RSVP now for the required info session.
Info session dates and details are shown below.
DigiPen WANIC Courses
This is a great opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to take advanced classes in computer science, art and animation, or music and sound design and earn Advanced Placement* credit or college credit at DigiPen. In addition to completing a projects-based curriculum, students gain exposure to a collegiate environment and have access to opportunities like college mentoring and shadowing.
About WANIC
The Washington Network for Innovative Careers (WANIC) is a regional skills center cooperative of select school districts in Northeast King County. WANIC provides advanced-level career and technical education programs based on rigorous academic and industry standards preparing students for post-secondary education and successful entry into high-skill, high-demand careers and employment.
Prerequisites & Applications
This program is primarily for students entering their junior or senior year of high school in the fall, but younger students are accepted if space is available. Students must attend an information session at DigiPen as a requisite to their application with WANIC. For the Video Game Programming courses students will need to show completion or concurrent enrollment in Algebra 2 as a prerequisite.
Schedule
Each WANIC course is 540 hours and run through the entire academic school year, Monday through Friday for 2.5 hours each day. Students can choose morning, afternoon or after school sessions. WANIC Skills Center also offers three-week DigiPen programs during the summer. Please refer to WANIC for dates and registration information. Info Session details and dates are shown below.
Video Game Programming
(AP® Computer Science)
The DigiPen Video Game Programming track gives students an introduction to the art and science behind video game development. Through seven modules of instruction, students learn key art, math, and computer science concepts that are applied to a game project after each module. While developing their games, students also write a short essay defending the methods and reasons used to complete their project, as well as address industry issues like labor practices, intellectual property rights, publishing contracts and controversial game content.
Credit Granted: Students are eligible to receive a College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADR) math credit and may also receive 2.0 occupational education credits. DigiPen college credit available.
*Younger students are accepted if space is available
Art & Animation
(AP® Studio Art)
The DigiPen Art and Animation course provides students with an opportunity to develop the skills necessary to pursue post-secondary education in the field of fine art and animation. The program focuses on traditional art skills including basic drawing, composition, line and value, and perspective drawing. Upon learning these skills, students are introduced to essential animation skills like character concept and design, basic keyframe animation, motion studies, and 2D and 3D computer animation.
Credit Granted: Students who successfully complete a year of study with the program earn 1.0 fine art credit plus 2.0 occupational education credits. DigiPen college credit available.
*Younger students are accepted if space is available
Music & Sound Design
Discover the exciting opportunities of music engineering and sound design. Combine music composition, history, and theory with practical training in studio recording techniques. Apply fundamentals in computer science, mathematics, and physics to sound design principles. Learn what it takes to work within teams in real-world settings to create interactive audio for video games and engaging soundtracks for film.
Credit Granted: Students who successfully complete a year of study with the program earn 1.0 fine art credit plus 2.0 occupational education credits. DigiPen college credit available.
*Younger students are accepted if space is available
DigiPen Data Analytics & Visualization
This NEW computer science-based program explores practical challenges involving complex real-world data and examines a wide range of case studies. It also provides a comprehensive look at the various post-secondary pathways and career opportunities for a market that is projected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to grow to over $132B by 2026. Learn how to extract strategic insights from data, build predictive models to predict future trends and efficiently communicate them to inform business strategy. Explore mathematical topics like probability, statistics, linear algebra, and calculus. Use artificial intelligence tools to automate analysis processes.
Credit Granted: CTE (2.0), Math Analysis (1.0)
DigiPen Game Design
This NEW program is for creative-minded students who are deeply curious to understand the behavior and psychology behind games and are eager to learn the skills and methods used for designing fun and engaging interactive experiences. Students will study and apply fundamental engagement theory content along with a diverse range of other topics including computer science, cognitive psychology, economics, communications, and user experience. As a project-based program, students can expect to spend much of their time prototyping, testing, and rapidly developing many different game ideas and collaborating on team projects with students in other DigiPen WANIC tracks. Explore different game design disciplines including systems design, level design, user experience design, narrative design, and technical design, and learn basic scripting and programming skills to develop game prototypes using a game engine.
Credit Granted: CTE (3.0)
Skills Center College-Level Courses
DigiPen Academy partners with other Washington State Skills Centers to teach college-level content to their high school students. While all of the skills center programs are free, students must meet eligibility requirements to register, including being a student in a consortium school district. If you or your student lives near one of our partner skills centers, please contact the appropriate skills center for registration information.
WANIC – Please visit wanic.org for more information about WANIC.
New Market Skills Center
Tumwater, WA
Program(s) offered: Video Game Programming, Art & Animation
More Info on New Market Skills Center
Puget Sound Skills Center
Burien, WA
Program(s) offered: Video Game Programming
More Info on Puget Sound Skills Center
RSVP Here for the required info session
Sessions are from 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. PST
Wednesday, February 8th
Thursday, March 23th
Wednesday, April 19th
Thursday, May 25th
*Thursday, June 15th
*Thursday, July 27th
*Wednesday, August 16th
All sessions will be held Online, Zoom links will be emailed the week of the session.
*Subject to Cancellation
WANIC Policies & Info
DigPen Institute of Technology offers DigiPen WANIC courses in partnership with Washington Network of Innovative Careers (WANIC). Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend WANIC information sessions. Applicants are expected to attend a session.
For more information email: wanic@digipen.edu
Registration for the 2023 DigiPen Skills Center President’s Scholarship is now open.
