development and Animation & VFX Design, bringing together studio learning, emerging technologies, project-based education and international creative perspectives.
For students planning design education after Class 12, this creates a different route from a conventional B.Des. Instead of focusing only on traditional design disciplines, the programme connects design with animation, visual effects, games, interactive media and technology-driven creative production.
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- Why Animation, VFX and Games Are Becoming Design Careers
- Game Development Is More Than Learning to Make Games
- Animation and VFX Connect Storytelling With Technology
- A Studio-Based Environment Changes How Creative Skills Develop
- Learning With Industry-Standard Tools Can Shape a Stronger Portfolio
- The Global B.Des Adds an International Dimension
- Animation and Game Careers Can Extend Beyond Traditional Studios
- GLS University Brings a Wider Design Ecosystem Around the Programme
- Admission 2026: What Students Should Know Before Applying
- Final Thoughts
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why Animation, VFX and Games Are Becoming Design Careers
The boundaries between design, entertainment and technology are becoming increasingly connected. A modern animated film may involve character design, storytelling, modelling, lighting, compositing and digital effects. A game may combine visual design, interaction, narrative, sound, world-building and technology. Even advertising and digital media increasingly use motion graphics, animation and immersive visual experiences.
This means students entering these fields need more than one creative skill. They need to understand how an idea moves from concept to a finished experience and how different specialists contribute to the production process.
GLS University describes its Global B.Des (Hons.) as a programme designed around contemporary creative practice, emerging technologies, studio-based learning and global industry standards. The programme is positioned for students interested in areas such as game design, interactive media, animation and visual effects.
This makes the programme relevant for students who enjoy both creativity and technology and want to explore careers where visual storytelling and digital tools work together.
2. Game Development Is More Than Learning to Make Games
Game development can look like a purely technical field from the outside, but modern games involve several layers of creative decision-making. A game needs a concept, rules, characters, environments, interaction systems, visual language and a reason for the player to remain engaged.
The Game Development specialisation at GLSID introduces students to areas such as game design principles, game mechanics, level design, world-building and interactive narratives. The programme also provides exposure to game engines and development workflows.
This creates a broader understanding of games as interactive systems rather than simply software products. Students can explore how storytelling, visual design and user experience influence the way a player experiences a game.
For someone considering a career in game studios, interactive media or independent game development, this combination can provide a foundation for understanding both the creative and production sides of the field.
3. Animation and VFX Connect Storytelling With Technology
Animation allows designers and artists to create characters, worlds and stories that cannot always be represented through conventional filmmaking. Visual effects take this further by combining live-action footage with digitally created environments, objects and effects.
The Animation & VFX Design specialisation at GLSID covers areas including animation principles, 2D and 3D animation, character design, motion graphics, visual effects pipelines, compositing, lighting and rendering. The university states that the programme is designed to help students develop portfolios aligned with global industry standards.
This kind of curriculum can expose students to the different stages involved in producing visual content. Rather than treating animation as a single skill, students can begin to understand how character, movement, composition, lighting and post-production contribute to a final visual narrative.
The same skills can connect to several creative industries, including film, OTT content, gaming, advertising, digital media and other forms of visual storytelling.
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4. A Studio-Based Environment Changes How Creative Skills Develop
Creative skills improve through repeated practice. A student may understand the principles of animation theoretically, but producing a character sequence or visual effect requires experimentation, revision and feedback.
GLSID describes its design education as studio-based, practice-led and human-centred, with learning rooted in curiosity, empathy and making. Its wider Faculty of Design also highlights experimentation, industry collaboration, research inquiry and interdisciplinary learning as parts of the academic environment.
The Global B.Des programme adds dedicated facilities such as an AR-VR Lab, Cintiq Labs, Photography Lab, Audio & Video Lab and Prototyping Lab.
For students, access to such spaces can make the learning process more hands-on. They can experiment with digital tools, visual production, interactive experiences and prototypes instead of relying entirely on conventional classroom instruction.
5. Learning With Industry-Standard Tools Can Shape a Stronger Portfolio
Creative careers are heavily influenced by what students can actually demonstrate. A degree may show that someone completed formal education, but a portfolio can show how that person approaches ideas, solves creative problems and develops finished work.
The GLS Global B.Des programme emphasises project-based learning and the use of state-of-the-art studios and industry-standard tools. The university states that students work with practical skills from the early stages of the programme and develop portfolios aligned with global creative-industry expectations.
This makes portfolio development an important part of the learning journey. Students interested in animation may gradually build character studies, motion work, visual sequences or 3D projects, while game-development students may develop game concepts, mechanics, environments or interactive prototypes.
A strong portfolio is not created through one final project. It develops through repeated experimentation, feedback and improvement across multiple projects.
