UQAC offers three video game training courses that focus mainly on programming. It attracts many foreign students, most of whom are French and have a scientific background.

The NAD-UQAC School, Ecole Nationale d'Art Numérique, de l'Animation et du Design, created in 1992 and affiliated with UQAC since 2008, offers four video game training courses focused on game design and game art.

ACADEMICS:

• Bachelor's Degree with a major in Video Game Design (UQAC) [90 crédits]

• Short Graduate Program in Video Game Development (UQAC) [15 crédits]

• Master's Degree in Computer Science (Video Games) (UQAC) [45 crédits]

• Bachelor's Degree in 3D Animation and Digital Design (Ecole NAD-UQAC) [90 crédits]

• Certificate in 3D Animation and Digital Design (Ecole NAD-UQAC) [30 crédits]

• Master's Degree in Art (Digital Design) (Ecole NAD-UQAC) [45 crédits]

• DESS, Postgraduate Diploma Specialized in Narrative Video Game Design (Ecole NAD-UQAC) [30 crédits]

STUDENT PROFILES:

UQAC attracts a large number of international students to its video game programs. Since 2016, half of UQAC graduates recruited into the video game industry have been international students, mainly from France. The university also prepares a significant proportion of graduate students (45% of video game graduates earn Master’s degrees).

30% of UQAC's video game graduates hold a double degree in partnership with a foreign engineering school. These degrees come most often from French schools in the field of computer science.

The NAD-UQAC School trains digital artists and the vast majority of its graduates who have entered the video game industry since 2016 hold a Bachelor's degree in 3D animation and digital design.

RECRUITMENT:

The main UQAC and NAD-UQAC recruiters since 2016 are:

• Ubisoft (Quebec and France) (39% of students)

• Behaviour Interactive (Quebec) (7%)

• Beenox [Activision Publishing Inc] (Quebec)

• Eidos-Montréal (Quebec)

• Gameloft Montréal (Quebec)

Looking broadly at the UQAC graduates from 2016 to today who work in 58 video game companies, 62% hold technical positions (including 59% of programmers/developers), 26% hold artistic positions (all game artists), and 11% are game designers.

ACADEMICS:

• Honours Bachelor of Game Design (4 years)

• Honours Bachelor of Computer Science (4 years), with specialization in either Cloud Computing, Data Analytics or Game Engineering

• Advanced Diploma of Computer Systems Technology - Software Development and Network Engineering (3 years)

• Certificate of Game Development - Advanced Programming (1 year)

• Graduate certificate of Game Level Design (1 year)

• Post-grad certificate of Computer Animation (1 year)

STUDENT PROFILES:

Of the Sheridan graduates recruited in video game production since 2016, 67% hold a Bachelor's degree, 35% a Certificate and 1% an Advanced Diploma.

RECRUITMENT:

The top employer of Sheridan College alumni recruited in video game production since 2016 is Ubisoft (Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia locations) with 15%, then Electronic Arts (British Columbia) followed by HitGrab Game Labs (Ontario).

Since 2016, the Sheridan graduates who were recruited by 69 video game employers have held technical functions (27% - all programmers) and artistic functions (30%). Game designers are hired for 39% of these positions.

ACADEMICS:

• Master’s in Game Programming (4 years)

• AEC (Attestation d'Étude Collégiale) in Game Programming
  (2 years)

• Bachelor’s in Tech Game Art (4 years)

• AEC in Tech Game Art (2 years)

• Master’s in Game Design (4 years)

• AEC in Game Design (2 years)

• Game Data Analyst (1 year)

• 
  

STUDENT PROFILES:

62% of ISART alumni who graduated from 2016-2020 and were recruited into video game production earned a diploma in Game Design, 28% in 3D Film, 12% in Game Programming, and 3% in Game Data Analyst.

RECRUITMENT:

The largest video game production employer of Isart Digital Montreal alumni is by far Gameloft Montreal (29%), ahead of Ubisoft (Montreal and France) (11%), Nvizzio Creations Inc. Montreal (9%), and Behaviour Interactive Quebec (5%).

Among 38 employers, 17% of these alumni hold technical functions (all programmers) and 27% artistic functions, mainly as game artists. Game designers represent the majority of profiles with 51%.

ACADEMICS:

UdeM

• Bachelor's Degree in Digital Music (3 years)

• Major Diploma in Video Games (2 years)

• Master's Degree in Computer Science (2 years)

• D.E.S.S. in Game Design (1 year)

• D.E.S.S. in Digital Music (1 year)

• Certificate, Minor in Video Game Studies (1 year)

Poly MTL

• Bachelor's Degree in Software Engineering (4 years)

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering (4 years)

• Professional Master's Degree (DESS) / Option AI in Digital Interactive Entertainment (2 years)

• Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Spécialisées (DESS) in Usability and User Experience (UX) (1 year)

STUDENT PROFILES:

70% of the 2016-2020 alumni working in video game production hold a bachelor's degree and 35% hold a master's or DESS degree.

Due to its programs in digital music, UdeM prepares many audio designers. Its students have designed the soundtracks for several beautiful student game projects such as Space Morons (2017), Siren's Lullaby (2016), and Sea Shepherd (2015). This 2016-2020 alumni group shows the strength of this audio design specialization where 9% are audio designers, the highest rate of this top 5.

Polytechnique Montréal, for its part, mainly prepares programmers. These students have programmed several collaborative games that have excellent finish, such as Obsolescence (2020), Zorya (2017), Eco Squad: Winds of Change (2018) and ADA (2016).

RECRUITMENT:

The leading video game employer of the 2016-2020 Université de Montréal and Polytechnique Montréal alumni is Ubisoft Montreal (38% of the alumni) followed by Behaviour Interactive Quebec (14%) and Gameloft Montreal.

More broadly, among 32 employers, 63% of these alumni hold technical positions (all programmers) and 8% artistic positions, mainly as game artists. Game designers represent 15%.

ACADEMICS:

• Bachelor's Degree in Video Game Creation

• Bachelor's Degree in Digital Creation

• Bachelor's Degree in 3D Creation

• Master's Degree in Digital Creation

• 3D Creation Certificate

• Certificate in Digital Creation

STUDENT PROFILES:

Almost all of the graduates who have entered the video game industry since 2016 hold a bachelor's degree (67% in video game creation and 28% in 3D creation) with 6% having a certificate and 4% a master's degree.

RECRUITMENT:

The leading video game employer of 2016-2020 UQAT alumni is Ubisoft Montreal (19% of the alumni), ahead of WB Games Montreal Inc (7%) and Gameloft Montreal (6%).

More broadly, 6% of these alumni recruited by 35 employers hold technical positions (all programmers) and 55% hold artistic positions, mainly game artists. Game designers represent 28%.