6. The Global B.Des Adds an International Dimension
One of the most distinctive elements of this programme is its international academic connection with SAE Institute, Australia. GLS University describes the collaboration as bringing SAE’s creative-media expertise and globally benchmarked, practice-driven pedagogy into the programme.
The Global B.Des (Hons.) is a four-year undergraduate programme, and the university highlights international immersion and exchange opportunities as part of the experience. Graduates receive an SAE Institute qualification accredited and awarded as a B.Des (Hons.) degree by GLS University, according to the university’s programme announcement.
For students interested in international careers, this global component can provide a different academic perspective. They can become familiar with creative practices that extend beyond the Indian market while developing an understanding of international production standards.
It also gives students an opportunity to think about creative careers in a global context rather than limiting their understanding of the industry to one geographical market.
7. Animation and Game Careers Can Extend Beyond Traditional Studios
A degree in animation, VFX or game development does not necessarily lead to only one type of job. The creative technology ecosystem includes multiple professional roles, and students can gradually identify the area that fits their strengths.
Depending on their skills and portfolio, graduates may explore areas such as game design, interactive media, animation, VFX, motion graphics, character design, visual development, digital storytelling and creative production. The university specifically identifies careers in game design, interactive media and independent or studio-based game development for the Game Development specialisation, while Animation & VFX is positioned toward film, OTT, gaming and digital media.
This range also means that students should not select the programme only because they enjoy playing games or watching animated films. Professional creative work involves deadlines, iteration, technical learning, teamwork and the ability to convert ideas into finished outputs.
Students who enjoy both creative experimentation and digital production may find these fields worth exploring in greater depth.
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8. GLS University Brings a Wider Design Ecosystem Around the Programme
Although the Global B.Des focuses on Animation, VFX and Game Development, students are part of the larger GLS Institute of Design ecosystem. GLSID currently offers B.Des, Global B.Des (Hons.), Integrated M.Des, M.Des and PhD in Design, with its broader design education covering areas such as Fashion, Communication, Product, and Environment & Space Design.
This wider environment matters because creative industries increasingly require collaboration between different specialists. A game project, for example, may involve visual communication, product thinking, interaction design, storytelling and technology.
Being part of a larger design institution can therefore expose students to different creative perspectives and disciplines. It can also encourage them to think beyond the boundaries of a single specialisation.
The university’s wider design philosophy is described through its “Connecting the Dots” approach, which links culture, society, technology and environment with design practice.
9. Admission 2026: What Students Should Know Before Applying
For students planning to join the Global B.Des after Class 12, GLS University’s current programme page states that applicants should have completed 10+2 or an equivalent qualification in any stream. The current admission process involves registering through the university portal and receiving information regarding the Design Aptitude Test and Personal Interview, after which final admission results are declared.
The current GLS Institute of Design application portal states that 2026–27 Round 2 applications are open, with an application fee of ₹2,000. It lists B.Design, Integrated M.Design and B.Design (Global) (Hons.) among the undergraduate design options and states that the entrance examination may be conducted online or offline.
Applicants should verify the latest programme-specific admission schedule, test format, fees and documentation requirements directly through the GLSID admission portal before applying, because admission cycles and programme details can change.
10. Final Thoughts
The rise of digital entertainment, interactive media and technology-driven storytelling is creating new creative pathways for students who enjoy both design and technology. A programme focused on Animation, VFX and Game Development can therefore offer a different kind of design education—one where visual creativity, storytelling, interaction and digital production come together.
GLS University’s Global B.Des (Hons.) stands out because it combines the university’s design ecosystem with an academic collaboration with SAE Institute, Australia. The programme brings together studio-based learning, emerging technologies, practical projects, creative labs and international exposure, while its two current specialisations allow students to explore either game development or animation and VFX.
For students considering this route, the important question is not simply whether they enjoy animation or games. They should also ask whether they enjoy creating, experimenting, learning digital tools, solving visual problems and repeatedly improving their work. Those qualities can be more important to a long-term creative career than simply having an interest in the finished entertainment product.
11. Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the Global B.Des (Hons.) at GLS University?
The Global B.Des (Hons.) is a four-year undergraduate design programme offered by GLS University in academic collaboration with SAE Institute, Australia, with current specialisations in Game Development and Animation & VFX Design.
Q2. What specialisations are available in the Global B.Des?
The current programme page lists Game Development and Animation & VFX Design as the two specialisations.
Q3. Can students apply after Class 12 from any stream?
Yes. The current GLSID programme page states that candidates who have passed 10+2 or its equivalent in any stream can apply.
Q4. What is taught in Game Development?
The programme covers areas such as game design principles, mechanics, level design, world-building, interactive narratives, game engines and development workflows.
Q5. What is taught in Animation & VFX Design?
Students can study 2D and 3D animation, character design, motion graphics, VFX pipelines, compositing, lighting and rendering, along with animation principles and visual storytelling.
